best policy to treat the stranger civilly, at least. So, pulling off his hat, he made a very low bow to the haughty craft, and patiently awaited for the expression of the stranger's wishes. It seemed a little singular to him, that the report of the gun did not start up any of the inhabitants on either side of the water, or at least wake up those who might be sleeping aboard any of the small craft, of which there were plenty fastened to the wharves between the two bridges. But he had no time to think about it, for immediately after he heard a plash in the water, as if a boat had been lowered, and the next moment came the sounds of dashing oars, as with long and regular pulls it swept up to the bridge. Paul's curiosity was now aroused, and he very much desired to find out the meaning of what was passing. His fears had entirely disappeared in the newly awakened interest which had taken possession of his mind; and no sooner did the bows of the boat strike one of the lower rounds of the ladder, which was placed up and down one of the piers to assist boatmen in landing, than he was upon it, ready to help them to make fast. Such, however, was not their intention, for as he motioned to them to sling him a rope, they shook their heads but made no audible reply.

"What-ar'n't you coming ashore?" cried Paul.

"No," answered one of the men who sat in the stern, and appeared to have authority over the others. "I was bidden by the skipper to pull in and take you off."

"Take me off!-where?" "To the ship."

"I'll be blessed if

Paul was going to add, "I go," but his wish to follow the business up, now that there appeared to be a chance of probing it, got the better of his mistrust, and he concluded to go. Without further comment, therefore, he descended the ladder and dropped into the boat, where he seated himself very comfortably at the side of the man at the stern, and the others resuming their oars, turned the boat round, and then struck off for their vessel. It must not be concealed that during the brief period of his transition from place to place, Paul experienced some rather queer and qualmish feelings in his bosom, but as he had set out in an adventure he was not the man to shrink much from the consequences. He found that the best course to pursue would be to wear a bold face, and brazen it out, and not to evince the slightest sign that he had any misgivings whatever as to the result. The boat now shot under the dark counter of the ship, and when the oars were unshipped, floated on the water. Then the

one who was apparently in command for the time, who had not uttered a single word during their passage to the vessel, touched his

elbow, and motioned to him to grasp the rope ladder that hung down from the bulwarks, and climb up the side. He did so, and as he ascended there was a confused noise above him, of the busy hum of many voices, with occasionally boisterous laughing, and the trampling and shuffling of feet upon the deck. These varied sounds, however, ceased instantly and entirely, as he sprang over the bulwark, and to his great astonishment, instead of being in the presence of some twenty-five or thirty men, as he expected, there was not a living being besides himself in sight, though the vessel was well lit up now with lanterns along the deck, on the caboose, hen-coop and boat-house, and in the rigging; and casting his eyes down the ladder to the water in search of the boat and its crew, he found that they too had disappeared. This staggered him somewhat, but plucking up his courage in the best way that he could, he looked about him. He was aboard a small ship of about three hundred tons burthen, but of such a queer appearance, that he almost fancied that he had been wafted aboard of one of the earliest models of naval architecture. Every thing about him looked old and antiquated. Her guns were of an old-fashioned and clumsy shape; her rigging was set up in such a manner that he deemed, little sailor as he was, whoever did it ought to be most heartily ashamed of his work, and her sails were of such a cut, that it seemed as if one of the craft of the days of Columbus had been patched up and revamped, and set down in that spot just to astonish the wandering senses of Paul Jones, tailor. A bright light was streaming up the companion-way, leading down into the cabin, and directing his steps toward it, he descended the stairs to search for some one who could give him the information that he wanted. Down the steps he stumbled, for he was generally rather awkward in getting through narrow and crooked passages, and when he was yet some three or four feet from the landing, his feet slipped, he lost his balance, and tumbled the rest of the way into the very middle of a well-lighted and furnished cabin, and almost on to a strange-looking being, who was sitting at a table, poring over a chart, and occasionally glancing at a barometer that hung near him and a large old-style watch by its side, ticking out the progress of old father Time.

"Hullo!" exclaimed the stranger, springing up from his seat.

Hullo yourself," replied Paul, as soon as he had recovered his centre of gravity and confronted him.

Imee Paul Isnes on ve Tu de ommander of 'ne Ben Himme kenart I same wart & ma tú

bo me me dy WORN 12.

SVE OSET Worigine to see BMT % VA i am a your as d Br www yung some very sering ter My Care or sus i va moppet on the wedge, and yvor fi saaret forty s t pare. Fadag ut a won on tei. I wa MATT proging about a the tore of fa..ng *** We one xx and give me 32 07

pataion, **ea I wrassed teren yonder WIZI Were I am.

Duong the whom weser Pasi sad tarrowby exanted the orter from head to four, and tum & ampere mental aтentury of every thing that he had on. He was a man of MASK USTech fun wn, werny well framed and mascar, but with such a malicura, vodukng antterance, that it wold hate condemned him at once wherever he had appeared. He was named in a rough fanerman's dress, and on the transom lay an old tarred hat, wh..e rather were within his reach upon the table. Pani's quick habit of observation failed not in this instance, to note a pair of shining barreiled pistols and an old sword in rather a clumsy scabbard. As Paul erased speaking, he raised his eyes from the weapons until he met the giance of the stranger, which meantime had been firmly fixed upon him. For a few moments they continned gazing at each other in deep silence, when the stranger spake in an altered tone of | voice.

"Paul Jones, do you know what vessel you're aboard of?"

"Know? to be sure not; how should I?" "It is the Adventure Galley."

"And who might your honor be?”

66

Captain William

Kidd."

What do you want of me' he saai
Im

- Business,” was the response.
have a man of some kund fer my work, and
I left orders on deck for my men to stop the
fret who appeared on the bridge after en
6'eiver to-night."

On: how earnestly did Paul wish that he had gone directly home that might from work. instead of tarrying at minepins. How mach he thought of his wife and children in their warm and comfortable home, dreaming away in happy unconsciousness of his unfortunate situation; how sincerely he wished that be was safe among them, and how fervently be vowed within himself, that if he only got clear of this dilemma, he would conduct differently in future. But all these could do him no good now, for he was completely in the stranger's power.

"My friend," said his antagonist, when he had watched the apparently perplexed state of his mind sufficiently, "I'm very sorry to 1. occasion you any uneasiness, but my object in getting possession of your person is this. I'm very desirous of going ashore after an absence of nearly a hundred and fifty years, and as one of the laws of my present state of being is, that I can only do so by obtaining the willing consent of any mortal man to use his body for the time, I have caused you to be stopped to-night, and brought hither, in the hope of being able to induce you to lend me yours for a day or so, promising that I will return and render it up, safe and unhurt, before dusk to-morrow."

Paul breathed a little more freely. He inferred from this, that the redoubtable captain had no intention of using any violence, and he also surmised from the apparent anxiety of the stranger to conciliate his favor, and get him to accede to his novel request of lending his body for a time, that he possessed no power to force him against his will.

"Sha'n't stand that," said Paul doggedly.

No you don't mean so though!" "Yes, but I do though," rejoined Paul, placing his arms akimbo. The stranger looked into Paul's face for a few moments earnestly, probably concluding from his apparently fixed determination, that it would be of no use whatever to attempt to move his resolution, unless he could offer stronger in

ducements than he had. Taking then a small lamp from the wall, he motioned to Paul to follow, and opening a narrow door at the other side of the cabin, so very small and well covered with paint, that he had not noticed it before, he stepped into a kind of closet adjoining. He then set the light upon a shelf, and taking a small key from his pocket, applied it to the lock of a tolerably good-sized chest standing in one corner, the lid of which immediately flew up, disclosing well-stuffed canvass bags.

"There, look at that," he said with an air of triumph, as if all additional arguments were superfluous and unnecessary.

"Hul-lo," exclaimed Paul, drawing out the word to three times its usual length, as he knelt down at the side of the chest with glistening eyes, and lifted several of the bags to try their weight. 'My eyes!-what a treasure! I did'nt know that there was so much money in the whole world—all gold?" "Every ounce of it."

66

"Jingoes! one little bag-the very smallest-would make me and mine dance for joy for a whole life-time."

"Paul," said the stranger slowly and emphatically, "you shall have as much as you can lug off, provided you will give your consent to my entering your body and remaining there twenty-four hours, with the privilege of going where I please during that time."

Paul's fears returned. The gold was very alluring to be sure, but then he could hardly reconcile himself to the bargain. He had heard of compacts with the evil one, and that his Satanic majesty was a most artful villain, who would cheat if he could, and he was fearful that he should discover too late, that he had mortgaged himself to the Prince of Darkness. He hesitated. He really did not know what to do.

"Will you take the offer?" said the stranger earnestly.

"I don't know. I am thinking of what will become of me while you are off with my body.

Become of you? Why, you may stay aboard and wait till I come back."

"But my family will be alarmed and anxious at my absence."

"Well, suppose they are for a few hours, what then? When you return to them you will carry that which will make ample amends."

"So I shall," said Paul musingly.

"I will not deceive you, I assure you," continued the other. "I promise you upon my sacred word of honor, that I will return by dusk to-morrow.'

Paul muttered something about there being precious little honor among thieves.

"What's that?" rejoined the other, who had caught a few words.

"I was merely going to ask if our bargain

I shall be permitted to carry home as much of that gold as I can lift, quietly and unmolested, and that you will have no further claim whatever upon me."

"That is the bargain."

Paul was tempted. There is no denying it, he was most sorely tempted. He had a very great and almost uncontrollable desire to carry off home some of that abundant treasure, but he was much afraid of running the risk of harm. He thought and thought, and racked his brains again and again, in the hope of discovering some means by which he might obtain the reward without the quid pro quo.

"I have it!" he exclaimed, his eyes brightening as he thought he had hit upon a happy expedient, "I have it. We'll toss up a cent.

The other for a time was very much averse to trusting to chance to decide the matter. He remonstrated for some time, but to no purpose, and he at last agreed, though very unwillingly, to abide by the result.

"That will do it," said Paul," only none of your gimcracks and incantations, Mr. Kidd, to make it come up your way."

As he spoke he drew out a solitary copper from his pocket, and gave it a twirl in the air. "Heads or tails?" he cried.

"Heads!" replied the other.

They watched the gyratory ascent and descent of the coin with intense interest, and as it rang and settled upon the cabin floor they bent over it eagerly.

"Heads it is," said Paul rather dolefully. "But we must try twice more. Let me see

if the matter is understood. Just look here, Mister Cap'un Kidd. If the copper comes up tails twice running, you are to let me go free with as much gold as I can carry."

"Provided you agree now to suffer me to do as I wish, if it turns out against you," replied the other.

"That's it," said Paul, "give me your fist. It's a fair bargain?"

"Yes," answered the other, grasping his proffered hand.

"Then here goes again. Tail it is." "No!"

"Yes-look! look! as fair as a die. Now

chief. But ah! he found that his friend was not going to be as good as his word and had no intention of letting him go. Advancing toward him, he seized and pinioned his arms behind him, ere he was aware that any attack was intended. But Paul was not a coward, (although he sung out at the top of his voice for help,) for he used his feet with such force and diligence, that his opponent found that he had got quite as much as he could attend to for the time. And now came the tug of war. Finding that he could not master him alone, the skipper sounded a loud, shrill whistle, and the cabin was immediately filled with men of all ages, sizes and nations. At a word from their commander they fell upon the unfortunate tailor, who, though he battled long and bravely, was yet no match for such fearful odds. Poor Paul was done for. Blow after blow he stood as well as could be expected, and kicked away to the best of his ability. But all his efforts were useless. He could effect nothing. Soon a blow from a heavy, iron-like fist, planted exactly between his eyes, sent him reeling across the cabin; he staggered for a moment in striving to recover his balance, but in vain. He grew faint; his vision swam, and he saw and heard no more.

When Paul came to his senses, he found himself lying upon his back, near the draw of the bridge, and was speedily conscious of much pain in the back of his head, and down his spine. With much difficulty he raised himself up and looked about him. It was just day-break; the stars were yet faintly twinkling in the sky, and he heard no sound, or saw aught that evinced that the inhabitants of the city were stirring. Up to the moment of his faintness, he remembered perfectly all that had transpired; and straining his eyes across the water in search of the strange craft, much to his surprise he found that it had entirely disappeared, and instead of her, he saw the old, crazy, rotten hulk in its usual place, looking precisely as before. It is extremely difficult to describe the mingled sensations that agitated Paul's bosom. He felt sure of the reality of the scenes through which he had passed the previous night, and could easily account for his present situation, on the supposition that the pirates, after maltreating him to their heart's content, had brought his senseless form off from the ship, in the same conveyance that had taken him to it. But the disappearance of the craft, and the apparently unchanged position and appearance of the old hulk bewildered him. He turned it over and over in his mind, bnt could produce no satisfactory result, and therefore abandoned the effort in despair. Raising then himself to his feet, by grasping the railing, he put his hand to his pocket for his handkerchief, to wipe the blood and dirt

from his face, but found that it had been abstracted. Quickly he thrust the same member into his other pocket, to ascertain if his wallet containing a few dollars was there, and lo! that too was gone. Paul nearly fell down again in the agitation that he experienced in this discovery. He did not know what to do. In pain, sick and helpless, he was forced to abide there until the rumbling of wheels, and the appearance of a baker's cart on the bridge, inspired him with some little hope. As the vehicle approached he called to the driver, who immediately pulled in his horse, and very kindly descended from his seat, to render all the assistance in his power to the unfortunate man. Paul was well known to nearly every resident of South Boston, and the baker's man, knowing his convivial habits, suspected at once that he had been out all night and was suffering the consequences of his folly. Very considerately then he forbore questioning him, contenting himself with a few general inquiries, and then volunteered to carry him home on his cart, which humane offer was very thankfully accepted by Paul. He was then assisted to the seat, and in a few moments was set down at his own door, in a state of high fever.

Poor Paul was very sick for several weeks, and for a few days critically so; but he recovered, however, gradually, and then went before a magistrate and made affidavit to the foregoing narrative. An investigation took place, at the time, of the facts, but nothing of any consequence that could throw any light on the mystery of the transaction, was elicited. It was asserted that the ball fired from the gun cut through one of the rails of the bridge, and a committee was appointed and despatched to the spot, with directions to examine the place and report, but they returned and testified, that they had subjected the railing, from one end of the bridge to the other, to very rigorous examination, but could not find the slightest evidence of the truth of the statement; that they were ready to make oath, that no marks of the passage of a ball existed in any part of it. Several other little circumstances, unimportant in themselves, yet amounting to much in the aggregate, it was found impossible to corroborate, and therefore the matter was laid upon the shelf, where it still remains. Paul, however, persists to this day in maintaining the truth of his original statement; but there are some knowing ones, who, as often as the story is told in their hearing, invariably shake their heads, and give as their opinion, that the tailor, on the night in question, must have been coming home in a nearly, if not quite, unconscious state, and was knocked down and robbed on the bridge, by some person or persons unknown, and that during the time that he lay there, he dreamed through all the incidents