ancisco, when the disaster occurred, "you must this
day make your choice--victory or slavery--for there is no mercy in the
breasts of these scoundrels."

He waited for no reply, but at once sprang to the big gun, which had
been re-loaded with a charge so miscellaneous that the sable Manqua
grinned with satisfaction as he endeavoured to ram it home.

Meanwhile Mariano and Lucien placed the men, who were armed to the
teeth, at the gangways, and along the weather-side of the schooner, to
be in readiness to repel the foe when they should attempt to board.

There was no hesitation on the part of the pirates, although they saw
plainly the vigorous preparations which were being made to receive them.
Bearing down on the crippled vessel at full speed, in spite of the
bellowing discharge from the great gun, and a well-delivered volley of
small shot, which stretched many of them on the deck, they ran straight
against her, threw grappling-irons into the rigging, and sprang on board
with a fierce yell.

The melee that followed was sharp, but very short and decisive. The
Sicilian crew fought with the courage of desperate men, but were almost
instantly overpowered by numbers. Mariano had singled out the pirate
captain as his own special foe. In making towards the spot where he
expected that he would board, he observed the tall Jew standing by the
wheel with his arms crossed on his breast, and regarding the attack with
apparent indifference.

"What!" cried Mariano, anger mingling with his surprise, "do you stand
idle at such a moment?"

"You will miss your chance," returned Bacri, giving a glance and a nod
towards the side of the vessel where the pirate captain stood ready to
spring.

Almost at the instant that the brief hint was given, Mariano had sprung
to the bulwarks, and parried the thrust of a boarding-spike, which act
unfortunately disconcerted his aim in discharging his pistol. Next
moment he had seized the pirate by the throat, and fell with him to the
deck, where a fierce struggle ensued.

We have said that the Sicilian youth was powerfully made, but the pirate
captain was more than a match for him in size, if not in courage;
nevertheless, the superior activity of Mariano, coupled with the fact
that he chanced to fall uppermost, gave him an advantage which would in
a few moments have cost the pirate his life, had not a blow from behind
rendered his youthful adversary insensible.

Rising hastily and regaining th