, he at first
took out a licence as a privateer. That was bad enough, for his crew
were bold and daring, and were constantly chasing or being chased; now
and then fighting, but generally only attacking unarmed traders. Not
knowing what to do with Elizabeth, and finding she was not averse to
accompanying us, I had at first consented to bring her to sea, not at
all aware of the life we were to lead."

Although several prizes were thus taken, this slow mode of gaining
wealth did not suit the captain or the majority of his men, and they
therefore resolved to go out to the West Indies and to hoist the black
flag. The plan had been kept from Dame Pearson and her daughter, but
they heard of it, though they in vain urged Pearson to abandon the
undertaking. He laughed at their scruples, and promised that in a few
years they would make enough to enable them to retire to Virginia, or to
some other plantation, and there settle down and enjoy the fruits of
their enterprise.

"Why should not I do as well as Sir Henry Morgan, and fifty other fine
fellows have done?" he exclaimed. "To be sure, some have lost their
lives, but they were either drunkards or too audacious--but I am much
too careful to be caught as they were."

He only laughed at his wife when she pointed out to him the sinfulness
of this proposed occupation, and at length told her that he had been a
robber all his life, and that he had no intention of turning an honest
man till he had made his fortune. This was the first intimation the
poor woman had had of his career on shore, whatever might have been her
suspicions on the subject. She was anxious on her own account, and
still more unhappy on that of Elizabeth, when she found that nothing
would turn her husband from his resolution. Still he had not lost all
his former respect for her, and at length he consented to fix his abode
on the island where Jack had found her. She had therefore only to wait
patiently, hoping that he would soon put in execution the plan he had
proposed, of finally settling down in one of the plantations. She had
kept Elizabeth as much as possible in ignorance of Pearson's character,
but she had, however, at length found it out; and though looking at him
with a feeling somewhat akin to horror, still she had determined not to
desert, even should she have the opportunity, the kind woman who had
adopted her and ever treated her as a daughter. Elizabeth herself,
however, was not free from a