had a very high opinion of me when I was a plain farmer
and planter, and I want him to think better of me now. A bold, fearless
pirate cannot be looked upon with disrespect."

Dickory groaned in his heart that this man was the father of Kate.

Turning southward, rounding the cape of Delaware, the Revenge ran up the
bay, seeking some spot where she might take in water, casting anchor
before a little town on the coast of New Jersey. Here, while some of the
men were taking in water, others of the crew were allowed to go on
shore, their captain swearing to them that if they were guilty of any
disorder they should suffer for it. "On my vessel," he swore, "I am a
pirate, but when I go on shore I am a gentleman, and every one in my
service shall behave himself as a gentleman. I beg of you to remember
that."

Agreeable to this principle, Captain Bonnet arrayed himself in a fine
suit of clothes, and without arms, excepting a genteel sword, and
carrying a cane, he landed with Ben Greenway and Dickory, and proceeded
to indulge himself in a promenade up the main street of the town.

The citizens of the place, terrified and amazed at this bold conduct of
a vessel fearlessly flying a black flag with the skull and bones, could
do nothing but await their fate. The women and children, and many of the
men, hid themselves in garrets and cellars, and those of the people who
were obliged to remain visible trembled and prayed, but Captain Stede
Bonnet walked boldly up the right-hand side of the main street waving
his cane in the air as he spoke to the people, assuring them that he and
his men came on an errand of business, seeking nothing but some fresh
water and an opportunity to stretch their legs on solid ground.

"If you have meat and drink," he cried, "bestow it freely upon my men,
tired of the unsavoury food on shipboard, and if they transgress the
laws of hospitality then I, their captain, shall be your avenger; we
want none of your goods or money, having enough in our well-laden vessel
to satisfy all your necessities, if ye have them, and to feel it not."

The men strolled along the street, swarmed into the two little taverns,
soon making away with their small stores of ale and spirits, and
accepting everything eatable offered them by the shivering citizens; but
as to violence there was none, for every man of the rascally crew bore
enmity against most of the others, and held himself ready for a chance
to report a shipmate or to