friends, and bribed the Austrian Ambassador in Berlin to
open negotiations on his behalf, and while these were impending he
rested from his labours for three whole months. Suddenly he was
possessed by an idea which was little less than madness. He bribed a
major to ask for a visit from Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick, again
governor of Magdeburg, offering to disclose his passage, and to reveal
all his plans of escape, on condition that the Duke would promise to
plead for him with the King. This message never reached the Duke
himself, but some officers arrived ostensibly sent by him, but in
reality tools of the major's. They listened to all he had to say, and
saw all he had to show, then broke their word, filled up the passage,
and redoubled the chains and the watch.

Notwithstanding this terrible blow, Trenck's trials were drawing to an
end. Whether Frederic's heart was softened by his brilliant victories,
or whether Trenck's influential friends succeeded in making themselves
heard, we do not know, but six months later he was set free, on
condition that he never tried to revenge himself on any one, and that he
never again should cross the frontiers of Saxony or Prussia.

_THE ADVENTURE OF JOHN RAWLINS_

IN the year 1621, one John Rawlins, native of Rochester, sailed from
Plymouth in a ship called the 'Nicholas,' which had in its company
another ship of Plymouth, and had a fair voyage till they came within
sight of Gibraltar. Then the watch saw five sails that seemed to do all
in their power to come up with the 'Nicholas,' which, on its part,
suspecting them to be pirates, hoisted all the sail it could; but to no
avail, for before the day was over, the Turkish ships of war--for so
they proved to be--not only overtook the Plymouth ships, but made them
both prisoners.

Then they sailed for Argier, which, when they reached, the English
prisoners were sold as slaves, being hurried like dogs into the market,
as men sell horses in England, and marched up and down to see who would
give most for them. And though they had heavy hearts and sad
countenances, yet many came to behold them, sometimes taking them by the
hand, sometimes turning them round about, sometimes feeling their arms
and muscles, and bargaining for them accordingly, till at last they were
sold.

John Rawlins was the last who was sold, because his hand was lame, and
he was bought by the very captain who took him, named Villa Rise, who,
knowing Rawlins' s