last were so inexpert that they pricked the skin
slightly, and blood began to trickle down, but these clumsy warriors
were instantly kicked from the circle of dancers, and compelled to take
their place among the women and children.

When they had exhausted themselves with the dance, the warriors sat down
to feast upon viands, which had, in the meanwhile, been preparing for
them, and while they feasted they taunted their prisoner with cowardice,
and told him in graphic language of the horrors that yet awaited him.

Fortunately for the miserable man--who was left bound to the stake
during the feast--he did not understand a word of what was said. He had
been stripped of all clothing save a pair of short breeches, reaching a
little below the knee, and his naked feet rested on a curious piece of
basketwork. This last would have been too slight to bear his weight if
he had not been almost suspended by the cords that bound him to the
stake.

Rosco was very pale. He felt that his doom was fixed; but his native
courage did not forsake him. He braced himself to meet his fate like a
man, and resolved to shut his eyes, when next they began to dance round
him, so that he should not shrink from the blow or thrust which, he felt
sure, would ere long end his ill-spent life. But the time seemed to him
terribly long, and while he hung there his mind began to recall the
gloomy past. Perhaps it was a refinement of cruelty on the part of the
savages that they gave him time to think, so that his courage might be
reduced or overcome.

If so, they were mistaken in their plan. The pirate showed no unusual
sign of fear. Once he attempted to pray, but he found that almost
impossible.

Wearied at length with waiting, the savages arose, and began to put
fagots and other combustibles under the wicker-basket on which the
pirate stood. Then, indeed, was Rosco's courage tried nearly to the
uttermost and when he saw the fire actually applied, he uttered a cry of
"Help! help!" so loud and terrible that his enemies fell back for a
moment as if appalled.

And help came from a quarter that Rosco little expected.

But to explain this we must return to Zeppa. We have said that he gave
up the chase of the pirate under the impression that the whole affair
was a dream; but, on returning to his cave, he found that he could not
rest. Old associations and memories had been too violently aroused,
and, after spending a sleepless night he rose up,