he
had taken his resolve. Whilst undoubtedly Asad was right, and the wise
course was to lie close in this sheltering cove where the odds of their
going unperceived were very heavily in their favour, yet the men's
judgment was not altogether at fault. If they were to put to sea, they
might by steering an easterly course pass similarly unperceived, and
even should the splash of their oars reach the galleon beyond the
headland, yet by the time she had weighed anchor and started in pursuit
they would be well away straining every ounce of muscle at the oars,
whilst the breeze--a heavy factor in his considerations--was become so
feeble that they could laugh at pursuit by a vessel that depended upon
wind alone. The only danger, then, was the danger of the galleon's
cannon, and that danger was none so great as from experience
Sakr-el-Bahr well knew.

Thus was he reluctantly forced to the conclusion that in the main the
wiser policy was to support Asad, and since he was full confident of
the obedience of the men he consoled himself with the reflection that a
moral victory might be in store for him out of which some surer profit
might presently be made.

In answer, then, to those who still called upon him, he leapt down the
companion and strode along the gangway to the waist-deck to take
his stand at the Basha's side. Asad watched his approach with angry
misgivings; it was with him a foregone conclusion that things being as
they were Sakr-el-Bahr would be ranged against him to obtain complete
control of these mutineers and to cull the fullest advantage from
the situation. Softly and slowly he unsheathed his scimitar, and
Sakr-el-Bahr seeing this out of the corner of his eye, yet affected not
to see, but stood forward to address the men.

"How now?" he thundered wrathfully. "What shall this mean? Are ye all
deaf that ye have not heard the commands of your Basha, the exalted
of Allah, that ye dare raise your mutinous voices and say what is your
will?"

Sudden and utter silence followed that exhortation. Asad listened in
relieved amazement; Rosamund caught her breath in sheer dismay.

What could he mean, then? Had he but fooled and duped her? Were his
intentions towards her the very opposite to his protestations? She leant
upon the poop-rail straining to catch every syllable of that speech of
his in the lingua franca, hoping almost that her indifferent knowledge
of it had led her into error on the score of what he had said.