Read Online The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity by Carl Ashmore - Free Book Online Page B

that ’ s what makes this one pretty darn rare. ‘ Course, no one knows
that. I tell most folks it were painted by Vincent Buggins, an old army mate of
mine. ’
    ‘ It ’ s a lovely picture, ’ Becky said.
    Reg ’ s smile grew. ‘ Aye, it is. Quite fitting, coz my Mabel were a lovely woman. In
fact, there were none lovelier. ’ He seemed to hesitate for a moment, before moving to a chest of drawers
on the right hand wall. Pulling open a drawer, he withdrew a small gold ring
with a glittering crimson stone set in its bezel.
    ‘ Here, child …I ’ d like you to have
this. ’ His
hands trembled as he passed the ring to Becky. ‘ It ’ s very old and was my wife ’ s favourite, aside from her weddin ’ ring, of course. ’
    Becky ’ s looked down and gasped. ‘ I can ’ t - ’
    ‘ No, ’ Reg insisted. ‘ She woulda wanted it.
I really don ’ t know any women ‘ cept Doreen out there and she wouldn ’ t give it the care it deserves. I hope you ’ ll do that for me …
and my wife. ’
    ‘ I shall, ’ Becky replied
sincerely. ‘ Thank you. ’
    ‘ Allow me. ’ Delicately, Reg took
Becky ’ s
finger and slipped it on.
    ‘ That ’ s very kind of you,
Reg, ’ Uncle Percy said.
    Reg gave a casual shrug. ‘ It just sits in a drawer, Percy. As you know, every now and again
the past should be allowed to breathe again. And that can only happen in the
present. ’
    Uncle Percy gave a gentle smile. ‘ I understand. ’
    ‘ Anyway, ’ Reg said. ‘ Why ’ ve you come to an old
man ’ s pub? ’
    Uncle Percy ’ s face grew serious. ‘ Can I assume you heard about our little adventure in the summer? ’
    ‘ Aye, ’ Reg said. ‘ I still have my ears
to the ground. Why, just before you got here I had a visit from one of the old
GITT crowd. ’
    ‘ Ah, we thought we heard
a time machine, ’ Uncle Percy said.
    ‘ They still pop in from
time to time to rob me of my Olde Noggin. Then Reg shook his head with disgust. ‘ Emerson
Drake, eh? I mean, I never trusted him, always thought he was a weasel myself,
but I never thought him capable of all that. ’
    ‘ Well he is. And a
whole lot more. And now it looks like he ’ s searching for another relic, which means we
have to try and beat him to it. Now, this is speculation, but it appears the
legend of Pandora ’ s Box might, to some extent, be true. It also appears that at some
point in history it may well have fallen into the hands of one, Mr Edward
Teach, who may well have used it as a treasure chest… ’
    Reg gave an audible groan. ‘ Blackbeard! ’
    Uncle Percy nodded. ‘ Indeed. ’
    Reg listened intently. ‘ What do you know about Blackbeard? ’
    ‘ As for the man, only
what history books tell me. Supposedly born Edward Teach in 1680, he joined
Benjamin Hornigold ’ s sloop as a pirate. He acquired his own ship, The Queen Anne ’ s Revenge in 1717 and
was known from then on as Blackbeard. He was killed by Lieutenant Robert
Maynard of the Royal Navy in the winter of 1718. ’
    ‘ Most of that is true, ’ Reg replied. ‘‘ Cept for the bit
about Robert Maynard. He never killed Blackbeard. Not at the Ocracoke inlet on
the 22 nd November 1718, which is what you ’ ll have found in those
history books of yours.   Sure, the Royal
Navy captured his crew, but they didn ’ t get Blackbeard, that ’ s just navy
propaganda, just like the story of how Blackbeard ’ s severed head was impaled to the bowsprit of
Maynard ’ s
sloop as a warning to other pirates. It didn ’ t happen. Nah, Blackbeard escaped, with his
head firmly attached to his neck. And I know that for a fact. ’
    ‘ How do you know? ’ Uncle Percy asked.
    ‘ Because I was there,
at Ocracoke, and I saw the whole damn thing. ’
    ‘ Then what happened to
him? ’
    Reg ’ s face darkened. ‘ Well, that ’ s the thing, ain ’ t it? I don ’ t know. And if anyone does, then I ain ’ t heard of it. There are stories, sure … some
say he drowned in a violent storm,