are all mine; for there are no other
boys in this whole dwelling but Nanking Cloos, the fatherless idiot!"

He slipped down and hastened to his boat, which lay in a cove not far
below. Towing it along the bank to a sheltered place convenient,
Nanking began to load up the goods from the chimney. Before daylight
broke he had secured every thing, and hoisting sail was speedily
carried to the island of the Pea Patch, far down the bay--that island
which shone in the offing and seemed to close the river's mouth. Here,
in the wreck of an old galiot, he hid every article dry and secure;
kegs of liquors and wine, shawls and blankets, pieces of silk,
gunpowder, beautiful pipes, bars of silver and copper, and a whole bag
of gold. Nanking covered them with dry driftwood and boughs of trees,
and sailed again to New Amstel, where he arrived before breakfast.

At breakfast Nanking found upon his bench a beautiful new gun.

"It is thine, good child," said Ffob Oothout, "for sparing me those
lashes. Thy churlish uncle felt so reproved by thy innocent words that
he set me free. Widow, here is a _spiegel_ for thee, a looking-glass
to see, unseen, whoever passes up or down the street. That is a
woman's high privilege everywhere. Thou shalt be, erelong, the
best-dressed wife in all New Amstel. Nanking, wouldst thou like to
have a father?"

"I would like you, Ffob Oothout, for a father."

"Widow," said Ffob, "he has popped the question for me; wilt thou take
an old pirate for thy man?"

"They are all pirates here," replied the blushing widow, "and thou
art the best pirate or man I have seen."

"Well, then, when the English conquer this region I have that will
make thee rich. Till then let us wait on the good event, but not delay
the marriage."

That Christmas Day they were married in form. As the three sat before
the fresh venison and drank wine from the store of the Blue Cock,
Nanking said:

"Father Ffob, you are wise. Give me yet another word of advice, that I
may not continue to be a big idiot."

"Trust whom thou wilt, Nanking, yet ever hold thy tongue. If thou hast
now a secret, hold it close. Begin this instant!"

"Even the secrets of Santa Claus?"

"Yes, even them."

Nanking said no more. He found compensation for Elsje's contumely in
his gun, and roved the forests through, and peeped from time to time
at his mystic treasures.

One day the news came overland that the English had taken New
Amsterdam. Then the great H