now, but I shall never walk well again. I expect they will put me in one
of their accursed galleys."

"How long have you been here?"

"Seven years; it seems a lifetime. However, there is hope yet. They
don't tell us much, but we hear things sometimes, and they say that the
sultan is going to sweep them out of Rhodes as they were swept out of
Acre. When will it be?"

"I know not. I am from Syria, but even there they are making
preparations. The sultan has had troubles in the East, and that has
delayed him, but he will be here before long, and then we shall see. It
will be our turn then."

"It will, indeed!" one of the others exclaimed. "Oh, to see these dogs
brought down, and suffering as we have suffered, toiling at oars in one
of our galleys, or at the fortifications of one of our castles! It will
make amends for all our suffering. Had you a hard fight with them?"

"No. We were but a small craft, and it was vain to attempt resistance. I
would gladly have fought, but the sailors said it would only throw away
their lives. There was but little on board, and they allowed the vessel
to go free with those of the sailors who were too old to be made useful
for hard work."

No further questions were asked. The men seemed to have no interest save
in their own misery, and Gervaise soon left them, and, sitting down in a
shady corner, presently dropped off to sleep.

In the evening all came in from their various work. The officer man who
had brought Gervaise in went up to the overseer of the galley slaves
and informed him that he had told off the new slave--pointing to
Gervaise--to his gang.

"He was brought in by the galley that arrived last night," he said; "he
was the only slave sent up here. I hear that he had been set aside to be
appointed a servitor, but there are no vacancies, so they sent him here
till one should occur; and I was ordered to make him useful in other
ways in the meantime."

"I am two or three hands short," the overseer said. "I wish now I had
sent in an application yesterday, for if I had done so, no doubt they
would have sent me some more men. However, this fellow will make up an
even number, and he is strong and active, though at present he looks
sulky enough under his bad fortune."

A few of the slaves spoke to Gervaise as they were waiting for food to
be brought them, but the majority dropped upon the rushes, too exhausted
with toil and heat to feel an interest in anything. The food consiste