are more than satisfied," replied Marcy. "We'll never forget you for
it. What did you do with him?"

"Turned him loose with orders never to show his face in the settlement
again. We wanted to take him off to the fleet; but of course we
couldn't, for he wasn't in the rebel service. Shelby was sort of civil
to you, wasn't he? Well, he got a letter, same as Beardsley did, or will
when he gets to Newbern----"

"He's in Newbern now," interrupted Marcy, still keeping his gaze
fastened upon the paper. "We passed him at Crooked Inlet just as we were
going out. That frightened Jack, and he told me to lose no time in
telling you of it."

"That's all right; but Beardsley will not trouble you. We've written
letters to him and Shelby and all the rest telling them that if they
don't stop persecuting Union folks we'll burn everything they've got;
and if that don't quieten them, we'll hang the last one of them to the
plates of their own galleries. Go home and sleep soundly. We'll take
care of you. Where did you leave Mr. Jack?"

Marcy gave a brief history of his run to the blockading fleet and back,
told how very badly frightened his mother's servants were when they saw
the overseer carried away by armed men, and how the circumstance had
affected some of the "secret enemies" of whom they stood so much in
fear; hinted very plainly that if at any time Aleck or any of his
friends found themselves in need of bacon, meal, or money, they could
have their wants supplied at his mother's house, and wound up by urging
him to keep a sharp eye on Captain Beardsley.

"I don't think he will ever trouble you," was Aleck's reply. "At any
rate, he will never make you go to sea again against your will. But if
anything does happen to you after the warning we have given him, we'll
blame him for it, whether he is guilty or not, and some night you will
see his buildings going up in smoke. Is there any one on the road who
will be likely to see me if I come out? Well, then, good-bye."

Marcy put his paper into his pocket and rode away with a light heart,
little dreaming how soon the time would come when another of sailor
Jack's predictions would be partly fulfilled, and he, the well-fed Marcy
Gray, standing sorely in need of some of the bacon and meal he had
promised Aleck and his friends, would steal up to his mother's house
like a thief in the night to get them, starting at every sound, and
keeping clear of every shadow he saw in his path for fear th