About his waist was a broadbuckled belt, which supported a wooden
cutlass, two or three murderous wooden daggers and a brace of toy
pistols; while upon his legs were a pair of top-boots many sizes
too large for him, so that walking required no little care. Yet on
the whole his appearance was decidedly effective. There could be
no mistake - he was a bloodthirsty pirate!

The imp is an artist to his grimy finger tips.

"Avast, shipmate!" I cried. "How's the wind?"

"Oh, he exclaimed, failing over his boots with eagerness, "do take
me in your boat, an' let's be pirates, will you, Uncle Dick?"

"Well, that depends. Where is your Auntie Lisbeth?"

"Mr. Selwyn is going to row her and Dorothy up the river."

"The deuce he is!"

"Yes, an' they won't take me."

"Why not, my Imp?"

"'Cause they're 'fraid I should upset the boat. So I thought I'd
come ask you to be a pirate, you know. I'll lend you my best
dagger an' one of my pistols. Will you, Uncle Dick?"

"Come aboard, shipmate, if you are for Hispaniola, the Tortugas,
and the Spanish Main," said I, whereupon he scrambled in, losing a