This knowledge, however, being confined to those who shared the profits with him, was not likely to be used to his disadvantage.
After a while the whole country was put into a state of alarm by the report that a desperate pirate had appeared on the coast.
Several vessels which had been expected to arrive with rich cargoes had not made their appearance, although the time for their arrival had long passed. There was every reason to fear that they had been captured by this desperate stranger who had sunk them, killing all on board.
The captain of some vessels which had arrived in safety reported having been followed by a suspicious looking craft.
They said she was a schooner about the size of one commanded by Captain Flint, but rather longer, having higher masts and carrying more sail.
No one appeared to be more excited on the subject of the pirate, than Captain Flint. He declared that he had seen the mysterious vessel, had been chased by her, and had only escaped by his superior sailing.
Several vessels had been fitted out expressly for the purpose of capturing this daring stranger, but all to no purpose; nothing could be seen of her.
For a long time she would seem to absent herself from the coast, and vessels would come and go in safety. Then all of a sudden, she would appear again and several vessels would be missing, and never heard from more.
The last occurrence of this kind is the one which we have already given an account of the capturing and sinking of the vessel in which young Billings had taken passage for Europe.
We have already seen how Hellena Rosenthrall's having accidentally discovered her lover's ring on the finger of Captain Flint, had excited suspicions of the merchant's daughter, and what happened to her in consequence.