YO-HO-HO

Serene Dippityville town was in full fervour with Halloween fast approaching. Situated on the shores of Pairayte Qowe, the people of this quaint town grew up listening to old wives' tales about how pirate ships had sailed here to bury their gold coins, silver amphoras filled with sparkling gemstones and treasure chests packed with royal jewellery. The unspoken rule in the age-old days was---'Finders Keepers'.

No one had contested it, as no one had found any buried booty to date.

'Finders Keepers' law prevailed even today to uphold the amusing tradition.

***

Sarah was passing through Serene Dippityville from a neighbouring town with her eight-year old son, Luke and staying over at Jodi's--- her late brother's wife over the Halloween weekend.

She was on her way after greedily claiming an inheritance of a heavily studded emerald necklace.

Sarah showed it to Jodi. It was an antique, worth millions!

Little Jimmy, the five-year old boy from next door whom Jodi always took care of when his mother worked late shifts, was mighty pleased to have Luke for company for Halloween and for playful hullabaloo.

That is, until the emerald necklace disappeared into thin air!

Sarah created a ruckus after searching high and low and accused Jodi of thievery.

Jodi didn't have the jewels but she couldn't prove her innocence.

Neither could Sarah prove the robbery.

But when it came down to the nitty-gritties, it had unfortunately disappeared from Jodi's house.

Sarah drove away in a huff that night warning Jodi of dire consequences after calling in the police to overturn Jodi's place upside down.

Yet, the necklace was nowhere to be found.

***

" Is Luke coming back?" Jimmy asked Jodi expectantly the next day.

"I don't know, dear" Jodi answered feebly.

She had to compensate Sarah in millions---the cost of the necklace, according to the quaint laws. It weighed down heavily on her.

Her reverie was broken into, when Jimmy piped in, "Luke and I didn't complete the game. We hid the treasure but now we have to find it."

"Yes, dear…" Jodi said absently.

"Aunty Jodi, it was so exciting when we played 'pirates' on Halloween and buried shiny green stones. We had planned to dig it up today and 'find it'."

Jodi's jaw dropped and her eyes widened. "Green stones? Was it a necklace shiny green stones?"

Jimmy nodded vigorously showing his toothy smile. "Luke did. I only watched."

A sudden respite washed over Jodi.

"Show me, Jimmy! Where?"

" If you want to dig it up, you must sing the code song."

"Anything, Jimmy. Tell me! I'll sing it."

"Fifteen men on a dead man's chest

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum…"

With the Finders Keepers law, Jodi was now the rightful owner of the treasure found in her garden.

With Luke's confession and Jimmy as a witness, Jodi was acquitted and was richer by millions. Jimmy's serendipitous babbling about the necklace had saved Jodi the cost of compensation.

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