When our eyes had adjusted to the dark cabin, we could see Weird Beard in his hammock, sleeping like a baby — a huge, ugly baby. Fred put a finger to his lips, and gestured for Sam to search one side of the room, and he'd take the other.

Me? I couldn't take my eyes off Blackbeard. Then I realized why. There it was, sticking out from one of his meaty hands — The Book!