e pirate captain, drawing a long breath, and
directing his looks to Henry now.

"For reasons which it is not necessary that you should know, I resolved
some years ago to become a pirate. I had been deceived--shamefully
deceived and wronged--by wealthy and powerful men. I had appealed to
the law of my country, and the law refused to right me. No, not the
law, but those who sat on the judgment-seat to pervert the law. It
matters not now; I was driven mad at the time, for the wrong done was
not done so much to me as to those whom I loved. I vowed that I should
be avenged.

"I soon found men as mad as myself who only wanted a leader to guide
them in order to run full swing to destruction. I seized the _Foam_, of
which schooner I was mate, called her the _Avenger_, and became a
pirate. No blood was shed when I seized the schooner. Before an
opportunity occurred of trying my hand at this new profession, my anger
had cooled. I _repented_ of what I had done, but I was surrounded by
men who were more bent on mischief than I was. I could not now draw
back, but I modified my plan. I determined to become merely a _robber_
and use the proceeds of my trade to indemnify those to whom injustice
had been done. I thought at the time that there was some justice in
this. I called myself in jest, a tax-gatherer of the sea. I ordered
the men aft one day and explained to them my views. I said that I
abhorred the name and the deeds of pirates, that I would only consent to
command them if they agreed never to shed human blood except in fair and
open fight.

"They liked the idea. There were men among them who had never heartily
agreed to the seizing of the schooner, and who would have left her if I
would have allowed them; these were much relieved to hear my proposal.
It was fixed that we should _rob_, but not _murder_. Miserable fool
that I was! I thought it was possible to go just so far and no farther
into sin. I did not know at that time the strength of the fearful
current into which I had plunged.

"But we stuck to our principles. We never did commit murder. And as
our appearance was always sufficient to cause the colours of any ship we
ever came across to be hauled down at once, there has been no occasion
for shedding blood, even in fair and open fight. Do you believe me,
Mary?" said Gascoyne, pausing at this point.

The widow was still silent, but a slight inclination of her head
satisfied the pirate, who was a