not to do so, Ralph. Possibly one of the craft lying
there might be presently captured by them, and they might learn from her
crew of the presence of a galley of the Order there. Therefore I think
it best to remain where we are till nightfall, and then to proceed and
anchor on the north side of the Island of Madalena, if we can find a
sheltered cove where we could not be seen either from the land or by
passing ships."

During the day there was a good deal of discussion among the knights
as to whether the corsairs might not already have sailed away. It was
evident that if all their ships had arrived, there would be no motive
for delay. Three ships they knew would never join them, and others might
have been detained, from some cause or another. There could be no doubt
that the pirates had already ample force for capturing as many merchant
vessels as they might come across. But it might be intended to carry out
some more daring project--to sack and burn towns along the coast, carry
off the leading people for ransom, and fill the vessels with slaves--the
attack being made simultaneously on several unprotected towns. A vast
amount of plunder could thus be reaped, together with captives of even
greater money value. Were this their plan, they would doubtless delay
until all those who had promised to join in the expedition had arrived.
The balance of opinion, then, was that the corsairs were still in
hiding.

By daybreak next morning they were moored in a sheltered little bay to
the north of Madalena, the galley lying inside the prizes, so as to be
concealed as much as possible from view of any craft that might happen
to pass the mouth of the bay. Fosco started as soon as darkness fell in
the evening, and returned early in the morning.

"They are there," he shouted, as he neared the galley, "hidden in a deep
inlet that runs into one of the narrow bays."

"How many are there of them?"

"Seventeen or eighteen, I could not say which. They are all moored side
by side."

By this time Fosco's boat had reached the galley.

"You have done well indeed," Gervaise said, as the young knight ascended
to the poop. "Now give us a full account of what you have seen."

"As you know, Sir Gervaise, the bay opposite this island splits up into
two, running a long way inland, like the fangs of a great tooth. I had,
of course, no difficulty in finding the entrance to the bay itself, as
it is but a short distance across the strait. I steered