to answer at first, but, on a
repetition of the question replied--

"Pasha."

"Pasha, eh? Ah, that accounts for the respect of the cap'n--rather
shorter in the legs these 'ere than I could 'ave wished; 'owever,
beggars, they say, mustn't be--well, they're wide enough anyhow.--A
Pasha, is 'e? Don't look like a sailor, though. Is 'e a sailor?"

"No," replied the interpreter sharply.

"Well, well, no offence meant," said Lancey, buttoning his shirt. "If
you don't feel commoonicative _I_ won't trouble you, no more than to
thank 'ee for the shirt an' trousers, which the latter bein' dry is a
blessin', though they air a trifle short in the legs an' wide in the
'ips."

After this Lancey was supplied with food.

While he was eating it he was startled by sudden rushing and shouting,
which was immediately followed by the discharge of musketry on deck. He
sprang up, and seeing that the Turkish sailors were grasping their arms
and swarming up the hatchways, he mingled with one of the streams. No
one paid any attention to him. At that moment he felt a shock which he
afterwards described as resembling an earthquake or the blowing up of a
powder-magazine. Part of the planking near to where he stood was
shattered. Some of the guns appeared almost to leap for an instant a
few inches into the air. Gaining the deck he ascertained that an attack
of Russian torpedo-boats was going on. It was, in fact, the attack
which I have already described, the monitor by which Lancey was rescued
being that which had been selected by the Russian commander as his
victim.

When the second torpedo exploded, as already described, Lancey was
standing near the gangway, and saw that the men were lowering the boats
in urgent haste, for the vessel was evidently sinking.

"Yoos know 'bout dat," said a stern voice near him. At the same moment
he was seized by the interpreter and another man, who made an effort to
hurl him into the sea. But Lancey was strong, and tenacious of life.
Before a third sailor, who was about to aid his comrades, could act, the
red bearded officer appeared with the captain and was about to descend
into the boat when he observed Lancey struggling in the grasp of the
sailors.

"Spy!" he exclaimed in the Turkish tongue, "you must not escape. Get
into the boat."

The sailors fell back. Lancey, not sure whether to regard this as
temporary deliverance or his death-warrant, hesitated, but at a sign
from the Pasha he w