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1. Describe the setting where Tom meets the devil.

Tom meets the devil on a peninsula of land that juts into a swamp. At one time there was a Native American fort on the peninsula, but it has long since decayed into the swamp. The swamp is overgrown with trees and very dark, but there are several oak trees much taller than the rest, off to one side, on a hill, where William Kidd's treasure is buried.

2. Who is the guardian of William Kidd's treasure, and why?

The devil is the guardian of William Kidd's treasure. The narrator says that the devil guards all buried treasure, especially if it is obtained by immoral means.

3. What natural event happens in the area in 1727, and what is its thematic significance?

In 1727, there is an earthquake in the area. Because this was uncommon, it alarmed the Puritans and made them think that God might be angry. This relates to the thematic motif of religious hypocrisy in the story, because the narrator says that the earthquake shook sinners down on their knees.

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