s cap. "Good-bye, and the devil himself go with you. Aha! my
Yankee friend, you little know that you are taking your last look at
this scene; you little dream that the brig carries a dagger whose blade
is thirsty for your heart's blood, and whose point _I_ have directed at
your breast. Adieu, miserable coward, for ever. I hope Antonio will
not forget to tell you, as he drives home his blade, that it was _I_ who
ordered the blow; my revenge will else be robbed of half its sweetness.
You thought, doubtless, that because it suited me to receive your
insults in silence that I should soon forget them. Bah! you should have
known better; my very quietness--the repression of my resentment--should
have warned you; but you are a poor blind fool without any discernment,
or you would have known that a Greek _never_ forgives a wrong. Good-bye
once more, and for the last time--good-bye; I wish you all speed on your
road to perdition."

And he waved his hat smilingly at the fast receding brig as he saw
Johnson raise a telescope to his eye and level it in his direction.

When the _Albatross_ had at length finally disappeared beyond the
harbour's mouth Ralli turned for the first time and caught sight of
Lance. Stalking up to him he said scoffingly--

"So, Mister Soldier, you have lost your friend at last."

"Yes," said Lance very quietly, "if, as I imagine, you refer to your
captain. But I must protest against your styling him my friend; he is
nothing of the kind."

"Ah, yes," sneered Ralli. "Now that he is gone, and can no longer
protect you, you disown him. But that will not do. You and he were
friends, whatever you may say. He is my enemy, and his friends are
therefore my enemies also; _and they will be treated as such_; do you
understand me?"

"Not in the least," said Lance, "I have not the faintest notion of your
meaning."

"Then listen to me and I will explain," said Ralli, his eyes gleaming
vindictively. "Do you know that your friend yonder is fated never to
return?"

"What is the meaning of this?" thought Lance. "Some treachery or other
on the part of this rascally Greek, I'll wager. But it will never do to
allow him to suppose that he is master of the situation so--"

"I believe," he said carelessly, "there _is_ some sort of arrangement to
that effect, is there not?"

The Greek gazed at him in unaffected alarm.

"Aha!" he ejaculated, "how came you to know that?"

Lance smiled at him compassionately