JACKO

Jacko was a monkey with a job. People paid his owner to see Jacko do tricks. Jacko and his owner lived near a pier. 1

One day Jacko tricked his owner. He saw a boy carrying a box on his head. Jacko climbed on the boy’s box. His owner didn’t see him do it. 2

Soon the boy passed by a window. Something that smelled delicious was cooling near the window. Jacko could see a man asleep inside. 3

He jumped onto the windowsill. Jacko was hungry. He jumped onto the windowsill. 4

Inside, a green parrot in a cage was surprised to see a monkey. The food was on a table with one plate. “That’s a lot of food for one man,” Jacko thought. 5

Polly Parrot was even more surprised when Jacko ate all the food. 6

Suddenly the man woke up. He said, “Where’s my food?” Jacko hid under the table. 7

A man with a top hat came to the window. “Hurry, Captain!” he said. “Your ship is ready to go.” 8

The captain’s wife helped him get dressed to leave. Meanwhile, Jacko climbed into the captain’s trunk. 9

The sailor with the top hat carried the trunk for the captain. He covered the cage and took the parrot, too. “Goodbye, dear,” said the captain’s wife. The captain was unhappy, because he was still hungry. 10

The sailors carried everything up the gangplank. The sailors on the ship saluted their captain. 11

The ship began to move away from the pier. The people on the pier waved goodbye to the sailors. The sailors on the ship waved goodbye too. 12

In his cabin that night, the captain stretched. It was time for bed. He was tired. Jacko watched quietly from inside the trunk. 13

After the captain was asleep, Jacko climbed out of the trunk. He quietly opened the door of Polly’s cage. 14

Jacko and Polly opened the door onto the ship’s deck. A sailor was looking through a telescope. 15

“Uh oh!” yelled a ship officer. “Hurry, everyone! All hands on deck!” 16

A pirate ship was coming toward their ship! Oh no! A pirate ship was coming toward their ship! 17

“Ready, aim, fire!” yelled the captain. They fired cannons at the pirate ship. 18

The pirate ship came very close. The pirates had swords and knives and boards. 19

The pirates ran across the boards to the ship. Jacko and Polly wanted to get away from the fighting. 20

Jacko saw that no one was at the helm of the pirate ship. He and Polly ran across the boards to the empty ship.. 21

Jacko ran to the helm and climbed on it. The pirate ship began to sail away. Polly waved goodbye to the men fighting on the other ship, but they were too busy fighting to wave back. 22

Polly sat on the helm to help Jacko steer. The first ship was on fire. They could see smoke rising from it. The pirate ship was very peaceful and quiet, though. 23

A dolphin watched the pirate ship go near the shore. Then the ship’s hull hit a rock! Oh no! The dolphin was worried. Will the ship sink? Will Jacko and Polly drown? 24

The dolphins were glad to see Jacko let down a lifeboat. Jacko and Polly would be safe in the lifeboat. 25

When Jacko rowed away, the pirate ship began to sink. 26

Finally, they reached the shore. Jacko rowed and rowed Finally, they reached the shore. 27

When they got to the beach, Polly saw Jacko’s mother running toward him. She was happy for them. 28

Jacko was home at last. And so was Polly. 29