f an hour must elapse ere we can venture forth with safety," said
Bacri. "'Tis well that you have brought the knotted rope with you.
Mariano knows how to use it. He will explain the mode of escape which
you must follow, while I hold private converse with my brother."

So saying the kindly Jew bowed his tall form to his friends with the air
of a king, and accompanied Jacob Mordecai into an inner room.

At the end of the time specified--which had appeared an age to the
impatient trio--Bacri returned to the skiffa with two coarse burnouses
similar to the one worn by Mariano. He directed Francisco and Lucien to
put these on, after exchanging their varied habiliments for the jacket,
short drawers, and red fez or cap, worn by Moors of the middle class.
He then produced some brown ochre, with which he stained their hands and
their legs below the knee--these latter parts being usually uncovered in
Moors who did not belong to the wealthy classes.

"Why not paint our faces too?" asked Mariano, amused at the figure they
cut, despite the dangers which rendered the disguise necessary.

"Because neither the painting of your faces," replied Bacri, "nor the
shaving of your heads--which latter would be essential to the converting
of you into genuine Moors--would constitute any disguise were your
voices to be heard or your features to be scrutinised. You must be
careful to pull the hoods of your burnouses well forward on your faces.
All that you can hope to gain by your costume is to avoid attracting the
attention of any whom you should chance to meet, or whom you may have to
pass at a distance. If any one speaks to you after you reach the open
country, refuse to answer. If he should insist on it, you must either
run or fight, for which latter purpose I provide you with these short
swords, which you will find better suited to your hands than the curved
weapons of the Turks."

"Signor Bacri," said Francisco, examining the straight short weapon
handed to him, "I thank thee for all thy kindness to me and my boys--
especially for these swords, for assuredly unless thou canst also
furnish me with a pair of young and active legs, I am like to have more
of fighting than running hereafter. However, let us not waste more time
in speech, for, as I have said, my neck already itches most
uncomfortably."

In deference to Francisco's anxiety to be out of the city, which he was
wont to style with great emphasis the Pirates' Nest, Bacri hast