ain
after nightfall to interfere with the Devil's sport and mine, hell
suffer for it as sure as fire can burn or brimstone can scorch. So put
that in your pipe and smoke it."

These terrible words, however extravagant, were, to be sure, in the
nature of a direct confirmation of the very worst suspicion that could
have been entertained concerning this dolorous affair. But if any
further doubt lingered as to the significance of such malevolent
rumors, Captain Obadiah himself soon put an end to the same.

The Reverend Josiah Pettibones was used of a Saturday to take supper at
Colonel Belford's elegant residence. It was upon such an occasion and
the reverend gentleman and his honored host were smoking a pipe of
tobacco together in the library, when there fell a loud and importunate
knocking at the house door, and presently the servant came ushering no
less a personage than Captain Obadiah himself. After directing a most
cunning, mischievous look at his brother, Captain Obadiah addressed
himself directly to the Reverend Mr. Pettibones, folding his hands with
a most indescribable air of mock humility. "Sir," says he--"Reverend
sir, you see before you a humble and penitent sinner, who has fallen so
desperately deep into iniquities that he knows not whether even so
profound piety as yours can elevate him out of the pit in which he
finds himself. Sir, it has got about the town that the Devil has taken
possession of my old meeting-house, and, alas! I have to confess--_that
it is the truth_." Here our Captain hung his head down upon his breast
as though overwhelmed with the terrible communication he had made.

"What is this that I hear?" cried the reverend gentleman. "Can I
believe my ears?"

"Believe your ears!" exclaimed Colonel Belford. "To be sure you cannot
believe your ears. Do you not see that this is a preposterous lie, and
that he is telling it to you to tease and to mortify me?"

At this Captain Obadiah favored his brother with a look of exaggerated
and sanctimonious humility. "Alas, brother," he cried out, "for
accusing me so unjustly! Fie upon you! Would you check a penitent in
his confession? But you must know that it is to this gentleman that I
address myself, and not to you." Then directing his discourse once more
to the Reverend Mr. Pettibones, he resumed his address thus: "Sir, you
must know that while I was in the West Indies I embarked, among other
things, in one of those ventures against the Spanish Main o