d that's not all," adds he; "the lass you have with you will be taken
from you and given to Mohand ou Mohand, who has laid this trap for your
destruction and the gratification of his lust."

I fell a-shaking only to think of this crowning calamity, and could only
utter broken, unintelligible sounds to express my gratitude for this
warning.

"Listen, Master, if you cannot speak," said he; "for I must quit you in
a few minutes, or get my soles thrashed when I return home. What I have
told you is true, as there is a God in heaven; 'twas overheard by my
comrade, who is a slave in Mohand's household. If you escape this trap,
you will fall in another, for there is no bounds to Mohand's devilish
cunning. I say, if you stay here you are doomed to share our miserable
lot, by one device or another. But I will show you how you may turn the
tables on this villain, and get to a Christian country ere you are a
week older, if you have but one spark of courage amongst you."

CHAPTER XL.

_Of our escape from Barbary, of the pursuit and horrid, fearful
slaughter that followed, together with other moving circumstances._

So Groves, as my man was named, told me how he and eight other poor
Englishmen, sharing the same bagnio, had endured the hardships and
misery of slavery, some for thirteen, and none less than seven, years;
how for three years they had been working a secret tunnel by which they
could escape from their bagnio (in which they were locked up every night
at sundown) at any moment; how for six months, since the completion of
their tunnel, they had been watching a favourable opportunity to seize a
ship and make good their escape (seven of them being mariners); and how
now they were, by tedious suspense, wrought to such a pitch of
desperation that they were ripe for any means of winning their freedom.
"And here," says he, in conclusion, "hath merciful Providence given us
the power to save not only ourselves from this accursed bondage, but
you, also, if you are minded to join us."

Asking him how he proposed to accomplish this end, he replies:

"'Tis as easy as kiss your hand. First, do you accept Haroun's offer?"

"I have," says I.

"Good!" says he, rubbing his hands, and speaking thick with joy. "You
may be sure that Mohand will suffer no one to interfere with your
getting aboard, to the achievement of his design. When is it to be?"

I hesitated a moment, lest I should fall into another trap, trying to
escape