What does the bell do in Goof Troop?

What does the bell item do in Goof Troop for SNES?

I've come across it a few times and can't figure out what it does. I can use the action button to ring the bell, but that doesn't seem to do anything.

Bell icon in HUD


The bell grabs the attention of all the pirates on the current screen, drawing them towards you. This can be used to group them all in one place to kill them all quickly and efficiently.