Boldheart found himself obliged to put his
Cousin Tom in irons, for being disrespectful.
On the boy's promising amendment, however, he
was humanely released, after a few hours' close
confinement.

Boldheart now took his mother down, into the
great cabin, and asked after the young lady
with whom, it was well known to the world, he
was in love. His mother replied that the object
of his affections was then, at school at Margate,
for the benefit of sea-bathing (it was the month
of September), but that she feared the young
lady's friends were still opposed to the union.
Boldheart at once resolved, if necessary, to
bombard the town.

Taking the command of his ship with this
intention, and putting all but fighting men on
board The Family, with orders to that vessel to
keep in company, Boldheart soon anchored in
Margate Roads. Here he went ashore well
armed, and attended by his boat's crew (at their
head the faithful though ferocious William), and
demanded to see the Mayor, who came out of
his office.

"Dost know the name of yon ship, Mayor?"
asked Boldheart, fiercely.

"No," said the Mayor, rubbing his eyes,
which he could scarce believe when he saw the
goodly vessel riding at anchor.

"She is named the Beauty," said the captain.

"Hah!" exclaimed the Mayor, with a start.
"And you, then, are Captain Boldheart?"

"The same."

A pause ensued. The Mayor trembled.
"Now, Mayor," said the captain, "choose.
Help me to my Bride, or be bombarded."

The Mayor begged for two hours' grace,
in which to make inquiries respecting the young
lady. Boldheart accorded him but one, and
during that one placed William Boozey sentry
over him, with a drawn sword and instructions
to accompany him wherever he went, and to
run him through the body if he showed a sign
of playing false.

At the end of the hour, the Mayor
re-appeared more dead than alive, closely waited on
by Boozey more alive than dead.

"Captain," said the Mayor, "I have
ascertained that the young lady is going to bathe.
Even now she waits her turn for a machine.
The tide is low, though rising. I, in one of
our town-boats, shall not be suspected. When
she comes forth in her bathing-dress into the
shallow water from behind the hood of the
machine, my boat shall intercept her and
prevent her return. Do you the rest."

"Mayor," returned Captain Boldheart, "thou
hast saved thy town."

The captain then signalled his boat to take
him off, and steering her himself ordered her
crew to row towards the bathing-ground, and
there to rest upon their oars. All happened
as had been arranged. His lovely bride came
forth, the Mayor glided in behind her, she
became confused and had floated out of her depth,
when, with one skilful touch of the rudder and
one quivering stroke from the boat's crew, her
adoring Boldheart held her in his strong arms.

There, her shrieks of terror were changed to
cries of joy.

Before the Beauty could get under weigh,
the hoisting of all the flags in the town and
harbour, and the ringing of all the bells,
announced to the brave Boldheart that he had
nothing to fear. He therefore determined to
be married on ths spot, and signalled for a
clergyman and clerk, who came off promptly in
a sailing-boat named the Skylark. Another
great entertainment was then given on board
the Beauty, in the midst of which the Mayor
was called out by a messenger. He returned
with the news that Government had sent
down to know whether Captain Boldheart, in
acknowledgment of the great services he had
done his country by being a Pirate, would
consent to be made a Lieutenant-Colonel. For
himself he would have spurned the worthless
boon, but his Bride wished it and he consented.

Only one thing further happened before the
good ship Family was dismissed, with rich
presents to all on board. It is painful to record
(but such is human nature in some cousins)
that Captain Boldheart's unmannerly cousin
Tom was actually tied up to receive three
dozen with a rope's end "for cheekyness
and making games," when Captain Boldheart's
Lady begged for him and he was spared. The
Beauty then refitted, and the Captain and his
Bride departed for the Indian Ocean to enjoy
themselves for evermore.

COAL.

"PAY 'em well to keep him, that it would!
T' owners would never make a better bargain
than by just takking him from t' shop he keeps
and settling him down among our men. He's
just emptied t' public-houses and got every one
of our hands to work on t' Monday morning
fust thing. Niver such a thing known since
I've had ought to do with t' Cornope colliery,
and that's, man and boy, more years than you
can recollect, master. I don't reckon him
much of a preacher myself; but he just hits the
men's mark, that's where it is. He keeps a
little shop out Doortose way, but he's one of the
Connexion, and has just come down here on his
circuit and done wonders. Our men have
listened and took to him till the worst and
roughest among 'em won't either drink or
swear, and as for working——How many are
there down this morning?" (turning to an
under-viewer). "There, gentlemen, you hear
that? The whole number that's due within
three! Why, one of our greatest difficulties is
to get the men to work regularly. On a
Monday we won't varry often hev more than
a quarter of the number down the pit we
want—-drinking, or larking, or playing the fool
one way or the other, that's what they're
after; on a Tuesday, when t' money's spent,
more will turn in; but it's often Wednesday
and the week harrf gone afore we're in
full work. Now it stands to reason, don't it,
that with all the machinery and other expenses