I looked up. Just at the bend, arrested now by hand anchorage to the

overhanging alders, lay a small boat, occupied by two boys, neither

of more than fourteen years, the younger seemingly not more than

twelve. It was the latter who was clinging with one hand to the

drooping bushes. His companion, apparently the leader in their present

enterprise, was half crouching in the bow of the boat and he,

evidently, was the one who had accosted me.

A second glance gave me even more surprise, for it showed that the

boat, though not precisely long, low and rakish of build, evidently

was of piratical intent. At least she was piratical in decoration. On

each side of her bow there was painted--and the evening sun, shining

through my larches, showed the paint still fresh--in more or less

accurate design in black, the emblem of a skull and cross-bones. Above

her, supported by a short staff, perhaps cut from my own willows, flew

a black flag, and whatever may have been her stern-chaser equipment,

her broadside batteries, or her deck carronades--none of which I could

well make out, as her hull lay half concealed among the alders--her

bow-chaser was certainly in commission and manned for action. The

pirate captain, himself, was at the lanyard; and I perceived that he

now rested an extraordinarily large six-shooter in the fork of a short

staff, which was fixed in the bow. Along this, with a three-cornered

gray eye, he now sighted at the lower button of my waistcoat, and in a

fashion that gave me goose-flesh underneath the button, in spite of

all my mingled emotions. Had I not "halted," as ordered, to the extent

of sitting on quietly as I was, he no doubt would have pulled the

lanyard, with consequences such as I do not care to contemplate, and

mayhap to the effect that this somewhat singular story would never

have been written.

"Halt, Sirrah!" began the pirate leader again, "or I will blow you out

of the water!"

I sat for a moment regarding him, my chin in my hand.

"No," said I at last; "I already am out of the water, my friend. But,

prithee, have a care of yonder lanyard, else, gadzooks! you may belike

blow me off the bank and into the water."

This speech of mine seemed as much to disconcert the pirate chieftain

as had his me. He stood erect, shifting his Long Tom, to the great

ease of my waistcoat button.

"Won't you heave to, and put off a small boat for a parley?" I

inquired.




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