urple beauty of a pukeko, scuttling away into the depths of
the swamp.

By-and-by we emerge into the expanse of the harbour. Once out in it we
could almost imagine ourselves at sea, for, from the low deck of the
_Lily_, we only see the higher grounds and hill-tops round, looking like
islands in the distance, as we cannot descry the continuity of shore.
And now we have leisure to make closer acquaintance with the boat that
carries us.

The _Lily_ is a queer craft. Though old and rickety, she gets through a
considerable amount of work, and is sufficiently seaworthy to fight a
squall, when that overtakes her in the harbour. Not that a gale is by
any means a light affair, in this wide stretch of water. When one is
blowing, as it sometimes does for two or three days at a time, the
_Lily_ lies snugly at anchor in some sheltered cove, and settlers have
to wait as patiently as may be for their mails or goods. She knows her
deficiencies, and will not face stormy weather, if she can help it.

Three times a week she visits certain of the Kaipara settlements,
returning from them on alternate days. The arrangement is such that each
township gets--or is supposed to get--one weekly visit from her. She is
a boat with a character, or without it, which means about the same thing
in the present instance. She has also a skipper, who is something of a
character in his way.

The Pirate, or Pirate Tom, as he is indifferently called, is a gentleman
of some importance locally, for he is the channel of communication
between the Kaipara settlers and the outside world. He is a man of
ferocious aspect, black-bearded to the eyes, taciturn, and rough in
demeanour. In his hot youth, he is credited with having borne his part
in certain questionable proceedings in the South Sea, and hence his
appellation.

Freights run very high on the _Lily_, and it is by no means certain how
far the Pirate may be concerned in keeping them so. He is apt to be
captious, too, as regards the transit of cargo, and will refuse to do
business if it is his whim, or if any particular individual happen to
offend him; for he is lord paramount over the river traffic, and well
does he know how to turn that to his own advantage. Apparently, he
considers that he does you a personal favour if he carries you or your
goods, and you have to keep on his good books, lest he should not
condescend to do either.

Besides the playful way in which he manipulates the commerce of the
dis