ten sails. We'll be seen for miles, an' who's gonna climb the masts ta let out them there sails. No lad, we needs ta drive the ship from inside, so we don't need no sails."
"How about putting oars through the side and rowing it?" Julian offered.
"Nay lad, that would be hard work for the crew, but it do give me an idea. Has ya ever seen a water mill? They works by making water turn a big wheel what 'as paddles on it. Now then if we 'as a paddle wheel an' puts a case around the top half so's only the bottom is in water we could turn it from inside the ship an' it would push us along."
"But won't that be just as hard work for the crew as rowing?"
"Nay nay lad, inside the ship we 'as a donkey drive wheel, as the donkey walks, the ship moves under water. If we 'as two donkey paddles, one on each side, we can steer the ship by stopping one donkey. Ah har Julian lad, this'll be fun, we can even sail backwards, ha, ha, ha, ha, ho, ho, ho, ho, he, he, he, he!"
“But captain, we still have the masts above water.”
“Well then, we needs to submerge deep enough so’s only them there hollow masts be above water, an’ not by more than a foot or so, then nobody’s gonna notice ‘em.”
The crew got to work and before long The Wood Pigeon had been converted into a submerging ship. After two weeks of trials the ship and crew were ready for action.
"Ah har Julian lad, now we needs a prison ship ta capture an' hold Red Beard an' 'is crew. Take six of the crew down ta the ship shop an' buy a small ship, ah har. Something not too big, I fancies one of them there sporty Ayetalian jobs. See what 'e can find 'eh lad."
Later that day Julian sailed into the harbour in one of the most beautiful Italian ships of the day ‘The Mass o' Hearties’, "Named after a Italian nautical religious ceremony" Julian had been told by the second-hand ship salesman.
"Now then Julian, fetch Chippy, we needs to convert The Mass o' Hearties into a prison."
"Aye aye captain."
"Cap'n," reported Chippy, "ye 'as a job for me."
"Aye Chippy, I wants the deck of The Mass o' Hearties made into a trap door, so's that when them there pirates stands on the deck it opens up an' they falls into a cage."
"Aye aye cap'n, it'll be a pleasure ta trap that Red Beard. I 'ave a gift for 'e cap'n."
"For me?" Roger replied. "But it 'aint my birthday for another month Chippy."
"Aye, that I know, but me an' the crew want everyone ta recognise your ship when they sees it. So, we've made you a flag ta look like ol' Pink Beards bones on the raft." Chippy held up a skull and crossbones flag. "We calls it Jolly Roger’s flag. When them there pirates see's it they'll know Cap'n Roger's coming ta get 'em. When good an' honest sailors see's it they'll know they's safe."
"Ah har, har, har, ho, ho, ho, ho, he, he, he, he. Gives me thanks ta the men, they be the best crew in the world."
Chippy made the trap door and fitted a cage under the deck of The Mass o' Hearties, the weight of six men was enough to spring open the door. All was now ready to seek out Red Beard,
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