ore going, you must first change clothes with me. You can sell mine
at Tunis for enough to buy you a dozen suits like yours; but you must
divide with me what money you now have in your possession, for I cannot
start penniless."

"I thank you for your kindness," the man said. "You had it in your
power, with a thrust of the dagger, to make yourself safe, and you
abstained. Even were it not for my oath, I should be a treacherous dog,
indeed, were I to betray you. I do not know what your plans are,
signor, but I pray you to follow my example, and get away from this
place before daylight. The people here will all aid in the search for
you, and as the island is not large, you will assuredly be discovered.
It has for many years been a rendezvous of pirates, a place to which
they bring their booty to sell to the traders who come over from the
mainland."

"Thank you for your advice, Philippo, and be assured I shall be off the
island before daybreak, but I have some work to do first, and cannot
therefore accompany you."

"May all the saints bless you, signor, and aid you to get safe away!
Assuredly, if I live, I will ere long present myself to you at
Venice--not for the money which you so generously promised me, but that
I may, with your aid, earn an honest living among Christians."

By this time the exchange of clothes was effected, the six ducats in
Philippo's purse--the result of a little private plundering on one of
the captured vessels--divided; and then they left the prison room, and
Philippo locked the door after them.

"Is there any chance of Thomaso returning speedily?" Francis asked.
"Because, if so, he might notice your absence, and so give the alarm
before the ship sets sail, in which case we should have the whole crew
on our tracks."

"I do not think that he will. He will be likely to be drinking in the
wine shop for an hour or two before he returns. But I tell you what I
will do, signor. I will resume my place here on guard until he has
returned. He will relieve me at midnight, and in the darkness will not
notice the change of clothes. There will still be plenty of time for me
to cross the island, and get out of sight in the boat, before the alarm
is given, which will not be until six o'clock, when I ought to relieve
him again. As you say, if the alarm were to be given before the vessel
sails, they might start at once to cut us off before we reach the
mainland, for they would make sure that we should try to e