Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Days of Pirates, Part 2
Newfoundland Discovery Day
Reading Comprehension for June 24
Peter Easton, the pirate, was telling a story to his former lieutenant's children.
"She fell in love with one of her rescuers," said Peter as if he could not believe it. "When we took the ship," he continued, "my men went aboard to secure anything valuable. To keep them in line, my lieutenant went with them. It was he who found the prisoners. He released them and brought them up on deck.
"We brought them to this island since we had to escort the fishing fleet here. As we sailed, the princess fell in love with the young man. They wanted to remain here. An Irish princess and an English naval lieutenant; who would have imagined such a match?"
"Who, indeed?" repeated Gilbert as he looked lovingly at his wife.
"You are talking about Mummy and Daddy, aren't you?" Lizzy asked Peter.
"I am, indeed," said Peter. "Now would you like to hear about my treasure ships?"
The children clamored for the second story.
"Very well," said Peter. "Every summer the Spanish load their galleons with all the gold they can carry. They have to cross the warm southern seas before the worst storms come in late summer. I knew they would leave their port in late July or August, and then they would be sailing north along the coast.
"We left at the beginning of September to meet them before they turned east to go to Spain. We had fair winds and met them two weeks after leaving Ferryland. The Spanish evidently thought that the four galleons together could protect one another. They forgot about me. It was not hard to find them. They tried to run, but they were so loaded down that they couldn't get away. When they finally turned to fight, they were no match for my ships and men.
