remain with me in the cabin, which
is quite as luxurious as your own on board of your large steam-yacht,
until the money is paid, it will save all trouble and settle the matter
at once," continued the Pacha's representative with a suavity creditable
to his French education.

"If you please, Captain Mazagan, we will not settle it in just that way;
and without any disrespect to you personally, I object to taking up my
quarters in the cabin of the Fatime," replied Louis blandly.

"Then I must take you by force!" exclaimed the pirate.

He gave the order for his men to pull. Captain Scott called out his
force.

CHAPTER X

"JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE, MOTHER"

Morris Woolridge did not make use of any military forms, for he did not
claim to understand them; but he simply came on the forecastle himself,
followed by the other four of his party; for Louis had joined it when
directed to do so by his superior. Captain Scott took the rifle he had
reserved for his own use from the pilot-house. Those who had been
waiting for the order had only to move a few feet, and not a second of
delay had been made.

A boat large enough to contain six men, as did the pirate's, does not
overcome its inertia and shoot ahead forty feet without any apparent
lapse of time, like a bullet shot from a rifle. Morris and his men were
in position before the boat had made ten feet.

Morris gave no orders according to the manual of the soldier, but he
ranged his command on the forecastle, close to the starboard rail. The
guns were all loaded, and every one of the party had had some experience
in the use of the weapon, so that none of them had to be taught how to
fire it.

"Aim at the boat," said the first officer in a quiet tone; and all the
rifles were directed to the enemy.

It was a fact which came out afterwards, that every one of them aimed
at Mazagan, not only because he was the most prominent mark as he stood
in the standing-room, but he was regarded as the biggest villain of the
assailants, and they could shoot him with less compunction than the
Moors in his train. He was the representative of the villain behind the
scenes, and all the mischief seemed to come out of him.

"Stop where you are, or I shall order my men to fire!" shouted Captain
Scott, as soon as the rifles were all aimed at the boat. "Say that in
Arabic to them, Don!"

The engineer translated the warning for the benefit of those who were
back to the Maud, and perhaps d