The Treasure Trail

When the moon hangs low over the harbor and the stars twinkle bright, a tale of hidden gold and ancient secrets begins to stir. Captain Scruffbeard, the most feared pirate on the seven seas, has heard the rumors of a treasure so well-hidden it has remained a mere story for decades. But Scruffbeard isn't one for fairy tales-he's a man of action, determination, and a very peculiar crew.

To motivate his skeptical rogues, Scruffbeard makes a daring wager: forty days to find the gold, or he pays their wages out of his own pocket. With the deal struck, the Good Ship Thunder is scrubbed, the sails are mended, and a motley crew of legends sets sail:

• Flintlock Fred: The grand-standing pirate with a hook for a hand.
• Sonny: The portly, hilarious cook who knows his desserts as well as his geography.
• Jim Lad McGall: The towering youth with a jewel-encrusted cutlass.
• Squawky: The mischievous blue-and-gold parrot who rules the deck.

But as the maps lead them in circles and the holes they dig grow deeper, the line between legend and reality begins to blur.

Will the "X" finally mark the spot? Or will the crew find themselves at the mercy of a clever pirate's century-old trick?