Pirate Jerusha

Judy the Pirate

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Jerusha, who prefers to be called "Judy," writes one of her dutiful letters to the strange benefactor who wishes to be called "John Smith," but who is really "Jervis Pendleton," the same "Pendleton" whom Judy knows only as an older brother of a classmate.

But perhaps she suspects something about these names, for she does complain that "It's the silliest thing I ever heard of, not to know your name" - meaning, of course, that she does not know his name.

She signs off with "Affectionately, Judy," but there is that skull and cross bones - at the letter's opening - for us to speculate on. And is "Cap'n Long-Legs" a pirate captain, one who might have designs on Judy?