The officials of the province made no apparent effort to suppress these
pirates. It was thought then, and has since been believed, that they
assisted them, and were well paid for such help. Governor Fletcher
himself was suspected of sharing in the pirate booty. Merchants who
feared to carry on regular trade, as their ships were almost sure to be
seized, came, after a time, to lend their aid also to the pirates, by
buying their cargoes.

[Illustration: The Reading of Fletcher's Commission.]

Finally, very few ships dared to cross the ocean. Then the English
Government became alarmed. A new Governor was searched for--a man strong
enough to resist the bribery of pirate crews, and able to drive them off
the seas. And just such a man was found.




CHAPTER XII

CONTAINING the TRUE LIFE of CAPTAIN KIDD


In England there lived a man who had been a great friend of King
William; who had been his friend even before he had become King. This
man was Lord Bellomont. It was he who was chosen Governor in the year
1696. But it was two years after this that he reached New York. During
these two years he worked hard in the interests of the province. He knew
all about the pirates, and knew that it would take a strong force to