It was a bad day to lose a friend. Isaac panicked. His eyes searched the bloodthirsty crowd for Popino. A glimpse of his tanned cheeky face or frilly white shirt was all he needed to reassure himself he was still alive, but it was impossible to see anything through the hordes of eager spectators. A ravenous appetite for destruction hung in the air as the crowd swarmed the wooden platform in Nassau's center square. Townsfolk pushed one another out the way, desperate to score a front row view of the morning's events. Isaac copped a shove to the back and tumbled to the ground. Why had they tried to steal from a pirate captain today of all days? Isaac scrambled to his feet and brushed the dirt from his hands. There was still no sign of Popino.

He ducked and weaved his way forward and caught sight of the condemned Captain Kidd, slumped on the gallows with a tight noose around his neck. Next to him, Isaac spied a tall frightening figure who he assumed to be the executioner. His hooded, faceless black robes sent a chill down Isaac's spine. Another much smaller, round, balding man stood by them clutching a scroll. Isaac recognized him from the tavern. He was the town chaplain and a drunk.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ!" the chaplain shouted in his stern and righteous tone.

Isaac was now wedged in to the thick of the crowd. He couldn't move a muscle. He needed to find Popino but his chances of that grew slimmer by the second. His eyes cast to the platform above.

The captain appeared to be irritated by the chaplain’s words. "You'll never find it all!" Captain Kidd shouted through labored breaths. His eyes were shut. His body visibly thin and weakened. "You may have found some, but there are still thirty-thousand doubloons buried that'll never see the light of day!"

The crowd gasped and chatter spread like wildfire. "Thirty thousand?" everyone uttered at once.

Isaac stared ahead without blinking. For a moment he forgot about his friend. That was more doubloons than anyone in Nassau could ever dream of, and they were buried somewhere, just waiting to be found.

 "Quiet down!" the chaplain ordered. The crowd edged closer and closer to the platform. A wash of panic spread across the chaplain's face.

Kidd cackled. "Have fun with them!" He spat at the chaplain.

 "Now!" the balding chaplain commanded and brought down his hand with vigour. He rocked forward a little as he did.

The executioner pulled the lever and the floor beneath Kidd disappeared.

The crowd gasped.

Isaac couldn't look away. The noose tightened around Kidd's neck. The gallows creaked as his scrawny body swung back and forth. Kidd kicked and wiggled his legs. Isaac held his breath as he watched what bit of color the captain had left in his face slip away. He waited for the chaplain’s final word. It would be any moment now. Instead, Kidd's body hit the deck. He rolled from side to side and laughed hysterically. The well-used rope had snapped.

"It's a sign from God!" someone in the crowd yelled.

"Nonsense! Nonsense," the chaplain cried as the hubbub of chatter in the crowd grew deafening.

"You'll never find it!" Kidd screamed.

The crowd edged closer as the executioner stepped in, scooped Kidd up and hurled him back onto the platform. The captain, too weak to put up a fight, lay awaiting his fate as the executioner held him under one arm and tied a fresh noose around his neck. He wasn't taking any chances this time and stood over Kidd as he shoved him down the hole again. This time, the rope took. Kidd convulsed for a few moments, until his lifeless body hung still.

"That's it everyone, you may all return to your lives knowing we are safe once more," the chaplain said with his nose in the air.

Isaac stood dumbfounded. Townsfolk bustled past. "Thirty thousand doubloons," he said under his breath.

As the square emptied out, talk of the buried treasure was on everyone's lips and it would be the only thing anyone spoke of for weeks to come.

"Isaac!" Popino ran toward him. His white shirt was dirtied and torn.

 "You're not dead!" Isaac grinned at his best friend. "Did you see it? The rope snapped!"

"I missed it but..." Popino looked over his shoulder. "We scored big!" He waved a metal seamed, tan colored cloth pouch at Isaac. The contents jangled. "Hold this, I've just got to fix myself up. I saw a pretty girl over there."

 Isaac rolled his eyes and took the pouch. Popino was only two years older than Isaac but already the girls wanted him. Isaac brushed his hand over the metal seams and gave the weighty pouch a shake.

Popino dusted off his shirt and tightened his ponytail of dark brown hair. "How do I look?"

 "Never mind that!" Isaac lowered his voice to a whisper. "Was that a captain we stole from? This pouch is heavy!"

Popino pressed his lips together and nodded. "Something else fell in too––a piece of paper."

"Then let's go to the coop and look at it! Forget about the girl!" Isaac tugged on Popino's arm.

"Okay, but just this once and just because that pouch is very heavy." Popino rubbed his hands together and grinned.

 Isaac and Popino made their way back to the tavern where Isaac spent most of his time. Unbeknownst to Popino, the tavern (or rather the tavern's chicken coop) was where Isaac lived and had been living for the past five years. He brought Popino here often but made out as if it were just a hiding spot for them.

 "Let's see what we got." Popino clapped his hands together. The boys made their way into the chicken coop and found a spot to perch whilst they divvied up their finds. Popino held his breath in anticipation as Isaac opened the bag and dumped the contents onto the hay covered floor. Isaac counted the coins, splitting the nine reale evenly enough; five for Pino and four for himself. He held up a thick golden coin in the air and stared at its magnificence.

"I've never held a doubloon before. Have you?" Isaac said and rubbed his thumb over the coin.

"Yes, my parents have some. I don't have any of my own though."

Isaac scrunched his face up as he contemplated their predicament. Truth be told he wanted to keep the doubloon for himself, but he knew they had both worked equally hard for it.

"How do you want to split it?"

Popino smiled. "Why don't you keep this one, and I'll get the next one."

"No, I can't... we both earned this one." Isaac shook his head and held out the coin to Popino.

 "Yeah, but I think you can make better use of it. I'll probably try to buy myself a whore!" Popino winked and pushed his friend’s hand away.

"You're obsessed!" Isaac laughed. He knew Popino only said this to make him feel better. Humbled, Isaac accepted the coin and tucked the glinting beauty away into his pocket for safe keeping. "Thanks, Pino." Isaac nudged his friend with affection and grinned from ear to ear. "Now let's look at whatever this is." He reached into the pouch and pulled out the folded paper, placing it on the ground. He unfolded the corners one by one, trying not to tear any of the edges. Etched in black was a map which showed the islands all around Nassau with Xs marked over half of them. Isaac pointed to an almost illegible scribble in the corner of the map. "What does that say?"

Popino picked up the tattered paper with care and held it to his face, squinting to decipher the terrible writing. Isaac admired Popino's ability to read, a luxury few could afford. "It's not very clear but I think it says: C. Kidd treasure not found." Popino turned to Isaac. "What does that mean?"

"Kidd? Treasure not found?" Isaac's eyes grew wide.

Popino stayed silent, mouthing the words.

"Pino, that's who was on the gallows!" Isaac sprang to his feet. The chickens flapped and fled at the sudden movement.

"Was it? But it says treasure not found so it can't be his." Popino rubbed at his chin.

After a few moments, Isaac blurted out the only explanation that made sense to him. "Maybe the Xs aren't marking the treasure, they’re marking where he's already searched! Not Kidd... the captain we stole from!" Isaac jumped on the spot and clapped his hands. "Pino, I think I'm right about this. This map has to be a record of where that captain's already searched. He must have known about Kidd's treasure already." Isaac's heart soared with excitement.

"You think?" Popino scratched the back of his head.

"It's the only thing that makes sense to me. I can't believe this. We should keep this safe." Isaac spoke at a rate of knots as he folded the paper and placed it in his back pocket. "I'm going to start marking the places that others have searched. I hear all kinds of stories in the tavern, I'm sure some of them will talk about where they've explored."

"Okay. Excellent plan." Popino beamed as he gathered his coins and tossed them in his metal seamed pouch. "I've got to go home for dinner, but let's meet up tomorrow." He moved a chicken to one side. "We're going to be rich! I can feel it!" He scurried out of the coop and gave Isaac a wave.

"Bye, Pino." Isaac took a seat on the dirty hay covered floor. He crossed his legs and propped his head up with his hands. He wished he had a home to have dinner in. He pulled out the doubloon and traced his fingers over it. He closed his eyes and dreamed of finding thirty-thousand more. Pino's right! We will be rich, he thought. He imagined all the things he would buy with the treasure. Fine clothes, feather pillows and a bed, plus there would be food on the table every night. All he needed to do was listen to people's stories in the tavern. Might as well make a start now, Isaac thought.

He dusted off his hay covered pants and scuttled out the coop without looking up, bumping headfirst into someone. "Sorry!" Startled, he shoved the coin back in his pocket.

Isaac looked up to see his father standing before him, notably drunk and swaying. For a moment, it was as if he didn't recognize him. "Son! There you are." His eyes were near shut and his breath stank of liquor. Isaac wondered if he could get drunk off the fumes. His father scowled as he rocked back and forth.

Isaac sensed he was moments away from a beating but had something that might brighten his father’s mood. He reached into his pocket and produced the coin. "Dad! Look what I found!" He held up the glinting gold beauty and beamed, eager for approval. "This can help us," Isaac said and waited for a smile.

"A doubloon! Where'd ya find this?" Isaac's father picked him up. "You did good, boy." His eyes lit up as he admired the thick golden coin, and for a brief moment he seemed happy.

"We can get somewhere to stay?" Isaac said.

His father’s face dropped. "You were planning on keeping this for yourself, weren't ya?" He snatched the coin and dropped Isaac to the ground.

 "No!" Isaac's heart sank as his father’s usual sullen, mean spirited demeanor returned. Why did he never believe good of him?

His father's eyes narrowed and his lip curled. "Son, you owe me. What are you good for in this world? Nothing!"

His words cut through Isaac like a knife.

Isaac's father fixated on the coin. He tucked it away and turned his attention to his son.

Isaac's heartbeat pounded in his chest. Tears welled in his eyes. He wanted his lip to stop trembling but it wouldn't.

Isaac's father grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. "It's because of you that I'm alone. I don't know why I chose you over your mother, but I did, and I was wrong!" He pushed Isaac into the coop and smashed the makeshift door shut. "I won't make the same mistake twice."

Isaac scrambled in the dark. Outside he heard his father dragging something in front of the door. "Dad? Please! Please let me out!" he pleaded in between sobs. He tried the door but something blocked the way.

"You're dead to me, boy! The way it should have been."

Isaac hammered his fists on the door and tears poured from his eyes. He slumped down on the ground. The sound of his father’s stumbling footsteps faded. Isaac squeezed his eyes tight and covered his ears to shut out the world.

Hours passed before the tavern keeper found him, huddled alone in the chicken coop, his dirty face stained with tears and just nine reale and a map to his name.