sked, "what's wrong? for something must be, to
induce your strange conduct."

"Lord Exmouth, sir," replied Ted, rising up with an air of dignified
importance which the elevated snout of the boar tended sadly to impair,
"is in the offing with fifty sail o' the line, more or less, comin' to
blow this precious city into the middle of next week."

"Come, Flaggan, let us have it without jesting," said the consul
gravely.

Thereupon Ted related in as serious a tone as it was possible for him to
assume all that had been told by the Padre Giovanni.

"Our position will indeed be critical if this be true," muttered the
consul, with a look of anxiety. "Omar is a man who fears nothing, and
has unbounded faith in his men and fortifications. Moreover, he is
utterly regardless of consequences, and has no mercy when once roused.
My poor defenceless wife and children!--if--"

"You may depend upon _me_, sir," said Ted, seeing that he hesitated;
"I'll stick to 'em, I will, through--"

"I have no doubt of that, my man," interrupted the consul, with a sad
smile, "but your aid in this case will be useless. The fact is that the
preservation of your life will be a more difficult matter for me to
accomplish than my own. If Lord Exmouth really arrives and proceeds to
extremities, I and my family will be in the greatest peril from these
irate corsairs, but you, my poor fellow, are doomed whatever happens,
seeing that you have laid violent hands on the Turkish guard of the
gates."

"Sure, an' small blame to me," said Ted.

"I do not blame you, but the Turks will, and they will do more,--they
will strangle you for a certainty the moment they get hold of you, and
no power that I possess can save you, so that your only chance lies in
making your escape from the city, either by land or sea."

"An' that won't be aisy, sur," said the seaman, with a perplexed look.

"Indeed it will not. You may be sure that the Turks are even now
searching for you, and as they know that I am here, and that you belong
to my household--"

"By your lave," said Ted suddenly, "it sames to me that it's time for
Ted Flaggan to look after his owld bones. I'm grateful to 'ee, sur.--
Good-night."

He pulled his boar-head down without awaiting a reply, and went hastily
off in the direction of a small outhouse where Rais Ali was enjoying
himself amid a circle of the French consul's domestics.

Dashing forward, he seized his friend by the arm and dragged him out