A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes

Tender and funny tragi-comedy about a family of children, raised in Jamaica and sent back to England on a ship that gets waylaid by pirates. Hughes is one of my favorites for that unique bawdy British humor and he really hits on what creatures we all were as children as he describes all of their thoughts and reasonings and games with one another. I loved this little book.

After the kids have a laughing attack:

"...the group presently broke up. But they had all to avoid each other's eye for a long while, if they were not to risk another attack.
It was Laura who was cured the quickest. She suddenly discovered what a beautiful deep cave her arm-pit made, and decided to keep fairies in it in future. For some while she could think of nothing else." (289)

The kids are about to be banished from the pirate ship forever. Little Rachael cannot part with her "babies".

""My babies! My babies!" she shrieked, and began running all over the ship, routing out bits of rag, fuzzy rope-ends, paint-pots ... her arms were soon full.
"Here, you can't take all that junk!" dissuaded Otto.
"Oh but my darlings, I can't leave you behind!" cried Rachael piteously. Out rushed the cook, just in time to retrieve his ladle -- and a battle-royal began." (322)

:) (below)

"A shy little boy of about her own age, with brown eyes and a nice smile, his long hair brushed smooth as silk, his clothes neat and sweet-smelling, sidled up to Rachel.
"What's your name?" she asked him
"Harold."
She told him hers.
"How much do you weigh?" he asked her.
"I don't know."
"You look rather heavy. May I see if I can lift you?"
"Yes."
He clasped his arms round her stomach from behind, leant back, and staggered a few paces with her. Then he set her down, the friendship cemented." (327-328)

(New York: The Modern Library, 1932)