Rafael, or Rafi as he's known to his family and friends, lives in a mobile home park called Paradise Cove. He likes to ride his bike, catch the waves on his boogie board with his friend Matt, and most of all Rafi loves his black cat named Scratch. Rafi's father says that it's a sign of good luck when a cat has an extra toe, and Scratch has one on each paw. But Rafi doesn't feel so lucky when Scratch goes missing one day and he can't find him. What he does find on the park grounds is a mysterious gold coin that he tucks away in his shoe. After a long day of searching for his beloved pet, Rafi and his father end up at the bluff overlooking the ocean. When the ground begins to shake without warning, father and son are thrust over the cliff and land--not on the beach below--but on a huge white sail. Suddenly surrounded by strange characters with the unlikely names of Captain Pinky and Willie Three Fingers, Rafi and his father try to figure out the bewildering situation that they literally fell into. Where in the world have they landed? And who are these strangely dressed people carrying swords and pistols? One thing is clear: Captain Pinky and his crew are definitely interested in the gold coin that Rafi found back at Paradise Cove, and they're not going to ask for it nicely. Rafi is forced to face off against the pirates to save his captured father and figure out a way to get home. Luckily there's a cat on board--one that looks just like Scratch, extra toes and all--and a cabin boy named Matthew, bearing an uncanny resemblance to his friend Matt, who are both on Rafi's side. In this swashbuckling tale written for youngsters ages 8 to 12, Means Ybarra cleverly weaves an exciting story witha young boy's love for his family and friends. Young readers will be whisked away on a high seas adventure featuring pirates, cannon balls, treasure, and a lucky cat named Scratch.