slipped ashore without leave
and had not returned.

"There let him bide," said Menas, with an oath. "Doubtless the hog lies
drunk in some den. When he awakes he may tell what tale he pleases and
find his own way back to Lesbos. Cast off, cast off! I say."

At this moment that same Cosmas appeared. I could not see him, but I
could hear him plainly enough. Evidently he had become involved in some
brawl, for an angry woman and others were demanding money of him and he
was shouting back drunken threats. A man struck him and the woman got
him by the beard. Then his reason left him altogether.

"Am I, a Christian, to be treated thus by you heathen dogs?" he
screamed. "Oh, you think I am dirt beneath your feet. I have friends,
I tell you I have friends. You know not whom I serve. I say that I am
a soldier of Olaf the Northman, Olaf the Blind, Olaf Red-Sword, he who
made you prophet-worshippers sing so small at Mitylene, as he will do
again ere long."

"Indeed, friend," said a quiet voice. It was that of the Moslem captain,
Yusuf, he who befriended us when we arrived at Alexandria, who had been
watching all this scene. "Then you serve a great general, as some of
us have cause to know. Tell me, where is he now, for I hear that he has
left Lesbos?"

"Where is he? Why, aboard yonder ship, of course. Oh! he has fooled you
finely. Another time you'll search beggar's rags more closely."

"Cast off! Cast off!" roared Menas.

"Nay," said the officer, "cast not off. Soldiers, drive away those
men. I must have words with the captain of this ship. Come, bring that
drunken fellow with you."

"Now all is finished," I said.

"Yes," answered Heliodore, "all is finished. After we have endured so
much it is hard. Well, at least death remains to us."

"Hold your hand," exclaimed Martina. "God still lives and can save us
yet."

Black bitterness took hold of me. In some few days I had hoped to reach
Lesbos, and there be wed to Heliodore. And now! And now!

"Cut the ropes, Menas," I cried, "and out with the oars. We'll risk the
galley. You, Martina, set me at the mouth of the gangway and tell me
when to strike. Though I be blind I may yet hold them back till we clear
the quay."

She obeyed, and I drew the red sword from beneath my rags. Then, amidst
the confusion which followed, I heard the grave voice of Yusuf speaking
to me.

"Sir," he said, "for your own sake I pray you put up that sword, which
we think is one whereof tales ha