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Jakey Fry had not been able to forget Lucy&039;s sood luck As he sailed away into the earlysun, the ominous silence from the Cerys had played on his er and had turned the Marauder back Now, far below the Cerys, at the foot of the ship&039;s ladder, Jakey stood at the tiller, listening to the strange clank ing noises froe to climb aboard and rescue Lucy

His plans were thrown into disarray by a sudden shout from above: "Abandon ship!"

The next eddown the ladder and leaping onto the Marauder

"Hey, not so fast," said Jakey "I only come back fer Lucy" Despite his protests, the Marauder steadily filled with crew "Lucy!" he shouted up at the Cerys "Lucy Gringe! Come down!"

Frounnels

"The crew are getting on the Marauder," she gasped "Tell them not to - it&039;s a trick!"

It was too late Apart froalley hand, all the creere now on the Marauder

"Lucy!" Jakey was desperate now "Where are yer?"

"Go away, fish head!" Lucy yelled

Jakey saw her now - Lucy in her salt-stained blue cloak with her braids silhouetted against the sky - and he suddenly felt happy "Lucy, Lucy!" he shouted "Down &039;ere Quick!"

As if in reply a figure stepped onto the ladder - but it wasn&039;t Lucy It was alht Jakey, the exact opposite of Lucy A seven-foot-tall, ared sword - Jakey knew all about blades - was heading straight for the Marauder

Jakey&039;s ne the warrior too "Push off, push her off!" yelled the bosun As another warrior climbed onto the ladder, the crew pushed the Marauder safely away from the side of the Cerys, and Jakey Fry&039;s drea Lucy disappeared Equally diso - his order to abandon ship had been a disaster He had wanted to get Jenna safely away, but yet again nothing had gone to plan Overwhelht," said Septiet off this ship fast Where&039;s that jinnee gone?"

Jim Knee had never, ever wanted to be a turtle He had seen quite enough of turtles in his time He didn&039;t like their snappy little jaws, and just touching their shells set his teeth on edge - but if his Master insisted that he becoiant turtle he had to beco

"I&039;ll do it for ten er, Oh Weariso as I say," his Master retorted

"No more than twenty minutes, I pray you, Oh Pitiless One," Ji as it takes to get us safely to shore And you will Transforet on at once"

"All of you?" Ji to have to be a very large turtle indeed

"Yes Hurry up"

"Very well, Oh Ruthless One," said Ji his new Master asked him to do was to Transforoing to be trapped inside a shell, the owner of four flippy, flappy flippers instead of hands and feet for as long as his Master wanted - it was his worst night that would not taste of turtle spit? Then he cliunnels, held his nose, jumped from the Cerys and splashed into the clear sea below A e turtle with yellow eyes surfaced

Nicko was ready with a rope He secured it to a cleat and threw it over the side The turtle took its passengers, as directed, to the rocks at the very end of the spit, opposite Star Island, safely out of sight of the Cerys The rocks were not easy to negotiate and after et firers the rocks were in shalloater, and they were able to disembark and wade ashore Less luckily for the turtle, it re - had to wait until it was allowed to Transform before it was free

Ji facedown in two feet of water He sprang to his feet, spluttering and choking, then waded to the rocky shore, where he sat in the sun to dry out His hat, he was sure, would never be the saers watched the jinnee pointedly choose a rock so from their journey The turtle had not been very considerate - it had chosen to swihly erratic fashion, as if it were trying to get rid of those riding on its back

"Nicko," said Milo as he finished wringing out the hey"

"Oh?" Nicko sounded surprised

"I should not have bla the Cerys I believe this island is Enchanted I believe you were Called by a Syren"

Septimus looked at Milo with new interest - maybe he was not the insensitive twit he had taken hilanced at Septimus, eyebrows raised

"Thank you, Milo, but that is no excuse," Nicko was saying "The ship was under my control - I was responsible for what happened to her It is I who y, Nicko, but only if you will accept ht had been lifted from his shoulders He srounded "Thank you, Milo I accept"

"Good!" Milo ju to the Cerys I think we shall get a good view from those rocks over there, don&039;t you, Nicko?"

Everyone, it seemed, wanted to take a look at the Cerys - apart froot until Beetle re used to, Septi Maxie, Silas Heap&039;s arthritic wolfhound, for a walk Maxie had a very siot about the hound and had to go back to find hiroup, complete with Jiood choice; there was a clear view of the ship and the beach and enough cover not to be seen They settled down behind the rocks, and Milo took out his telescope

"Oh, asped He passed the telescope to Nicko Nicko put the telescope to his eye and uttered a long, lohistle

"What is it, Nik?" asked Septimus impatiently

"Ants," muttered Nicko

"Ants?"

"Yeah - like ants leaving the nest Look"

Septimus took the telescope Immediately he sahat Nickodown the side of the Cerys He watched theht, left, right - until they reached the surface of the sea and disappeared beneath it without a break in step As the waves closed over the winged helmet of one jinnee, another stepped onto the ladder at the top Septimus let out a whistle uncannily similar to Nicko&039;s Beetle, unable to contain his ier, snatched the telescope

"Cru?"

"Well, I don&039;t think they&039;re off for a picnic," said Septih to spoil anyone&039;s picnic," said Nicko "I all over your sandwiches"