her could have composed this speech for Master
Delaplaine to make she could not have suited it better to her desires.

When the King and Queen was nearly ready to sail, Dickory Charter,
having been detained by Mr. Delaplaine, who wished the young man to
travel as one of importance and plentiful resources, hurried to the
house to take his final instructions from Mistress Kate Bonnet, in whose
service he was now setting forth. It might have been supposed by some
that no further instructions were necessary, but how could Dickory know
that? He was right. Kate met him before he reached the house.

"I am so glad to see you again before you sail," she said. "One thing
was forgotten: You may see my father; his cruise may be over and he may
be, even now, preparing for me to come back to Bridgetown. If this be
so, urge him rather to come here. I had not thought of your seeing him,
Dickory, and I did not write to him, but you will know what to say. You
have heard that woman talk of me, and you well know I cannot go back to
my old home."

"Oh, I will say all that!" he exclaimed. "It will be the same thing as
if you had written him a long letter. And now I must run back, for the
boat is ready to take me down the river to the port."

"Dickory," said she, and she put out her hand--he had never held that
hand before--"you are so true, Dickory, you are so noble; you are
going--" it was in her mind to say "you are going as my knight-errant,"
but she deemed that unsuitable, and she changed it to--"you are going to
do so much for me."

She stopped for a moment, and then she said: "You know I told you you
should not call me Kate, being so much younger; but, as you are so much
younger, you may kiss me if you like."

"Like!"

CHAPTER X

CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER VINCE

It was truly surprising to see the change which came over the spirits of
our young Kate Bonnet when she heard that the King and Queen had sailed
from Kingston port. She was gay, she was talkative, she sang songs, she
skipped in the paths of the garden. One might have supposed she was so
happy to get rid of the young man on the brig which had sailed away. And
yet, the news she might hear when that young man came back was likely to
be far worse than any misgivings which had entered her mind. Kate's high
spirits delighted her uncle. This child of his sister had grown more
lovely than even her mother had ever been.

Now came days of delight which Kate had never dreame