h. Herriot looked up and called him gruffly
but not unkindly, the boy thought. He advanced close to the
sailing-master, staggering a little on the uneven footing.

"Now look sharp, lad," said the pirate in a stern voice, "and mind what
I tell 'ee. There's nought to fear aboard this sloop for them as does
what they're told. We run square an' fair, an' while Major Stede Bonnet
and David Herriot gives the orders, no man'll harm ye. _But_"--and a
hard look came into the tanned face--"if there's any runnin' for shore
'twixt now and come time to _set_ ye there, or if ever ye takes it in
yer head to disobey orders, we'll keel-haul ye straight and think no
more about it. You're big and strong, an' may make a foremast hand. For
the first on it, until ye get your sea legs, ye can be a sort o' cabin
boy. Cap'n wants ye below now. Quick!"

Jeremy scrambled down the companionway indicated by a gesture of
Herriot's pipe. There was a door on each side and one at the end of the
small passage. He advanced and knocked at this last one, and was told,
in the Captain's clear voice, to open.

Major Bonnet sat at a good mahogany table in the middle of the cabin.
Behind him were a bunk, two chairs and a rack of small arms, containing
half a dozen guns, four brace of pistols, and several swords. He had
been reading a book, evidently one of the score or more which stood in a
case on the right. Jeremy gasped, for he had never seen so many books in
all his life. As the Captain looked up, a stern frown came over his
face, never a particularly merry one. The boy, ignorant as he was of
pirates, could not help feeling that this man's quietly gentle
appearance fitted but ill with the blood-thirsty reputation he bore. His
clothes were of good quality and cut, his grayish hair neatly tied
behind with a black bow and worn unpowdered. His clean-shaven face was
long and austere--like a Boston preacher's, thought Jeremy--and although
the forehead above the intelligent eyes was high and broad, there was a
strange lack of humor in its vertical wrinkles.

"Well, my lad," said the cool voice at last, "you're aboard the
_Revenge_ and a long way from your settlement, so you might as well make
the best of it. How long you _stay_ aboard depends on your behavior. We
might put into the Chesapeake, and if there are no cutters about, I'd
consider setting you ashore. But if you like the sea and take to it,
there's room for a hand in the fo'c's'le. Then again, if you t