sunk the vessels without knowing or
caring how many were on board, that none might escape to tell the tale.

Nowhere were the pirates more daring than near the American coast. The
vessels of New York merchants were burned within sight of shore, and the
pirates were even bold enough to enter the harbor and seize the ships as
they lay at anchor.

The officials of the province made no apparent effort to suppress these
pirates. It was thought then, and has since been believed, that they
assisted them, and were well paid for such help. Governor Fletcher
himself was suspected of sharing in the pirate booty. Merchants who
feared to carry on regular trade, as their ships were almost sure to be
seized, came, after a time, to lend their aid also to the pirates, by
buying their cargoes.

[Illustration: The Reading of Fletcher's Commission.]

Finally, very few ships dared to cross the ocean. Then the English
Government became alarmed. A new Governor was searched for--a man strong
enough to resist the bribery of pirate crews, and able to drive them off
the seas. And just such a man was found.

CHAPTER XII

CONTAINING the TRUE LIFE of CAPTAIN KIDD

In England there lived a man who had been a great friend of King
William; who had been his friend even before he had become King. This
man was Lord Bellomont. It was he who was chosen Governor in the year
1696. But it was two years after this that he reached New York. During
these two years he worked hard in the interests of the province. He knew
all about the pirates, and knew that it would take a strong force to
subdue them. He called upon the English Government to fit out men for
this purpose. But the Government had neither men, nor ships, nor guns
to spare.

So Lord Bellomont decided to raise a private armed force. He got
together a company, of which the King was a member, and they fitted out
a strong and fast-sailing vessel called the Adventure Galley. Lord
Bellomont looked about for a good captain. At last he thought he had
found just the man in Captain William Kidd. Captain Kidd just at this
time happened to be in London, where he was well known, and well liked.
His home was in New York, where his wife and daughter lived in a fine
house in Crown Street, and where he was a respected citizen. But best of
all for the Company, Captain Kidd had been in command of a privateer,
and knew a good deal about pirates and their ways.

And so it came about that Captain Kidd sa