her Terry," replied Bill. "Even
supposin' they won't ate us, they'd do worse."

"Worse!"

"Ay, worse, I tell you. They'd torture us, till death would be a
blissin'."

"How do you know they would?"

"Ach! Masther Terry!" sighed the old sailor, assuming an air of
solemnity, such as his young comrades had never before witnessed upon
his usually cheerful countenance; "I could tell yez something that 'ud
convince ye av the truth av what I've been sayin', an' that'll gie ye a
hidear av what we've got to expect if we fall into the 'ands av these
feerocious Ayrabs."

Bill had already hinted at the prospective peril of a encounter with the
people of the country.

"Tell us, Bill. What is it?"

"Well, young masthers, it beant much, only that my own brother was
wrecked some 'ere on this same coast. That was ten years agone. He
never returned to owld Hingland."

"Perhaps he was drowned?"

"Betther for 'im, poor boy, if he 'ad. No, he 'adn't that luck. The
crew--it was a tradin' vessel, and there was tin o' them--all got safe
ashore. They were taken prisoners as they landed, by a lot o' Ayrabs.
Only one av the tin got home to tell the tale; and he wouldn't a 'ad a
chance but for a Jew merchant at Mogador that found he 'ad rich
relations as 'ud pay well to ransom him. I see him a wee while after he
got back to Hingland; and he tell me what he had to go through, and my
hown brother as well; for Jim, that be my brother's name, was with the
tribe as took 'im up the counthry. None o' yez iver heerd o' cruelties
like they 'ad to put up with. Death in any way would be aisy compared
to what they 'ad to hendure. Poor Jim! I suppose he's dead long ago.
Tough as I be myself, I don't believe I could a stood it a week, let
alone tin years. Talk o' knockin' about like a Turk's head. They were
knocked about an' beat an' bullied an' kicked an' starved worse than the
laziest lubber as ever skulked about the decks o' a ship. No, Masther
Terry! we mustn't think av thryin' to find the owner av the beest; but
do everythink we can to keep out av the way av both him an' his."

"What would you advise us to do, Bill?"

"I don't know much 'bout where we be," replied the sailor; "but
wheresomever it is, our best plan are to hug by the coast, an' keep
within sight o' the water. If we go inard, we're sure to get lost one
way or t'other. By keepin' south'ard we may come to some thradin' port
av the Portagee."

"We'd better star