Sinbad looked at his men and then looked back at the group. "I may be of some assistance," he said and led everyone to the next docking station. He took out a key, unlocked a huge door, and slid it open. Behind it was a second ferryboat.
"You've got your own boat?" Hamstead asked.
"I
am the harbormaster for the Staten Island Ferry," Sinbad said proudly. He helped them onboard, then led them up a flight of steps to the bridge. He started the boat's engine as his men untied its mooring lines from the dock. When the boat was free, the men shouted up to their captain, and he pulled down a lever, easing the ferry away from the dock with expert care. In no time they were cruising away from Manhattan in pursuit of Cobweb.
"Chasing a murderer… is this not dangerous work for young girls?" Sinbad asked.
"We're Grimms, this is what we do," Daphne said.
Sinbad laughed. "Your mother used to say the same thing whenever I had to help her out of one of her many close calls. Not that I minded. I have to admit, I myself was much smitten with her."
"You had a crush on our mother?" Daphne asked.
"I'd hardly call it a crush. I was head over heals, to be honest. Veronica was quite a woman and I've known a great many in my day. She was brilliant and strong, if a bit stubborn."
"Sounds like someone I know," Granny said, flashing Sabrina a smile.
"I asked her to run away with me nearly a thousand times, but she always rebuffed me. She said she had eyes for only one man. I suppose it was your father she spoke of. The fates were smiling on him the day he met her."
Sabrina was livid. Hearing him talk about her mother this way was infuriating. Sinbad noticed and smiled.
"Little one, allow a man to dream. Your mother never took my advances seriously. Most of the time she was too busy with her big plan to fix our community to even notice I was flirting."
One of Sinbad's crew raced to the bridge. He looked nervous and sweaty. "My lord, we have a big problem."
"What is it?"
"Pirates!"
"Again!" Sinbad scowled. "It is the third time this week!"
"Pirates? What pirates?" Sabrina cried, but Sinbad rushed out onto the deck with his man. The Grimms and their friends dashed after him and found the entire crew standing on one s
ide of the boat peering at something through binoculars.
Sabrina snatched a pair of binoculars from the nearest sailor and scanned the horizon. Sailing near the Statue of Liberty was a boat with a black flag waving in the wind. The flag had a skull and crossbones on it.
"You've got to be kidding me," Sabrina said, handing the binoculars to her grandmother.
Just then, an enormous explosion could be heard coming from the pirate boat. A moment later something big crashed into the water not far from the ferry.
"They dare fire on me? Sinbad? Master of the sea? Turn this ship toward them and see how brave they are with our cutlasses at their throats," the captain cried. His men cheered and several raced to the helm. The ferry made an abrupt turn and headed straight for the approaching pirates.
"Turn this ship around!" Mr. Canis cried. "We're after a killer. We have no interest in your petty turf war!"
"You have nothing to fear, my large friend, praise be. I am Sinbad and I have faced these foul vermin before. Of course, maybe we should arm you. Men, hand out some steel!"
The men shoved large swords into everyone's hands.
"What are we supposed to do with these?" Sabrina asked, alarmed.
"They're quite useful for killing pirates," Sinbad said as he hurried back to the bridge.
"I don't think I'm allowed to kill pirates!" Daphne called after him. She looked up at Granny Relda. "Am I?"
The old woman shook her head, collected the children's swords, and handed them to one of Sinbad's men.
Another of the crew rushed toward them with life jackets.
"What do we need these for?" Hamstead asked as there was another loud splash off the side of the boat.
"In case we have to jump," the man replied.
"Why would we have to jump?"
"If the boat were about to blow up," the sailor said as if he were talking about something as ordinary as gardening or making toast.
Hamstead cringed and turned to Sabrina. "Pigs don't swim," he whispered nervously.
There was an enormous crash, and the cabin wall they were standing next to exploded, sending wood and glass everywhere. Sabrina tumbled to the floor.
"We've taken a hit!" Sinbad shouted. "It's time to show those devils what kind of men we are! Let's do this old school, shall we?"