As soon as the pirate’s ship was spotted Captain Shepherd ordered a white flag of surrender flown; as he explained to the enraged owner Mr. Elliot, his cargo would be lost either way, and better to keep their lives than risk cannon balls the Kellynch could neither counter nor outrun. As the young lady traveling with her father had grown quite pale on glimpsing the boarding party, he determined to comfort her instead of arguing further: “Do not worry Miss Anne, this fellow is known to be quite the true gentleman of fortune, I am sure no harm will come to you.”

“I am sure it will not,” she answered, eyes fixed on the equally startled first mate of the Sophia’s Surprise rather than its famed Captain Croft.