ver in gold
sovereigns; and with an air of ostentatious authority he gave
instructions to have all the muskets and revolvers loaded and ready in
case they should be required. The hideous scoundrel fixed his eye on
the captain, and with ironic accent intimated he could not help being
filled with concern when he heard the orders given to prepare the
firearms.

"Capitan, we are not pirates; we are respectable men carrying on a
respectable trade. You need not prepare anything; we are honest
tradesmen."

The captain laughed heartily at this comic assurance of fidelity, and
felt convinced that a deep impression had been made, as the
interpreter shortly after was seen vigorously conversing with his two
compatriots. The one had been introduced as the representative of the
owner of the cargo, and the other the pilot, whose business it was to
direct the captain to that part of the coast where the craft was
awaiting the vessel's arrival. The treacherous dusk was casting its
shadows over them, and had brought with it a weird sound of the
moaning wind. The crew stood in little knots, talking earnestly to
each other. Obviously they conversed of the night's work, and all the
grave possibilities that lay in front of them. For the most part they
wore an anxious look on their faces, but there was one there whose eye
was full of sparkling fun, and whose face beamed with a self-satisfied
expectation of exhilarating dangers. The captain called him to the
bridge, and gave him some specific orders as to how he was to act when
certain signals were given. The chaste and simple motto of "the blow
first and jaw afterwards" guided him, and he was only profane when
discipline demanded it. His superstitious tendencies were in an
ordinary way an anxiety to him, but on the night in question the only
signs he gave of being affected in this way was by the half coherent
remark to the captain that he did not like to hear the shrill wail of
the wind through the rigging; "it seems to be speaking to us of some
trouble near at hand." Suddenly the interpreter called out, "I see the
feluccas." In a moment all thought of the wail of the wind had
disappeared, and this fine athletic seaman was commanding his men like
a hero. He had been told by his captain that there would more than
likely be rough work to do, and he prepared for it with a skill and
vigour that left no doubt as to how his instructions would be carried
out. "Give the signal at the proper time,"