el--"I
never could trap even a fox without pitying the animal."

Dulcibel went up to the minister, and put her hand upon his arm:--"Do I
look so much like a witch?" she said in a playful tone.

"We are told that Satan can enrobe himself like an angel of light,"
replied Master Mather severely. "I judge you by what I have heard of
your cruel deeds."

"As you judged the cruel yellow bird that turned out to be only a
harmless little chicken," said Master Raymond sarcastically. "Enough of
this folly. Will you marry us now--or not? If you will, you shall be put
ashore unharmed. If you will not, you shall go along with us. Make up
your mind at once, for we shall soon be out of Boston harbor."

Master Mather had a strong will--and an equally strong won't--but the
Philistines were, for this time, too much for him. That reference to
Captain Kidd had frightened him badly. "Stand up--and I will marry you.
Unscrupulous as you both are, it is better that you should be married
by legal rites, than allowed to go your own way to destruction."

And then--the important ceremony being duly gone through--he pronounced
Master Ellis Raymond and Mistress Dulcibel Burton man and wife. The
Captain being allowed by Master Raymond to take the first kiss, as
acting in the place of the bride's father.

"No, not a penny!" said the minister, closing his hand against the
golden pieces that the groom held out to him. "All I ask is, that you
comply with your promise--and put me on shore again as soon as
possible."

"Better take a drink of wine first," said the Captain, filling up a
glass and handing it to him.

"I will neither break bread nor drink wine on this"--he was going to say
_accursed_ ship; but the fierce eyes of the possible freebooter were
upon him, and he said, "on this unhappy vessel."

Captain Tolley laughed heartily. "Oh well, good wine never goes begging.
The anchor is not up yet, and we will put you off just where you came
on. Come along!"

Without a word of leave-taking to the two whom he had joined together,
Master Mather followed the Captain. In fact though, Master Raymond and
Dulcibel scarcely noted his going, for they were now seated on a small
sofa, the arm of the young husband around the shapely waist of his
newly-made wife, and the minister dismissed from their minds as
completely as the wine-glass out of which they had just drank. He had
answered their purpose and in the deep bliss of their new relation, they
though