ariano, and
whispered hastily--

"I may not get another opportunity to speak to thee. Just before I came
hither Angela and her sister were taken from my care by force. They are
now in the palace, under the care of Zara. Omar intends to keep them."

Mariano turned to reply, but the Jew had retired noiselessly as he came.

Early in the morning after the fight the prison-door opened, and a band
of Turkish soldiers entered. The garish light of day, as it streamed
over the dungeon floor, revealed the fact that the shattered frame of
the Italian slave had found rest at last.

The soldiers looked fagged and dishevelled. Many of them wore bandages
about their heads and limbs. They did not speak, but drew up in a line,
while their leader advanced with a negro, who proceeded to file the
fetters from off the British consul and his countrymen. In a few
minutes he led them out between the soldiers, and conducted them towards
the palace.

Although the Turkish officer could not, or would not, converse with
Colonel Langley, the latter had little difficulty in making a pretty
good guess as to how matters stood, for on his way to the palace, short
though it was, he saw devastation enough to convince him that the
British had gained the day. Arrived at the palace, the party were
locked up in an anteroom.

Meanwhile, in the audience-hall, which was considerably damaged by the
artillery of the fleet, Omar Dey held a divan. The building in which
this court had been held in former times was now a ruin, and many of the
councillors who had been wont to assemble in it had gone to their last
account.

Omar was very pale, and moved with difficulty, having been wounded
slightly in various places. Indeed, all the statesmen who surrounded
him bore marks, more or less severe, of having played a part in the late
action. In the midst of an eager discussion, an attendant entered, and
announced the arrival of a British officer with a flag of truce.

"Admit him," said the Dey, who, although boiling over with rage and
despair, had sense enough to make up his mind to bow to the power which
he could not overcome.

Immediately Lieutenant Burgess was ushered into the court, accompanied
by Rais Ali in the capacity of translator, and two of his boat's crew,
one of whom was, by special permission, Ted Flaggan.

Without wasting time in useless ceremony, the lieutenant ordered Rais to
read aloud the paper which he had been commissioned by Lord