d a mug of water. To
these dainties he applied himself with infinite relish, for he had
always been Spartan-like as to the quality of his food, and hunger makes
almost any kind of dish agreeable.

While thus engaged he heard a hurried trampling of feet on deck, mingled
with sharp orders from the captain. At first he thought the sounds
might have reference to taking in a reef to prepare for a squall, but as
the noise rather increased, his curiosity was roused, and he was about
to return on deck when Peter the Great suddenly leaped into the cabin
and took hurriedly from the opposite locker a brace of highly ornamented
pistols and a scimitar.

"What's wrong, Peter?" asked Foster, starting up.

"We's a-goin' to fight!" groaned the negro.

"Oh! I's a awrful hyperkrite! You stop where you am, massa, else
you'll get whacked."

Despite the risk of being "whacked," the youth would have followed the
negro on deck, had not the hatch been slammed in his face and secured.
Next moment he heard a volley of musketry on deck. It was instantly
replied to by a distant volley, and immediately thereafter groans and
curses showed that the firing had not been without effect.

That the pirate had engaged a vessel of some sort was evident, and our
hero, being naturally anxious to see if not to share in the fight, tried
hard to get out of his prison, but without success. He was obliged,
therefore, to sit there inactive and listen to the wild confusion
overhead. At last there came a crash, followed by fiercer shouts and
cries. He knew that the vessels had met and that the pirates were
boarding. In a few minutes comparative silence ensued, broken only by
occasional footsteps and the groaning of the wounded.

CHAPTER TWO.

AMONG PIRATES--ENSLAVED.

When George Foster was again permitted to go on deck the sight that he
beheld was not calculated to comfort him in his misfortunes.

Several Moorish seamen were going about with bared legs and arms,
swishing water on the decks and swabbing up the blood, with which they
were bespattered. Most of these men were more or less wounded and
bandaged, for the crew of the merchantman they had attacked had offered
a desperate resistance, knowing well the fate in store for them if
captured.

The said merchantman, a large brig, sailed close alongside of the pirate
vessel with a prize crew on board. Her own men, who were Russians, had
been put in chains in the fore part of their vessel un