sole her. Her sorrow was natural, and
it was her right.

When she looked up again she spoke about what she had come to ask him
for; the authority to bring back her father wherever she might find him,
and to defend him from the attacks of all persons, whoever they might
be, until she reached Jamaica. And then she told him how she would seek
for her father on every sea.

The Governor sat and pondered. The father of such a girl should be saved
from the terrible fate awaiting him, if the thing could possibly be
done. And yet, what a difficult, almost hopeless thing it was to do. To
find a pirate, a fierce and bloody pirate, and bring him back unharmed
to his daughter's arms and to reasonable restraint.

He spoke earnestly. "What you propose," he said, "you cannot do. It
would be impossible for you to find your father; and if you did, no
matter who might be with you, and no matter how successful you might be
with him, his crew would not let him go. But there is one thing which
might be done. The Badger will report at different stations, and her
course and present cruising ground might be discovered. Thus I might
send a despatch to Captain Vince, ordering him not to harm your father,
but to take him prisoner, and to bring him here to be dealt with."

Kate sprang to her feet.

"An order to Captain Vince!" she exclaimed, "an order to withhold his
hand from my father? Ah, sir, your goodness is great, this is far more
than I had dared to expect! When I last saw Captain Vince he left me in
a great rage, but, knowing that he would respect your order, I would
dare his rage. If his revengeful hand should be withheld from my father
I would fear nothing."

"I beg you to be seated," said the Governor, "and let me assure you,
that in offering to send this order to Captain Vince I do not in the
least expect you to take it. But there is one thing I do not
understand. Why should the captain have left you in a great rage?
Perhaps I have not a right to ask this, but it seems to me to have some
bearing upon his alacrity in setting forth in pursuit of the Revenge."

"I fear," said Kate, "that this may be true; I do not deem it improper
for me to say to you, sir, that Captain Vince made me an offer of
marriage, and that in order to induce me to accept it he offered, should
he come up with the Revenge, to spare my father and to let him go free,
visiting the punishment he was sent to inflict upon the rest of the
people in the ship."

"I