tring of the map, and pulling Algiers down on
his head, "the Riminis have it in the blood and bone.--Get up and don't
whimper, there's a brave fellow," added the burly merchant as the
astonished youth arose; "I only wish that one of the great Powers would
pull down the real city of pirates as effectually as you have settled
the map. Lord Exmouth no doubt gave it a magnificent pounding, but
utter obliteration is the only thing that will do."

"That's true, father," cried Lucien; "it must be conquered by a
civilised nation, and the Turks be driven out, or held in subjection, if
Europe is to have peace. Depend on't they will be at their old tricks
ere long."

"I should like to be commander-in-chief when the war of conquest
begins," said Mariano.

"A poor job you'd make of it, my son," said Francisco.

"Why so, father?"

"Why? because hot blood and a giddy head with a revengeful spirit are
not the best elements wherewith to construct a commander-in-chief."

"Ah! father, with every wish to be respectful I cannot refrain from
reminding you of a certain pot which was reported once to have called a
kettle black. Ha!" continued Mariano, turning towards the little old
lady, "you should have seen him, granny, in the Bagnio of Algiers, when
the guards were inclined to be rather hard on some of the sick--"

"No, no!" interrupted the old lady, shaking her head; "don't talk of
that."

"Well, I won't, except to say that I'm thankful we are well out of it."

"It seems all like a strange dream," returned the old lady thoughtfully.

"So it does, mother," murmured Francisco, "so it does,--an almost
incredible dream."

And so it seems to us, reader, now that we have closed the record of it;
nevertheless it was no dream, but a sad and stern reality to those who
played their part in it--to those who sorrowed and suffered, sixty years
ago, in the Pirate City.

THE END.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Pirate City, by R.M. Ballantyne

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