The Caribbean Read Online Free PDF

suspiciously.
    “No, señor. Please— por favor —please help me,” Diego said, holding out his hands to Jack. “My friend who escaped with me has been recaptured by the Spanish. I knew only a ship like this could catch them…and only a capitan like you could lead a successful rescue mission.”
    “Well,” Jack said, stroking his moustache and preening, “that is probably true.”
    “We’re pirates ,” Barbossa reminded him acidly. “Not bleeding-heart-do-gooder-Robin-Hoodhero types. We don’t do rescues.”
    “That is true, too,” Jack said with a nod.
    “But she needs your help!” Diego pleaded.
    “She?” Jack questioned.
    “Carolina—she is only fifteen—they were going to marry her off to the governor, a very cruel old man.” Diego added a volley of colorful Spanish curses. “She had to run away, and I had to help her. Rescuing her from such a fate would be an act worthy of the noble Captain Jack Sparrow.”
    “Ooooh,” Jack said. “The noble Captain Jack Sparrow. I like that.” He shook his head. “But my first mate is right, lad. We’re pirates, not a rescue party. And we have places to be.”
    “Yes, about that—” Billy Turner interjected.
    “But tell you what,” Jack went on quickly, “we’ll drop you at the next island, and per’aps someone there can help you, what do you say?”
    Diego buried his head in his hands despairingly. “It will be too late,” he said. “Carolina will be lost forever.”
    “Look on the bright side,” Jack said, patting the boy’s head awkwardly. “Maybe this cruel old governor won’t want her anymore, after she ran away like that. Not exactly an auspicious start to the marriage, after all. Maybe they’ll just lock her in a nice cell instead.”
    Diego sighed. “No, her family will make sure the marriage happens. That’s what they’re carrying all that gold for.”
    There was a breathless pause as every pirate in the hold perked up his ears.
    “Gold?” Jack said casually.
    “Si,” Diego said without looking up. “Chests and chests of Spanish doubloons, jewels, handcrafted swords—whatever it takes. They are determined to marry her off and get her out of the family’s way so she won’t be any more trouble to them.” He muttered something else in Spanish.
    “Hmmm,” Jack said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “You know, Diego, I believe I’ve just had a change of heart.”
    Diego raised his tear-streaked face, looking hopeful.
    “Yes,” Jack said. “You’re right, the noble Captain Jack Sparrow can’t just sit idly by and let gold—I mean, this fine young lady—sail off to her doom. Clearly, we must go after the go—I mean, the young lady.” He clapped his hands together and rubbed them, grinning. “It’s only right and proper. Crew! Trim the jib! Man the helm!
    “We’ve got some rescuing to do!”

C HAPTER F IVE
    “O h, captain , my captain,” Billy said sardonically as they came on deck.
    “Sarcasm is very unbecoming from you,” Jack pointed out, striding to the bow. He pulled out his spyglass and studied the ocean ahead.
    “I was just wondering,” Billy said, “why is it that we are no longer pointed in the direction of North Carolina. As you said we would be?”
    “Why, Billy,” Jack said in an injured tone, “you heard the lad. There’s a damsel in distress who needs our help!”
    Billy folded his arms. “Jack, I know perfectly well that we weren’t heading for North Carolina even before you found the stowaway.”
    “Really?” Jack said, keeping his gaze fixed on the horizon. “How odd. Must have words with that first mate of mine. Bit of a loose cannon, he is. It’s probably all those feathers on his hat, distracting him. You agree my hat is finer than his, don’t you?”
    “So you will be taking me home after this…rescue operation?” Billy asked.
    Jack lowered the spyglass and clapped Billy on the shoulder. “Of course!” he said in his usual unconvincing way. Then he strode off to