well as the history of good should be read, considered, and digested.




Chapter II. THE GHOST OF CAPTAIN BRAND

IT is not so easy to tell why discredit should be cast upon a man
because of something that his grandfather may have done amiss, but the
world, which is never overnice in its discrimination as to where to lay
the blame, is often pleased to make the innocent suffer in the place of
the guilty.

Barnaby True was a good, honest, biddable lad, as boys go, but yet he
was not ever allowed altogether to forget that his grandfather had
been that very famous pirate, Capt. William Brand, who, after so many
marvelous adventures (if one may believe the catchpenny stories and
ballads that were written about him), was murdered in Jamaica by Capt.
John Malyoe, the commander of his own consort, the Adventure galley.

It has never been denied, that ever I heard, that up to the time of
Captain Brand's being commissioned against the South Sea pirates he had
always been esteemed as honest, reputable a sea captain as could be.

When he started out upon that adventure it was with a ship, the Royal
Sovereign, fitted out by some of the most decent merchants of New York.
The governor himself had subscribed to the adventure, and had himself
signed Captain Brand's commission. So, if the unfortunate man went
astray, he must have had great temptation to do so, many others behaving
no better when the opportunity offered in those far-away seas where so