nnoyances, for her youth and beauty had
attracted the attention of several of the buccaneers, or, as they called
themselves, "gentlemen of fortune," and two or three of the officers,
who looked upon their qualifications as superior to those of their
companions, had made overtures to their chief for the hand of his
supposed daughter. She, however, had rejected them with scorn, and
Pearson still entertained so much respect and regard for her, that he
had sworn that no man should have her against her will.

"Ah, Master Deane, you little know what quarrels have taken place about
her!" said the dame, one day when Elizabeth was absent. "Three or four
duels have been fought to my certain knowledge, and one young man among
the gang was run through the body and killed, because he had sworn that
no other than himself should be her husband. At last the captain had to
declare that he would shoot the first man who killed another in any duel
about her, and that, for a time, put a stop to the quarrels among them.
I always thought myself that she was of gentle blood, from the account
my husband gave me of the lady who placed her in his arms, and I am
thankful therefore that she should not have been thrown away on any one
beneath the rank of a gentleman, still more on any of these ruffian
buccaneers, who, in spite of all their boasting, would very soon have
broken her heart. The only wife fit for one of them, is a girl who is
pleased with being covered with gold chains, and rings, and jewels, and
cares nothing for her husband's love. I know by experience how sad a
thing it is for a wife to be mated to a man below her in rank, however
kind and generous he may be. Such my husband has always been to me
since he saved my life, but I was born and educated as a gentlewoman,
and I have frequently had cause to feel a difference between us. Since
my marriage I have never met with any of my family. They were all
dispersed in the Civil Wars. Many of my brothers were probably killed
fighting on the king's side, and the youngest had set his heart on
following the sea, which he probably did; but as our home was broken up,
there was no place to which I could write to obtain tidings of them."

Jack felt that he should be very sorry when the pleasant life he was now
leading should come to an end. He spent his days in greater ease and
idleness than he had enjoyed since he left home, most of the time
sitting by the side of Elizabeth, or taking w