at is to say the corsairs--knew
right well that some strong place of arms in which to shelter themselves
and their vessels was an absolute necessity for their continued existence,
as at any moment Doria or the Knights of Malta might be on their track in
superior force, and then what was their fate likely to be if they had no
harbour under their lee in which to shelter? Further it was hinted that
"Africa" would provide very nice pickings in the way of loot, and when this
came to be generally understood the promptings of the Mahommedan conscience
yielded easily to the sophistries with which it was lulled.

The council of the town of "Africa" troubled themselves but little more
concerning Dragut, his ships, and his corsairs; he had departed, and as the
days wore on and no further tidings of him came to hand, these simple folk
thanked God that they were rid of a knave and went about their usual
avocations as unconcernedly as if no sea-wolves lurked under the shadowed
headlands of that continent in which their homes were situated. They were a
people essentially of the land; although they dwelt on the confines of the
ocean the ways and habits of those who earned a precarious living on the
waters were a sealed book to them, and with the "Africans" it was a case of
"out of sight out of mind" so far as the corsairs were concerned. But that
black-hearted traitor Ibrahim Amburac and the few others who had been
gained over by the gold of Dragut watched and waited for the attack which
they knew to be impending.

The inhabitants of the doomed city never saw their assailants until they
were actually upon them, so well had the surprise attack been planned by
the leader of the corsairs. He had collected five hundred men, and this was
but a small number with which to assail so strong a place; but Dragut knew
exactly what he was doing and the effect likely to be produced by the
introduction of this number of highly trained men-at-arms among a
population which, although brave and warlike, lacked the elements of
organisation for the defence of their city.

So it was that, all preparations being completed, he stood along the coast
anchoring out of sight of his objective, but close enough to reach it by
midnight after darkness had fallen. He had every confidence in himself, an
absolute trust in the hardbitten fighters whom he was about to lead;
success or failure now rested in the hands of traitors within the city.

"Faith unfaithful kept t