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we’ll settle down. That’s the aim of the Phoenix and that’s what we’re going to do.”
    “Here, here,” Marcus raised his voice and the rest of the pirates joined him.
    Toby couldn’t resist. “The island!” he cried, mainly to annoy Crocker.
    Toby hadn’t been off the Phoenix since he first boarded, when he was four years old. He had no idea what it wouldbe like to live on land, couldn’t imagine how it would be living without the sea beneath his feet and … he looked around. Who was he supposed to settle down with ? When they got to the island, he would be the only person his age. His eyes flicked to Rita. Almost eight years older than he was, she was the nearest. But despite her infectious childish giggle, he knew she saw him as a kid.
    A gust of wind hit them and Toby inhaled the scent of clean air. Then a shout shattered the crew’s celebratory mood. Old Arnav was waving urgently from the crow’s nest. Toby followed his pointing arm and his jaw dropped. A false twilight was behind them, and it was gaining fast. The dark sky was broken by lightning so bright that Toby’s eyeballs seared with each flash. The storm was almost upon them.
    “There must be a bloody hurricane up there for it to be moving so fast,” the captain yelled. “Get the sails down, Carson, or we’ll lose them.” He turned to Toby. “We need the paddles, son. Fast as you can.”
    “What about the old engines?” Toby was already running for the hatch, Polly gliding at his side. “I can start them up.”
    “The fuel won’t be filtered in time. Focus on the paddles. We can still outrun this, but we have to get some speed on now.”

FOUR
    Toby tossed an armful of compressed fuel into the burner and flicked some switches on the control panel.
    “Are you sure about this?” Polly swayed from side to side on her perch. “You haven’t found the problem yet.”
    “Whatever it is, it didn’t stop us reversing.” Toby closed his hands around the lever that would open the main delivery lines to the paddles. “I’ll get us moving then give her a full work-up.” He yanked the lever, which moved smoothly into position, then stepped back to listen as steam sped from the drum into the lines.
    Hissssss.
    Toby’s back straightened. His eyes widened.
    “Oh, hells.”
    “Toby, it’s the—”
    “ I know .”
    He leaped to pull back on the lever, too late. Four-hundred-degree steam reached the forward delivery line,but it didn’t continue along the snaking pipes. Instead, the pressure forced a tiny rupture and steam geysered into the boiler room.
    Lungs screaming, Toby backed up and covered his face with his sleeve. For a moment, panic erased everything else. His mind was blank.
    “Toby.” The speaker crackled. “We aren’t moving. Is everything all right?” The captain was obviously putting some effort into seeming calm.
    “Polly want a cracker! Polly want a cracker!” Polly wheeled around the ceiling fans, trying to keep away from the insane heat.
    Finally Toby moved. He grabbed the lever, which was now a bar of scalding metal. It burned even through the leather of his half gloves and he cried out, but held on. He had to cut the supply to the delivery lines.
    The boiler room was swiftly filling with steam. Toby’s goggles fogged and sweat pricked every bit of his skin. He released the lever with one hand to lift his scarf over his face then went back to pulling, but the lever didn’t want to move – the steam was putting too much pressure on the valve.
    “I can’t do it!” Toby ground his teeth.
    “Call the captain,” Polly shrieked. “Get help.”
    “There’s no time! The boiler will be drained.” Toby threw his head back, pulling frantically. The lever stilldid not move. He could feel the muscles in his shoulders tearing, but didn’t stop.
    “You’ve got to call him, this isn’t working.”
    Toby saw a blur as Polly flew down. He felt her claws on his fingers. She was trying to help him push. His feet