to beat off
any number of the scoundrels. Ask him how many guns these fellows
generally mount?"

The Turk shook his head.

"They are of all sizes; some are only row-boats, without guns at all,
and carrying perhaps not more than a dozen men. Two will row, and the
rest lie down in the bottom. They will have some fruit, perhaps, piled
up in the stern, and as they row up to a small craft at anchor or
becalmed, there are no suspicions of their real character until they get
close alongside. Then they leap up, and carry the vessel before the crew
have time to arm themselves. If she is very small and useless to them,
they will take out everything of value, fasten the prisoners down below,
and scuttle her; if she is larger, they will tow her into some little
bay and take out the cargo in boats at their leisure, cut the throats of
the prisoners, alter the appearance of the ship so that she cannot be
recognized, engage a dozen more hands, and set up on a larger scale.

"Some of the craft are used as fishing-boats when times are quiet and
there are ships of war about, while the larger ones may go into trade.
Some of the smaller craft will carry a couple of guns, the larger ones
eight or ten, but these are generally much smaller than yours, though
sometimes they are armed with cannon taken from prizes; but, as a rule,
they do not trust at all to their guns. They do not wish to draw
attention by their sound to what is going on, and they either attack at
night and carry their prey by boarding, or, if it be in the day, the
crew are sent below, the guns hidden, and they have so peaceful an
aspect that it is only when they change their course suddenly, when
within a few hundred yards, that any alarm is excited, and they are
alongside before a trader can load his guns, and, as they are crowded
with men, carry her before any serious resistance can be offered."

[Illustration: WITH A TREMENDOUS CHEER, FLUNG THEMSELVES UPON THE
PIRATES

_Page 262_]

At Rhodes they had taken on board a dozen bucket-loads of earth. The
night before, some of these had been emptied into a large tub, which was
then filled up with water and stirred briskly, after which the
sailors had gone aloft and wetted the sails with muddy water, rendering
their appearance dingy in the extreme. Here and there white patches had
been left, which gave the sails the appearance of being old and recently
mended, and with the yards set at different angles and slackened
riggi