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that he seats himself in the Don's chair, pokes up the fire with his boots, and spits on the hearth. The Don graciously places a chair for Mr. Hopkins, rings the bell, and seats himself. Then after a few civilities while the bottle was being opened and our glasses filled, he says: "You have doubtless heard from Robert Evans the purpose of our coming hither, Mr. Hopkins." "Roughly," replies Mr. Hopkins, with a dry little cough. "But I should be glad to have the particulars from you, that I may judge more clearly of my responsibilities in this undertaking." "Oh, Lord!" exclaims Evans, in disgust. "Here give us a pipe of tobacco if we're to warp out half a day ere we get a capful of wind." CHAPTER V. _Don Sanchez puts us in the way of robbing with an easy conscience._ Promising to make his story as short as he possibly could, Don Sanchez began: "On the coming of our present king to his throne, Sir Richard Godwin was recalled from Italy, whither he had been sent as embassador by the Protector. He sailed from Livorno with his wife and his daughter Judith, a child of nine years old at that time, in the Seahawk." "I remember her," says Evans, "as stout a ship as ever was put to sea." "On the second night of her voyage the Seahawk became parted from her convoy, and the next day she was pursued and overtaken by a pair of Barbary pirates, to whom she gave battle." "Aye, and I'd have done the same," cries Evans, "though they had been a score." "After a long and bloody fight," continues Don Sanchez, "the corsairs succeeded in boarding the Seahawk and overcoming the remnant of her company." "Poor hearts! would I had been there to help 'em," says Evans. "Exasperated by the obstinate resistance of these English and their own losses, the pirates would grant no mercy, but tying the living to the dead they cast all overboard save Mrs. Godwin and her daughter. Her lot was even worse; for her wounded husband, Sir Richard, was snatched from her arms and flung into the sea before her eyes, and he sank crying farewell to her." "These Turks have no hearts in their bellies, you must understand," explains Evans. "And nought but venom in their veins." "The Seahawk was taken to Alger, and there Mrs. Godwin and her daughter were sold for slaves in the public market-place." "I have seen 'em sold by the score there," says Evans, "and fetch but an onion a head." "By good fortune the mother and daught
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