were useless.

Now, because the Master Mariner's ship was far more swift and beautiful
than the pirate ship, the pirates, after setting fire to their own
vessel, abandoned her, and put their plunder on board the Master
Mariner's vessel. The following morning, leaving the people of Silk Land
robbed and mourning, the pirates sailed away.

Within a few hours, all signs of land had disappeared. The sea was as
black as ink. Against the horizon's edge, the great waves were leaping
and breaking into foam.

"Bring me the list of booty!" cried the pirate captain, roaring the last
word.

So the pirate treasurer came on deck, and read a long list beginning,--

"Fifty-three scarf-pins."

"Hooray!" shouted the pirate crew.

"A hundred and eighty-five sterling silver berry-spoons," next announced
the treasurer.

"Hooray!" cried the crew again.

"One thousand clocks!" cried the treasurer.

"How many with alarms?" asked an old pirate anxiously.

There was a strained silence. The treasurer consulted his list.

"Seven hundred and forty-nine," he answered.

"Hooray!" yelled the pirate crew.

When the list had been read (it took very nearly half an hour to do it)
the one-eyed captain cried, "Bring forth the Master Mariner!"

So the Master Mariner was brought forth, and thrown brutally against a
mast. The pirate chief put his arms akimbo, cleared his throat savagely,
and roared, "So you thought you were going to punish me, did you! Well,
I'll show you what happens to people who upset my plans. Here, Hawk Eye,
and you, Toby, throw this fellow overboard."

Hearing this awful order, the Princess screamed and would have run to
the Master Mariner, had not rude hands restrained her.

Splash! the Mariner fell into the inky sea. Swift as a bird, his own
ship went by him; he saw the mocking face of the pirate chief leering at
him from over the rail; in a few minutes he was alone, all, all alone in
the wide, wide sea. For some time he swam about, and by great good luck
discovered a log of wood strong enough to bear his weight, floating near
at hand. Upon this he climbed, and there we shall leave him for the
present.

When the Captain had disappeared from sight miles behind, the pirate
chief walked over to the Princess, and looking at her, said sneeringly,
"Well, my beauty, are you going to make up your mind to be the wife of
the King of the Oyster Mountains? I'm taking you to him, and mind now,
no fooling!"

The Princess shr