from the first; but, seeing he was an Englishman, I would not
believe him capable of playing into the Turks' hands for our undoing,
and so I told him our business was for midnight on the feast of Ramadah.

"Sure, nought but Providence could have ordered matters so well," says
he, doubling himself up, as if unable to control his joy. "We shall be
there, we nine sturdy men. Some shall hide in the canes, and others
behind the rock; and when Haroun rows to shore, four of us will get into
his boat (muffled up as you would be to escape detection), and as soon
as they lay themselves to their oars, their business shall be settled."

"As how?" asks I, shrinking (as ever) from deeds of violence.

"Leave that to us; but be assured they shall not raise a cry that shall
fright your lady. Oh, we know the use of a bow-string as well as any
Turk amongst them. We have that to thank 'em for. Well, these two being
despatched, we return to shore, and two more of our men will get in;
then we four to the felucca, and there boarding, we serve the others as
we served the first two; so back comes one of us to fetch off our other
comrades and you four. Then, all being aboard, we cut our cable, up with
our sail, and by the time Mohand comes, in the morning, to seek his game
on the sand-bank, we shall be half way to Elche, and farther, if
Providence do keep pace with this happy beginning. What say you,
friend?" adds he, noting my reflective mood.

Then I frankly confessed that I would have some assurance of his
honesty.

"I can give you none, Master," says he, "but the word of a good
Yorkshireman. Surely, you may trust me as I trust you; for 'tis in your
power to reveal all to Haroun, and so bring us all to the galleys. Have
you no faith in a poor broken Englishman?"

"Yes," says I; "I'll trust you."

Then we rose, clapping hands, and he left me, with tears of gratitude
and joy in his eyes. Telling my friends I had something of a secret
nature to impart, we went out to the end of the mole, where we were
secure from eavesdroppers, and there I laid the whole story before them,
whereupon we fell debating what we should do, looking at this matter
from every side, with a view to our security; but, slavery lying before
us, and no better means of escaping it coming to our minds, we did at
last unanimously agree to trust Joe Groves rather than Haroun.

The next day there fell a great deluge of rain, and the morrow being the
feast of Ramadah, we r