o have been
released, say that the Moors are for the most part kind masters."

"I have heard so, too," the captain said; "and anyhow, I would rather
be a Moorish slave than lie in a Genoese dungeon. The Genoese are not
like us. When we take prisoners we treat them fairly and honourably,
while they treat their prisoners worse than dogs. I wish I could do
something for you, Messer Francisco. Your case is a deal worse than
ours.

"Listen, they are quarrelling up on deck!"

There was indeed a sound of men in hot dispute, a trampling of feet, a
clash of steel, and the sound of bodies falling.

"It is not possible that one of our cruisers can have come up, and is
boarding the pirate," the captain said, "for no sail was in sight when
we were brought here. I looked round the last thing before I left the
deck. What can they be fighting about?"

"Likely enough, as to their course. They have probably, from what we
heard, taken and sunk several ships, and some may be in favour of
returning to dispose of their booty, while others may be for cruising
longer. I only hope that scoundrel Ruggiero is among those we heard
fall. They are quiet now, and one party or the other has evidently got
the best of it. There, they are taking to the oars again."

Several days passed. Sometimes the oars were heard going, but generally
the galley was under sail. The sailors brought down food and water,
morning and evening, but paid no other attention to the captives.
Francis discussed, with some of the other prisoners, the chances of
making a sudden rush on to the deck, and overpowering the crew; but all
their arms had been taken from them, and the galley, they calculated,
contained fully a hundred and fifty men. They noticed, too, when the
sailors brought down the food, a party armed and in readiness were
assembled round the hatchway.

At all other times the hatchway was nearly closed, being only left
sufficiently open to allow a certain amount of air to pass down into
the hold, and by the steady tramp of steps, up and down, they knew that
two sentries were also on guard above. Most of the prisoners were so
overcome with the misfortune which had befallen them, and the prospect
of a life in hopeless slavery, that they had no spirit to attempt any
enterprise whatever, and there was nothing to do but to wait the
termination of the voyage.

At the end of six days there was a bustle on deck, and the chain of the
anchor was heard to run out. Two or