wn to be as sacred as his name is
feared in the Aegean Sea."

"By Jingo!" exclaimed the captain, looking from Tom to Charley, and back
again to the pirate chief. "Demetri, the corsair! Why, that's the very
man that Mohammed told you about at Beyrout, and whom I would not
believe in."

And the honest old fellow seemed to reproach himself for not paying more
heed to the boys' story.

"The same, at your service," said the corsair, as he had better be
called now. "Now lay down your arms, and I shall treat you as prisoners
on parole."

"And you promise that we shall go free?" said Captain Harding, pleading
for terms, although he felt that they were vanquished.

"Yes, when I've done with you. Look sharp! Time is pressing, and I
cannot answer for my men much longer," said Demetri.

So Captain Harding, Tom, and Charley, and the steward, laid on the deck
the weapons with which they had hastily armed themselves when below as
soon as the noise of the outbreak reached them, when they were instantly
picked up by one of the Greeks, who stepped forward for the purpose by
his leader's orders.

"We are now at your mercy," said the captain. "I don't mind about
myself, but, Corsair, or whatever you are, spare the poor boys and my
remaining men."

"Their lives are safe, I tell you," said the other impatiently. "Have I
not given my word? But call your other men down," he added, pointing to
Jack Bower, who was still half-way up the rigging, and Tompkins in the
mizzen-top.

Captain Harding summoned them, and Jack Bower at once obeyed his orders;
but the first mate refused to budge, saying, that as he was no longer
master of the ship, he was not compelled to carry out his directions,
especially if doing so jeopardised his life.

"The cowardly rascal!" exclaimed the captain, hardly knowing whether to
laugh or to be angry; but Mr Tompkins was really so paralysed with
terror that he had not the faintest idea of what he was saying, "I'll
soon make him obey me," said the corsair, cocking the captain's
revolver, which he had taken from him, and pointing it at the frightened
occupant of the top above his head. "If you are not on deck by the time
I count five, you, first officer, or whatever you call yourself, I'll
fire, and you'll descend to Davy Jones's locker quicker than it will
take you to come down the rigging! One--two--three--"

"Stop, sir, good gentleman, stop, and I'll come down," faltered out Mr
Tompkins, roused fro