ouse and engine-room, where they would be available for
immediate use. A supply of cartridges was also sent forward, and those
who had revolvers were instructed to put them in their pockets.

All these orders were promptly obeyed, and the situation began to look
decidedly warlike. Louis could not help asking himself whether or not
Captain Scott was not proceeding too rapidly. But the belligerent chief
had Captain Ringgold's written orders in his pocket, and there was no
room for a protest. Everything appeared to be ready to give the pirate a
warm reception, and nothing more could be done.

The Moorish steamer was feeling her way into the bay very slowly,
sounding all the time. The Maud was anchored in fourteen feet of water,
which placed her keel very near the rocky bottom, and with no greater
depth for a cable's length outside of her. Scott had chosen the position
of the little steamer so that the Fatime could not come alongside of
her, or within a cable's length of her, which is one-fifth of a nautical
mile.

"I think we are all right now, Louis," said Captain Scott when he had
completed his preparations.

"It looks as though you meant to fight the pirate," added Louis.

"Not if it can be avoided; but I do not intend to let Mazagan take any
one of my people out of the Maud; and all hands will shoot before
anything of that kind can happen," replied Scott very mildly, and with
no excitement in his manner; for he had studied the bearing of his
model, and tried to imitate him.

"Do you expect Mazagan will resort to violence, Captain Scott?"

"That is an odd question, Louis," answered Scott, laughing heartily,
perhaps as much to manifest his coolness as to treat the question
lightly. "Excuse me, Louis, but you make me smile. Do I expect Mazagan
to resort to violence? For what did he visit Pournea Bay? Did he resort
to violence when he caught you in that shop in the Muski? Did he resort
to violence when his assistants attempted to capture you and Miss
Blanche in Zante? What do you suppose he followed the Maud up here for,
Louis?"

"Perhaps to induce me to pay him twenty thousand dollars to let up on
Miss Blanche and myself," replied Louis, overwhelmed by the argument.

"Are you ready to pay him?"

"Never!"

"Then he will resort to some other means to accomplish his purpose in
coming to Cyprus. Do you wish me to surrender the Maud to him?" asked
the captain.

"Certainly not."

The Fatime let go her anchor as