I gave him my early history briefly, dwelling but casually upon the position enjoyed in Maryland by my family; but I spoke of my grandfather, now turning seventy, gray-haired in the service of King and province.  The captain was indeed a most sympathetic listener, now throwing in a question showing keen Scotch penetration, and anon making a most ludicrous inquiry as to the dress livery our footmen wore, and whether Mr. Carvel used outriders when he travelled abroad.  This was the other side of the man.  As the wine warmed and the pipe soothed, I spoke at length of Grafton and the rector; and when I came to the wretched contrivance by which they got me aboard the Black Moll, he was stalking hither and thither about the cabin, his fists clenched and his voice thick, breaking into Scotch again and vowing that hell were too good for such as they.

His indignation, which seemed real and generous, transformed him into another man.  He showered question after question upon me concerning my uncle and Mr. Allen; declared that he had known many villains, but had yet to hear of their equals; and finally, cooling a little, gave it as his judgment that the crime could never be brought home to them.  This was my own opinion.  He advised me, before we turned in, to “gie the parson a Grunt” as soon as ever I could lay hands upon him.

The John made a good voyage for that season, with fair winds and clear skies for the most part.  ’Twas a stout ship and a steady, with generous breadth of beam, and kept by the master as clean and bright as his porringer.  He was Emperor aboard her.  He spelt Command with a large C, and when he inspected, his jacks stood to attention like man-o’-war’s men.  The John mounting only four guns, and but two of them ninepounders, I expressed my astonishment that he had dared attack a pirate craft like the Black Moll, without knowing her condition and armament.

“Richard,” says he, impressively, for we had become very friendly, “I would close with a thirty-two and she flew that flag.  Why, sir, a bold front is half the battle, using circumspection, of a course.  A pretty woman, whatever her airs and quality, is to be carried the same way, and a man ought never to be frightened by appearances.”

Sometimes, at our meals, we discussed politics.  But he seemed lukewarm upon this subject.  He had told me that he had a brother William in Virginia, who was a hot Patriot.  The American quarrel seemed to interest him very little.  I should like to underscore this last sentence, my dears, in view of what comes after.  What he said on the topic leaned perhaps to the King’s side, tho’ he was careful to say nothing that would give me offence.  I was not surprised, for I had made a fair guess of his ambitions.  It is only honest to declare that in my soberer moments my estimate of his character suffered.  But he was a strange man,—­a genius, as I soon discovered, to rouse the most sluggish nature to enthusiasm.