re was a murmur of assent from the galley slaves around.

"May Allah be merciful to you, as you are merciful to us!" another slave
exclaimed. "The blessing of those whom you regard as infidels can at
least do you no harm."

"On the contrary, it can do me good," Gervaise said. "The God you
Moslems and we Christians worship is, I believe, the same, though under
another name."

Gervaise had, indeed, during his long conversations with Suleiman Ali,
often discussed with him the matter of his faith, and had come, in
consequence, to regard it in a very different light to that in which it
was viewed by his companions. There was faith in one God at the
bottom of both Mohammedanism and Christianity. The Mohammedans held
in reverence the lawgivers and prophets of the Old Testament, and even
regarded Christ Himself as being a prophet. They had been grievously led
away by Mahomet, whom Gervaise regarded as a false teacher; but as he
had seen innumerable instances of the fidelity of the Moslems to their
creed, and the punctuality and devotion with which the slaves said their
daily prayers, exposed though they were to the scorn and even the anger
of their taskmasters, he had quite lost, during his nine months
of constant association with Suleiman Ali, the bigoted hatred of
Mohammedanism so universal at the time. He regarded Moslems as foes to
be opposed to the death; but he felt that it was unfair to hate them for
being hostile to Christianity, of which they knew nothing.

CHAPTER XIII THE FIRST PRIZES

After leaving the slaves, Gervaise joined his companions on the poop.
They were engaged in an animated discussion as to whether it was
advisable to grant indulgences to slaves. The majority approved of the
steps Gervaise had taken, but some asserted that these concessions would
only lead them to look for more, and would create discontent among the
crews of other galleys not so favoured.

"Well, comrades," said Gervaise, "I think that so far I am better
qualified than any of you to give an opinion; but it may be that it will
fall to the lot of some of you to be a slave in Turkish hands. In that
case, I can affirm with certainty, that you will keenly appreciate any
alleviation, however small, of your lot. You must remember that the one
feeling of the slave is dull despair. Death is the only relief he has
to look forward to. Do you think that a man so feeling can do his best,
either at an oar or at any other kind of work? I am