The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity (19 page)

‘
No idea. All we know
is that the painting somehow vanished into the haze of history, and only
resurfaced at the auction in Chicago.
’

Becky
’
s voice fell to a whisper.
‘
May we see it?
’

‘
Of course,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
He pulled a small penknife from his coat pocket and cut the string. The paper
fell away to reveal an oil painting set in a gilded frame. A misty ray of
sunshine caught it like a spotlight, illuminating the image of the sad looking
woman and baby Becky recalled from the auction.

‘
Do you think that
’
s his wife and child?
’
Becky asked.

‘
I
’
m certain of it,
’
Uncle Percy replied.

‘
She looks so sad,
’
Becky said.

‘
Yes, she does,
’
Uncle Percy agreed.
‘
I wonder, however, how
much of that was Israel
’
s state of mind when he painted it? After all, men like him often
wouldn
’
t
see their families for years at a time, and if caught would probably never see
them again. Anyway, shall we take a more comprehensive look?
’
He inserted the knife
into the corner segment. With a soft crack, the wood split and the rear panel
came away, revealing a brittle yellowing paper inside.
 

Becky
’
s heart slammed in her chest. In the top left hand corner, scribbled
in elegant handwriting, were the following words:

 
Dear
Edward,

By
the time ye read this, I shall be dead.
 
I have no fear of it and, for my countless sins, surely warrant it.
However, although I do not regret my conduct in life, I can only pray my spoils
be used for goodliness in my death. I leave to you the trail to a world of
riches. A dangerous path, it surely is, but one I urge ye take. For the rewards
would put Solomon
’
s
haul to shame. Do this for my wife and son, for your parish, and for God.

 
I wonder if you remember the deception Mr
Icabod Ferbeezle, our schoolmaster,
revealed to us
as
children. If not, this should aid your recall.
‘
A lemon shall
write a wrong.
’

I
know I ask of much of you, dear friend, but look inside yourself as you must
me, and you will see clearly the path to take.

Israel

Silence cloaked the room. Seconds bled into minutes. Becky read and
reread the note, before looking up at Uncle Percy.
‘
I don
’
t get it,
’
she said finally.
‘
A lemon shall write
a wrong
? That
’
s just nonsense.
’

‘
And it
’
s spelt wrong, too,
’
Joe stated, pointing.
‘
He
’
s put
‘
write
’
instead of
‘
right
’
.
’

Becky huffed.
 
‘
And if we
’
ve got to go back in
time to try and discover this deception we
’
re stuffed? We wouldn
’
t even know when to go
back to.
’

‘
True,
’
Uncle Percy said,
nodding absent-mindedly.
‘
Very true.
’

For an age, Becky watched him span the length of the room,
muttering, drumming his chin and muttering some more. Then, all at once, his
expression changed, and he hopped up and down on the spot like an excited
child, chuckling loudly.
‘
Oh, wonderful, he gushed.
‘
How simply wonderful.
’

‘
What is it? Becky
asked impatiently.

Uncle Percy pulled out his car keys and spoke into the fob.
‘
Barbie, if you could
join us in the library, please.
’

‘
What is it?
’
Becky repeated.

‘
You just wait,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
‘
I don
’
t want to spoil Israel
’
s big reveal.
’

At that moment, an orb of white light appeared to the left of Uncle
Percy. Swelling in size, the light vanished with a
crack
to show Barbie
standing there.
‘
You called, sir.
’

Breathlessly, Uncle Percy picked up the painting.
‘
Barbie, would you be
so kind as to use your
Radiax instillor
and heat the paper up for me?
’

‘
To what temperature,
sir?
’

‘
I
’
m not sure. Just take
it slowly and we
’
ll see how we do.
’

A mystified Becky watched as the robot raised her tiny hand. With a
soft hum, a blurred haze surrounded Barbie
’
s fingers. Then she allowed her hand to move
steadily across the paper. At once, letters appeared from nowhere.

Words were forming before their very eyes.

W-what? Becky spluttered. How?
’

A satisfied expression crossed Uncle Percy
’
s face.
‘
It
’
s the oldest
Steganographic technique in the world.
’

Becky and Joe looked at him blankly.

‘
Steganographic
technique: the art of composing secret messages. And this one is the all-time
classic. He
’
s used invisible ink.
’

Joe laughed.
‘
Wow.
’

‘
W-where would a pirate
get invisible ink?
’
Becky stammered.

‘
Lemons,
’
Uncle Percy replied
simply.
‘
Hence
Israel
’
s
phrase
‘
Lemons
can write
’
.
There was no spelling error. He wrote this with lemon juice. You see … l
emon juice is an organic substance that appears
invisible, but oxidizes and turns brown when heated. Gosh, I do feel young
again.
You know, I did my first experiments with invisible ink when I
was about three.
’

‘
You
’
ve always been the
uber-geek, haven
’
t you?
’
Becky grinned madly.

‘
I do believe I have,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
‘
Anyway, let
’
s see what he
’
s got to say for
himself.
’
He
began to read.

From faithful Peggy, ye should glean

The map, few souls have ever seen

And see the chart doth plainly show

The cursed archipelago

Find a Godly crew, and a worthy ship

And bade farewells, before yer trip

Then off to Nassau ye shall go

To find the Surgeon, Stinky Mo

For with good Mo, I
’
ve left the
light

That will guide you in your plight

Then bear the voyage long and cruel

Where winds and swells and tempests
rule

Just listen closely to my friend

And ye shall find the journey
’
s end

Where Mary
’
s treasures,
gained from strife

Can give your flock a better life

Israel

Becky felt dizzy with excitement. She glanced at Joe, whose eyes
were so wide they threatened to cover his entire face.
 
‘
What does it mean?
’

‘
I think it means many
things,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
‘
I think it tells us everything we need to know to find Blackbeard
’
s Treasure.
’

‘
Who
’
s Peggy?
’
Becky asked.
‘
It looks like she
’
s a got a map.
’

Uncle Percy shrugged.
‘
No idea. A friend? A mistress? A fellow pirate?
’

‘
What
’
s an archipelago?
’
Joe asked.

‘
It
’
s a chain of islands.
’

Joe exhaled loudly.
‘
So the first map, the one we get from someone called Peggy, is one
that shows a group of islands.
’

‘
That
’
s right.
’

‘
And Mary Island is one
of them?
’

‘
That
’
s my guess.
’

‘
What
’
s Nassau?
’

‘
It was an infamous
pirate port in the Bahamas.
’

Joe considered this for a moment.
‘
And that
’
s where we find this surgeon, Stinky Mo?
’

‘
So it seems.
’

‘
But we start by
finding Peggy!
’
Becky offered.

‘
I think so,
’
Uncle Percy replied.

‘
Great … then let
’
s get to it then,
’
Joe said
determinedly.

Uncle Percy shook his head.
‘
Tremendously exciting though this most
certainly is, I suggest we give ourselves a much needed break. Need I remind
you, we have had a hectic morning. Let
’
s rest now, eat, spend some time as a family,
and maybe even take our minds of all of this. And then, tomorrow, we
’
ll do some research
and take it from there. What do you think?
’

Just then, Becky realised just how shattered she was.
‘
Okay,
’
she nodded.

‘
Fair enough,
’
Joe agreed
reluctantly.
‘
But we start again first thing tomorrow?
’

‘
Indeed.
’

Joe looked at Becky.
‘
I
’
m going on the net to see if I can find anything out. You coming?
’
He hurried towards
the door.

Becky was about to follow when she remembered something.
‘
I
’
ll meet you in your
bedroom in ten minutes.
’

‘
Suit yourself,
’
Joe said, exiting the
room.

Becky hesitated for a moment, before turning to Uncle Percy.
‘
Will you give me that
answer now?
’
Her voice was calm but firm.
‘
Who
’
s George Chapman?
’