who inquired what was the matter. "Sometimes I see them
dangling, and they taunt me for having deserted the ship when I had
sworn on their Koran to stick to them to the last."

"I am not very well able to say whether you are right or wrong in what
you have done; still I think you were right in escaping from the Moors,
for you would have died a Mohammedan if you had remained with them, and
I hope you will die a Christian," said Roger, who was greatly puzzled to
console poor Sam.

"Cannot say, sir," murmured Sam. "I was a very poor one, or I should
not have turned Moor; even to save my life. There were a good many
other poor fellows who refused to turn, and got cruelly treated in
consequence. It seems to me that I acted like a big coward, when, to
save myself, I agreed to become a Moor, and I should have been served
right if I had never been able to get away from them."

"At all events, you have great reason to be thankful that you did get
away from them," said Roger. "Now, you have to see that you behave
yourself like a Christian man in future."

"I will try," said Sam, gravely. "I wish you would speak to the Captain
and have those heads thrown overboard."

On this it occurred to Roger that the best thing was to tell Captain
Benbow of the hallucination under which Sam was suffering.

"I will soon settle that matter," said the Captain, and he directed one
of the mates to go forward and tell the men that if he ordered them to
heave overboard the Moorish heads ranged on the forecastle, they were to
pretend to do so. Presently he came on deck, and calling Sam aft, asked
how he dared to have allowed those heads to remain on the forecastle.
He then, keeping Sam by him, ordered the men to heave them into the sea,
and not let one remain. They, being prepared, went through the action
of heaving heads overboard. Sam looked on with open eyes and mouth
agape.

"Now, my man," said the Captain, "we have got rid of those Moorish
heads."

"Ay, ay," said Sam, looking over the side to see some of them floating
astern. "I hope we have seen the last of them; it's my belief they have
all gone to the bottom."

After this the _Benbow_ frigate continued her course across the Bay of
Biscay without meeting with any adventure. One day the Captain was
talking over his plans with Stephen. "When I get to London, as soon as
I have discharged my cargo and secured another freight, one of the first
things I shall have to do will b