It was Bruandi’s turn on night watch. Everyone was settling down by the campfire ready to sleep. That day they had moved the camp. Digging down into the ground they had made it more camouflaged using palm leaves and long grasses.
They had made a lookout at the top of a tall tree very near the camp so they could watch for passing ships, especially Pirate ships. They didn’t have many belongings but what they did have wasn’t going to be taken by Pirates.
It was a calm evening, there was a cold mist coming in from the sea. Extra firewood had been collected. The day before they had found a huge wooden box full of blankets and bottles of rum. Everyone was pleased with the blankets as the nights were getting much colder. The Rum was just a bonus. Salhuta heard his father and Bruandi laughing saying … “Hmmm we’ll enjoy this later. “
Tulata and Kalama had been scouting the Island and had found leaves and moss they could stuff into blankets that had been stitched together using string from vines. This would help keep them all warmer on a night. So the feeling in the camp was one of contentment. Salhuta was just drifting off to sleep. He was comfy and warm. He could hear his father Tulata and Kalama laughing as they slowly enjoyed some of the rum.
That feeling wasn’t to last for long. Bruandi started to signal that all wasn’t well! The King went to see what was wrong. “Its pirates your Majesty, we need to out the fire and secure the camp!” Tulata and Kalama were on it straight away. The fire had sand thrown on it and the roof of the camp was pulled down. Bruandi and the king covered the roof with sand and leaves then they all sat quietly.
Outside they could hear voices, ” I’m sure it was around here.” – ” well there’s nothing here now, I think you’ve been on the Rum again!” – There was laughing and sounds of searching around. “It must have washed up around here. Let’s look further down, the tide could have carried it further.” – with that, they were off.
The King and Bruandi left camp, saying “they’ll have a boat! we need that boat. ” Very quietly they ran down to the sea looking for the pirate rowing boat then signalled to Tulata and Kalama to join them. The boat was heavy and they needed help. Three of them carried it and the fourth covered up their footprints.
Covering the boat with palm leaves and grasses they returned to camp. Remaining very quiet and still, they could hear the pirates coming back! One of them said, “You can tell the captain, we can’t find the loot!”- ” well you’re the one who spotted it!” said the other. Then they heard a third voice saying ” I think we have an even bigger problem. Who forgot to anchor the boat?”
They could hear the arguing. We’ll have to swim back now. The Captains not going to be best pleased not only have we lost the loot we’ve lost a boat too!” – “we can look for it tomorrow when its light! I can’t see nothing in this mist!”
After a while, it was quiet so Bruandi crawled out of the camp. “All clear,” he said lifting the roof. The King said “we better make it look as though that boat had drifted down with the tide. Hopefully, the captain will just punish them and they’ll move on.”
Bruandi said, “at least we now know who blankets and rum belong long to.” – ” Yes we’d better put some of them down tide with the boat so they don’t suspect anything.” Tulata and Kalama help with the boat placing some blankets and bottles of rum they all carried them to the other side of the Island. covering up their footprints on the way back.
“Hopefully that’ll be the last we see of the pirates,” said Bruandi who returned to his night watch. the rest of them settled down to get some well-deserved rest
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