set upon my death. Thou canst command it now, but only upon the
condition that thou share the cup with me. What is written is written.
We have sunk some tall ships together in our day, Asad. We'll sink
together in our turn to-night if that be thy desire."

"May thou burn for evermore in hell, thou black-hearted traitor!" Asad
cursed him, his anger bursting all the bonds he had imposed upon it.

And then, of a sudden, upon that admission of defeat from their Basha,
there arose a great clamour from the crew. Sakr-el-Bahr's sea-hawks
called upon him, reminding him of their fidelity and love, and asking
could he repay it now by dooming them all thus to destruction.

"Have faith in me!" he answered them. "I have never led you into aught
but victory. Be sure that I shall not lead you now into defeat--on this
the last occasion that we stand together."

"But the galleon is upon us!" cried Vigitello. And so, indeed, it was,
creeping up slowly under that faint breeze, her tall bulk loomed now
above them, her prow ploughing slowly forward at an acute angle to the
prow of the galeasse. Another moment and she was alongside, and with a
swing and clank and a yell of victory from the English seamen lining
her bulwarks her grappling irons swung down to seize the corsair ship
at prow and stern and waist. Scarce had they fastened, than a torrent
of men in breast-plates and morions poured over her side, to alight
upon the prow of the galeasse, and not even the fear of the lantern
held above the powder barrel could now restrain the corsairs from giving
these hardy boarders the reception they reserved for all infidels. In an
instant the fighting platform on the prow was become a raging, seething
hell of battle luridly illumined by the ruddy glow from the lights
aboard the Silver Heron. Foremost among those who had leapt down had
been Lionel and Sir John Killigrew. Foremost among those to receive them
had been Jasper Leigh, who had passed his sword through Lionel's body
even as Lionel's feet came to rest upon the deck, and before the battle
was joined.

A dozen others went down on either side before Sakr-el-Bahr's ringing
voice could quell the fighting, before his command to them to hear him
was obeyed.

"Hold there!" he had bellowed to his sea-hawks, using the lingua franca.
"Back, and leave this to me. I will rid you of these foes." Then
in English he had summoned his countrymen also to desist. "Sir John
Killigrew!" he called in a lou