1868, Strait of Malacca
Boom! Boom! Cannon1 fire exploded in the dark, stormy sky.
With a howl, the wind pushed the Wonder, as though helping2 it dodge3 the missiles. The moon broke through the clouds, illuminating4 the three large Malayan junks bearing down on the Wonder, their cannons5 blazing. These pirates would show no mercy.
The jagged outline of an island reared up in front of the Wonder. Rings of broken rock shoalsperfect for grounding shipssurrounded it.
His arms straining, the helmsman wrestled6 with the steering7 wheel as cannon balls whistled through the air. Debris8 rained down on him, shattering the chronometer9.
Sir! the helmsman shouted to the first mate. Weve lost the clock! We cannot reckon our position through the shoals!
Scanning the deadly outcroppings ahead of the clipper, the first mate felt a rush of despair. He turned to a f?igure behind him.
Captain, we must surrender! the first mate cried. Or we shall all be lost!
Alice Kingsleigh stepped out of the shadows, her face f?ierce and determined10. She had not worked so hard or traveled so far to lose everything.
Im not sure surrendering my fathers ship guarantees survival, Mr. Phelps, she said calmly.
Alice glanced down at the sextant in her hand, measuring the angle of the moon, and then eyed the barrier shoals ahead. A thrill ran through her as she spotted11 something her f?irst mate had missed.
Dead ahead! Full sail! she cried.
Her crew stared at her in disbelief. Had their captain gone mad?
Mr. Phelps tried to reason with her. Captain! The shoals ... the ship will founder12! Thats impossible!
You know my views on that word, Mr. Phelps!Alice shot him a stern look. Her father had taught her long ago that anything was possible, and Alices own adventures had proven that time and again.
Hard to starboard, Harper! Alice shouted at the helmsman.
To starboard? Well surely capsize! Harper cried.
Exactly, Harper. Exactly ... Alice said. Her eyes were lit with certainty. Harper had never known his captain to be wrong, so he pulled the ship to the right, gritting13 his teeth.
The Wonder began to tip to the side even as it barreled toward the rocks. This has to work, Alice thought. Her mad plan was their only hope. Looking skyward, she spotted a young sailor struggling to unfurl the TOPsail.
Secure yourselves, men, Alice called as she raced to a halyard. Were going to roll! Grabbing hold of the rope, she slashed14 it with her sword. Alices eyes shone as the rope lifted her off the deck and carried her to the TOP of the Wonder. She danced through the rigging and severed15 the lines keeping the TOPsail closed. With a whoosh16, the sail unfurled and snapped full in the raging wind.
Here we go! Alice thought as the Wonder leaned fully17 horizontal and the mast she clung to dipped into the frigid18 ocean waves. The keel of the ship scraped along a sandy shoal; then a wave lifted it and pushed it beyond the barrier into calmer waters.
Alice scrambled19 to reach the mainsails and used her sword to cut them. The sails slumped20 like weary travelers. Without the full force of the storm behind it, the Wonder swung upward, righting itself.
A cheer rose from her crew as she slid down to the deck. Were it not for her, they would be dead, and they knew it. Stepping forward, Mr. Phelps bowed his head in admiration21.
The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible, Alice told him, thinking of her fathers ever-optimistic spirit.
She f?ished her beloved pocket watch from her cloak and gazed at its inscription22: Charles Kingsleigh, Esq. If only he could be by her side. She stepped across the deck and hung her pocket watch in front of the broken chronometer.
I trust this will guide us home, she said. As her crew turned the Wonder toward London, Alice added softly under her breath, It always has ....
1868年，马六甲海峡
轰隆！轰隆！雷雨交加的黑夜，炮火轰鸣。
呼啸中，狂风推着仙境号前进，好像是为了帮它躲开导弹的袭击。月亮冲破云层，照亮了三艘马来人的大帆船，它们正朝着仙境号驶来。船上的火炮迸发失火焰。这类海盗可不会心慈手软。
突然，仙境号前方隐约出现一座小岛凹凸不平的轮廓，小岛的四周是一圈碎石铺成的浅滩，这类浅滩可是帆船搁浅的绝佳地址。
炮弹不断从空中呼啸而过，尽管舵手的胳膊早已发酸，但他仍然奋力控制着船舵。炮弹的残片如雨点般落在他的身上，也打碎了航海经线仪。
头儿！舵手朝着大副喊道，大家的表毁了！目前没法估算到达浅滩的地方了！
大副看到帆船前方那些致命的礁石后，内心涌起一阵绝望。大副转向了他身后的那个人。
船长，大家只有投降了！大副大声喊道，不然大家都活不成了！
爱丽丝金斯利从暗处走出来，脸上的神情既激动又坚定。她这么努力地长途跋涉，决不可以在这里功亏一篑。
我不感觉牺牲我爸爸的船就能活命，菲尔普斯先生。她冷静地说。
爱丽丝瞥了一眼手中的六分仪，估算着头顶的月亮和水平面的角度，然后又看向前方的浅滩屏障。当她注意到大副忽视的地方时，立刻开心了起来。
正前方！满帆！她大喊。
全体船员很难置信地盯着她。难道船长疯了吗？
菲尔普斯试着劝阻她：船长！这类浅滩船会沉的！大家不可能过得去！
菲尔普斯先生，你了解我对不可能这个词的态度！爱丽丝严肃地看着他。很长时间以前爸爸就告诉过她，没什么是不可能的，而她我们的奇遇也一次又一次地证明了这一点。
哈珀，右满舵！爱丽丝朝舵手大喊。
右满舵？那样船一定会翻的！哈珀大叫道。
没错，哈珀！没错爱丽丝说道，她的眼神坚定无疑。哈珀了解船长从来没出过错，于是他咬紧牙关，将船驶向右边。
正当仙境号朝着礁石全速前进时，船身开始向一侧倾斜。必须要成功，爱丽丝心想。这个疯狂的计划是他们唯一的期望了。她抬头看向天空，发现一名年轻的船员正努力着想要拉开上桅杆的帆布。
注意安全，伙计们。爱丽丝一边喊，一边跑向升降索，船要开始加快了！她紧紧地抓住缆绳，用剑砍掉绳索的下端。绳索携带爱丽丝离开甲板来到仙境号的最高处，她的双眼亮了起来。爱丽丝拽着索具摇摇晃晃，她爬向杆顶，割断了捆着上桅帆的绳索。嗖的一声，船帆鼓了起来，在狂风中全速前进。
成功了！爱丽丝心想。此时，仙境号的船身已经完全倾斜到了一侧，她手里握着的桅杆也浸入了冰冷的海浪中。船的龙骨擦着沙质浅滩一路前行；紧接着，一个浪头将船冲起，越过危险的浅滩将它推到平静的海域。
爱丽丝赶忙爬向主帆，用剑将拉起船帆的缆绳砍断。主帆就像疲惫的行者一样，重重地掉了下来。没了暴风的猛力驱动，仙境号的船身一下子直立起来，恢复了平稳。
爱丽丝在船员的一片欢呼声中顺着缆绳滑到甲板上。大伙都心知肚明，要不是她，所有人就都去世了。菲尔普斯先生走上前来，钦佩地向爱丽丝鞠了一躬。
达成不可能的唯一办法就是相信它是可能的。爱丽丝边对他说，边想起爸爸那永远乐观的精神。
她从斗篷里摸出心爱的怀表，凝视着上面刻的字：查尔斯金斯利先生。如果他在身边该有多好。她穿过甲板，将怀表挂在破碎的航海经线仪前。
我相信它会带大家回家的。爱丽丝说道。舵手转了舵，仙境号朝着伦敦驶去。爱丽丝低声补充道：它一直都会
