THE PIRATES IN THE DEEP GREEN SEA

Although the publishers list this in the adult fiction section of their catalog, the subtitle reads A Story for Children, and such it is . For this is a tale of fantasy- of talking octopodes, crabs, herring, cod, etc., and the heroes of Davy Jones' Locker and their pirate enemies -- as they battle for control under the sea. Through Gunner Boles and his octupus, Cully, young Hew and Tim learn of the conspiracy of the pirates to untie all the regulation knots that hold the latitudes and longitudes together under the water, and when their Father goes to bring their Mother home, they are up and away to adventure to foil Inky Poops and Dan Scumbril. They encounter mischievous Powder Monkeys, Cabin Boys, they are captured by the pirates, but are able to alert Davy Jones and his men in time to save Gunner Boles and Cully in their dangerous post. A fair supply of humor and rhymes (both of British vintage), a prerequisite of some knowledge of English naval history, and a matter of fact handling of the fairy tales ingredients, add up to a specialty book for more imaginative children.