_Sea Rover_ as she headed out boldly into the high seas.

CHAPTER X

IN WHICH I SHOW MY TRUE COLORS

There were many lesser adventures in which Lafitte, L'Olonnois and I
shared on our voyage through the long waterways leading down to the
great river, but of these I make small mention, for, in truth, one
boasts little of one's deeds in piracy after the fact, or of inciting
piracy and making accessories before the fact, the more especially if
such accessories be small but bloodthirsty boys. These latter, let me
plead in extenuation of my own sins, already were pirates, and set
upon rapine. For my own part, seeing their resolution to take green
corn and other vegetables, aye, even fowls, as part of the natural
returns of their stern calling, I made no remonstrances, not the first
leader unable to restrain his ruthless band, but I eased my own
conscience by leaving--quite unknown to them,--sundry silver coins in
cleft sticks, prominently displayed, in the hope that irate farmers
might find them when, after our departure, they visited the scenes of
our marauding. And to such an extent did this marauding obtain that,
by the time we had reached the Mississippi River, I was almost wholly
barren of further silver coins.

Many things I learned as we voyaged; as that my dog Partial would,
when asked, roll over and over upon the ground, or sit up and
bark--things taught him by no man known in his history, so far as
Lafitte could recall it. And things I learned regarding birds and
small animals of which my law books had told me nothing. As to
mosquitoes, I learned that, whereas they do not hurt a young pirate,
they do an old one; and I half resolved to discontinue my book
regarding them. Perhaps it was not of first importance.

But two things grew on me in conviction. First, I loved Helena Emory
more and more each day of my life; and second, that I must see her at
the first moment possible--in spite of all my resolutions to put her
out of my life forever! And, these two things being assured, when we
saw the rolling yellowish flood of the Father of the Waters at last
sweeping before us, I realized that, bound as I was in honor to hold
on with my faithful band, our craft, the _Sea Rover_--sixteen feet
long she was, and well equipped with Long Toms and deck
cannonades--would have no chance to overtake the _Belle Helene_,
fastest yacht on the Great Lakes, who might, so far as I could tell,
at that very moment be cleaving