Red Rackham's Treasure Trivia Quiz

Answer: Two

This two-parter begins with "The Secret of the Unicorn" followed by "Red Rackham's Treasure". In the latter we read of the actual underwater search for the treasure, while the first book covers Tintin's search for centuries-old clues to the location of the large hoard of diamonds.

Answer: A model ship for Captain Haddock

The Thompsons are patrolling the Old Street Market, trying to catch some notorious pick-pockets (unaware both their wallets have already been lifted!) when they bump into Tintin. Soon after, Tintin spots a model ship he decides to buy for his new friend Captain Haddock.

He is surprised when two other men suddenly appear, desperately wanting the ship too. Trying to be polite, Tintin explains it's a for a friend and he's not selling. It turns out later the two men do not know each other, and in fact become rivals (e.g. one chloroforms the other and steals one of his model ships!).

But The Captain is astonished when he sees the ship; it turns out his ancestor used to be captain of the real Unicorn!

Answer: Bird

Max and Gerard Bird are dishonest antique dealers. After they moved into Marlinspike Hall, the old Haddock Family estate, they found one of three model Unicorns. They didn't think anything of it, until they found a parchment hidden inside its mast. Max, the older more dangerous brother, correctly concluded some ancient writing on the parchment referred to two other model Unicorns - and buried treasure! So, if they find the other two 17th century model ships, they could be rich.

It's just like a book! They ordered all their goons, contacts and henchmen (including Barnaby who tried too late to buy the ship from Tintin) to search Antique Shops and Market Places. Cost was no object!

Answer: Two

Red Rackham himself was, of course, the 17th century pirate captain who kidnapped Sir Francis Haddock after slaughtering his crew. Gloating, he showed the poor Captain the treasure whilst he was tied to the Unicorn's mast. Centuries later, a conman who claims to be called "Red Rackham" turns up at Tintin's doorstep.

He wants half the treasure...but then heaps of other "descendants" of the vicious pirate suddenly knock on the door. (Only the first visitor actually claims his name is "Red Rackham", hence my answer.) Captain Haddock has a brainwave for getting rid of the conmen.

He mentions that HE'S descended from Sir Francis Haddock who killed Red Rackham in single combat. The treasure-hunters hurry downstairs (trampling over the poor Thompsons in their flight!).

Answer: Charles II

While searching underwater for the treasure, poor Tintin is attacked by a shark. He has only one thing to defend himself with: a chest he's just found in the seabed. Later, when the dead shark is on the ship's deck, the crew eagerly cut it open to get the chest. Hopefully it's the treasure! But all they find inside are old documents. Later on, however, Professor Calculus, lost in his own little world, tries to reconstruct the documents. Weeks later, back home after the dismal failure of finding no treasure, the miserable heroes get together at The Captain's flat. Professor Calculus reveals King Charles II gave Sir Francis Marlinspike Hall. What a co-incidence! That was the same mansion where the Bird Brothers kept Tintin prisoner (before they were arrested)! The Captain shows the others the newspaper.

There's another co-incidence: Marlinspike Hall's up for sale! The Captain grumbles if only they'd found "that wretched treasure" they could buy it. But then the absent-minded professor becomes the captain's new best friend.

He reveals the government paid him handsomely for his new submarine, and the least he can do is buy Marlinspike for the Captain, since the Captain let him try it out. (Tintin smiles secretly. He's sure the captain's now glad to have met the annoying Professor after all!)

Answer: The Daily Reporter

A shifty gentleman in a dockside pub listens to a couple of sailors converse. One of them is to be cook in Tintin's upcoming treasure voyage. The cook notices the shifty fellow and wonders if he's a crook. But he's actually a reporter, and next day when The Captain buys a paper...he reads about his own expedition. What? This is supposed to be top secret! He's so annoyed he keeps reading, and walks right smack into a pillar...with an advert for "'The Daily Reporter' - News That Hits You"!

Answer: The Sirius

The Sirius was first seen in a previous adventure, "The Shooting Star". It is commanded by Captain Haddock's old friend Captain Chester. Chester kindly loans the ship to Tintin and Co. to find the treasure, although he doesn't accompany them in his adventure.

Answer: Professor Cuthbert Calculus

Of course, the Thompson twins do come aboard unexpectedly. But their police superiors have sent them in case Max Bird, who's still at large, tries to sneak onboard. Max never bothers any of them again; we are never even told if the police recapture him (but they probably do; it's mentioned in "The Castefiore Emerald" that the Bird Brothers, plural, had a trial in which Nestor the butler was exonerated). Professor Calculus, on the other hand, does sneak aboard and hides inside one of the lifeboats. Tintin and Co. cannot understand why food, blankets and drink keep doing missing.

The previous day the professor did not take The Captain's "No!" for an answer, convinced his patent submarine is what the treasure-hunters needed. How right he is! His submarine resembles a shark, and it turns out lots of sharks frequent the water where the ship sank. One almost bites Captain Haddock's hand off in the jolly-boat.

The captain shoots at the sharks and, to his astonishment, one of the sharks rises to the surface with Professor Calculus inside, smiling.

Answer: 3

We are not told which of the sons Captain Haddock is descended from. But when Tintin kindly buys him the model ship, he recalls that he still has a sea-chest belonging to Sir Francis. Donning his ancestor's hat and cutlass (and buying rum!) he tells Tintin the whole story: how pirates kidnapped Sir Francis, who escaped, killed Red Rackham when he tried to stop him, blew up the Unicorn, and gave his sons a model ship each after returning to England.

In his will he'd told his sons to look in the mast of each ship, but they never did.

As Tintin says, if the sons had obeyed their father they'd have found the three parchments and held them together to the light to find the co-ordinates of the place where the Unicorn sank.

Answer: In the cellers of Marlinspike Hall

I couldn't help laughing at the irony. The Bird Brothers went to all the trouble to kidnap Tintin, steal the scrolls, shoot Barnaby etc., and all the time the treasure was right in their own home! Or at least, Captain Haddock's home. He's already bought it when the treasure is accidentally found within a stone globe. Tintin sees a button on the globe at the same latitude and longitude as the islands they spent over a month fruitlessly searching.

He presses that button...and hey presto! RED RACKHAM'S TREASURE!