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Turning, with a great curse, his eyes fell upon the face of a young girl. "Oh, don't kill him! Don't kill him!" she cried, "he will hurt nobody; he is only hugging the old gentleman." Captain Ichabod looked from the girl to the two men, who were actually embracing each other. Dickory's back was towards him, but the face of Mr. Delaplaine fairly glowed with delight.

Dickory had watched him with glowing admiration as he stood up before Blackbeard, fighting like the champion of all good against the hairy monster who struck his blows for all that was base and wicked. How Dickory's young heart had gone out in sympathy and fellowship towards the brave English captain!

At this Dickory's brow grew darker. "I believe all you say," said Kate, "for I am sure you are an honest and a true man, but, as I told you, I cannot marry you; for, even had I made up my mind on the subject, which I have not, I could not marry any one at such a time as this, not knowing my father's will upon the subject or where he is."

"And Greenway," the people said. "Why should they take him? He is of no good on a ship." On this, Dickory's heart fell further. He had been troubled about the Scotchman, but had tried not to think of him.

With a few bounds he was out of the church, nearly overturning Ben Greenway as he passed him. Without a word he ran down the street, his cane thrown away, and his drawn sword in his hand. Dickory's warning had not come a minute too soon; one boat full of men was pulling towards the ship, and others were hurrying in the direction of an empty boat which awaited them at the pier.

By this time Dickory's speech began to falter, which his sister observing, put him in mind that he would do well to make some declaration of his faith and principles of religion, because some reflections had been made upon him upon the account of his neglect, or rather his refusal, to appear at any place of public worship.

"Of course we have," said the man, and if it had not been for Dickory's uniform he would have sworn at him. When the corvette Badger sailed from Jamaica she moved among the islands of the Caribbean Sea as if she had been a modern vessel propelled by a steam-engine. That which represented a steam-engine in this case was the fiery brain of Captain Christopher Vince of his Majesty's navy.

"He is no slave," said Bonnet; "he came to this vessel to bring me a message from my daughter, but he is an ill-bred stripling, and can neither read nor write." "Then let's kill him!" cried Blackbeard, and drawing his pistol he sent a bullet about two inches above Dickory's head. At this the men who had gathered themselves at every available point set up a cheer.

Thus it was that the pirate found out a great deal more about Dickory's life, hope, and sorrows than the young fellow imagined that he made known. He discovered that Dickory was greatly interested in Bonnet's daughter, and wished above all other things in this world to get to her and to be with her.

So they all got into the boat and rowed back to Dickory's old home, and on the way Captain Ichabod told Dickory that when they returned together to the town he would pay him for the plantation, having brought specie sufficient for the purpose.