he gift.

Silver trumpets sounded, the servitors gathered up the treasures which
the Princess had chosen, and the royal party returned to the palace with
a good deal of chattering and laughter.

In a few days, the Master Mariner disposed of his cargo, and went again
to sea. But wherever he went, the image of the beautiful Princess of
Silk Land went with him.

Under the silken awning, on the wind-swept balcony, sat the Princess,
and the image of the young Captain was often in her mind.

After three months had passed, the Princess took it into her head that
it was time for the Master Mariner to return to Silk Land, and gave
orders that a sharp watch be kept from the tower of the palace for his
returning vessel. One morning, just as the Princess was having breakfast
in her wonderful silken bed, news was brought to her that a large ship
was headed for the harbor.

"Is it the Master Mariner's ship?" asked the Princess.

"I do not know, Your Majesty," replied the messenger. "The vessel is
still many miles out to sea."

So the Princess jumped out of bed, and without waiting for the ladies of
the bedchamber to dress her, ran upstairs to her balcony. A great ship
was coming in under a favoring breeze. Nearer and nearer it came, till
the Princess could even distinguish the men aboard. Suddenly she uttered
a little scream, and ran down stairs pell-mell. At the same moment the
bells of Silk Land all began to ring wildly, and the beating of drums
sounded through the town.

The approaching ship was a pirate ship! From the topmast flew the
terrible black flag of the pirates of the Northern Isles!

Great confusion followed.

Warned by the uproar of the bells and drums, the people came scurrying
through the streets to the palace; some carrying children in their arms;
others the best beloved of their household furnishings. The palace was
hastily made ready for a siege.

Soon, cursing and swearing, the black-bearded pirates arrived, and began
to sack the town. Into every house they went, pulling out all the bureau
drawers, reading private letters, upsetting the clocks, and leaving the
water running in the kitchen sinks. They filled their pockets with
cuff-links and watches.

Now, if the pirates had taken only the cufflinks, stick-pins, cameo
brooches, silver candlesticks, souvenir spoons, and sugar-tongs, and
then gone away, the raid would not have been too terrible; but the
rogues, bribed by the horrid old King of the Oyst