nd
you don't breathe a word of this. Mind!"

Derry's finger was raised in a threatening attitude as he spoke, and he
stopped after he had moved some steps away to give again to Blair this
sign of silence and secrecy.

Blair lingered on deck, not to enjoy the calm moonlight which so
lovingly crowned and silvered the crests of the waves. His eyes were
lifted upward, but not to gaze on the deep blue of the moonlit sky. To
the great Creator, without whom was not any thing made that was made,
Blair was pouring out the earnest petitions of his loving heart. For
Derry and his little daughter prayed the young Christian, as they only
can pray who believe the blessed words, "If ye shall ask any thing in my
name, I will do it."

CHAPTER XVI.

A MARVEL.

Weeks flew by while the Molly was cruising about, waiting and watching
for the expected East Indiaman. The privateer, meanwhile, was not losing
time. Several small merchant vessels came in her way, and submitted
without a blow to the argument of her compelling pair of guns. These
vessels were either stripped of their cargo and then burnt, or else sent
with a few sailors as their prize crew to some American port. The
capture of the British merchant ships kept the Molly supplied with the
necessaries for her continued cruise, and served besides to calm the
impatience of the men, who were beginning to complain of their captain's
pertinacious clinging to the hope of taking the East Indiaman, which
might already be safely harbored in English waters. There had been dark
nights and foggy days in which she might well have passed them, so they
reasoned. But Derry Duck said there was no moving the captain, and
grumblers would do best to "keep their tongues between their teeth." The
mail-bag of the Molly had gone home on board one of the captured
vessels, and it was a pleasant thought to Blair that his dear mother
would soon feel almost as if she heard the voice of her son at her side.
Derry's little daughter too would receive her letter, and Blair tried to
picture her joy as she held this treasure in her hands.

Derry moved about in his usual way, but was inclined to avoid Blair
since the night when he had given the boy his confidence. Blair often
found it hard to believe that those gentle, tender tones had come from
Derry's great closely shut mouth, and that those snapping eyes had
softened almost to tears as he spoke of his darling child.

Sunday on board the Molly was prec