last he fell in with a very fine ship from Armenia, called the
_Quedagh Merchant_, commanded by an Englishman. Kidd's conscience had
been growing harder and harder every day, and he did not now hesitate to
attack any vessel. The great merchantman was captured, and proved to be
one of the most valuable prizes ever taken by a pirate, for Kidd's own
share of the spoils amounted to more than sixty thousand dollars. This
was such a grand haul that Kidd lost no time in taking his prize to some
place where he might safely dispose of her cargo, and get rid of her
passengers. Accordingly he sailed for Madagascar. While he was there he
fell in with the first pirate vessel he had met since he had started out
to put down piracy. This was a ship commanded by an English pirate named
Culliford, and here would have been a chance for Captain Kidd to show
that, although he might transgress the law himself, he would be true to
his engagement not to allow other people to do so; but he had given up
putting down piracy, and instead of apprehending Culliford he went into
partnership with him, and the two agreed to go pirating together.

This partnership, however, did not continue long, for Captain Kidd began
to believe that it was time for him to return to his native country and
make a report of his proceedings to his employers. Having confined his
piratical proceedings to distant parts of the world, he hoped that he
would be able to make Sir George Bellomont and the other stockholders
suppose that his booty was all legitimately taken from French vessels
cruising in the east, and when the proper division should be made he
would be able to quietly enjoy his portion of the treasure he had
gained.

He did not go back in the _Adventure_, which was probably not large
enough to carry all the booty he had amassed, but putting everything on
board his latest prize, the _Quedagh Merchant_, he burned his old ship
and sailed homeward.

When he reached the West Indies, however, our wary sea-robber was very
much surprised to find that accounts of his evil deeds had reached
America, and that the colonial authorities had been so much incensed by
the news that the man who had been sent out to suppress piracy had
become himself a pirate, that they had circulated notices throughout the
different colonies, urging the arrest of Kidd if he should come into any
American port. This was disheartening intelligence for the
treasure-laden Captain Kidd, but he did not