The Pirate City | Page 5

captain came forward. It was obvious that mercy
or forbearance had been driven from their breasts, and that a few
seconds more would put a bloody end to the unequal contest.
"Spare them, Sidi Hassan," said the Jew in a deeply earnest tone.
"Why should I spare them?" returned the captain quietly; "they deserve
to die, and such men would prove to be but troublesome slaves."
The Jew bent towards Hassan's ear and whispered.
"Ha! sayest thou so?" exclaimed the pirate, with a piercing glance at his
companion. "May I trust thee, Jew?"
"You may trust me," replied the Jew, apparently quite unmoved by the
insolent tones of the other.
"Stand back, men!" cried Hassan, springing between the combatants;
"death by sword or pistol is too good for these Christian dogs; we shall
reserve them for something better." Then, turning to Francisco, "Lay
down your arms."
"We will lay down our arms," answered the bluff merchant, who was
not at all sorry to obtain this brief period of breathing-time, "when we
have laid you and a few more of your ruffians on the deck."
Hassan turned to his men and gave them an order in the Turkish
language.
Several of them hurried aft, and immediately returned, dragging along
with them poor Mariano, who was just recovering from the blow given
to him by Bacri. On seeing the plight of his father and brother he made
a desperate effort to free himself, but quickly found that he was as

helpless as a child in the grasp of the three powerful men who held
him.
Hassan drew a pistol and put its muzzle to the youth's temple, then,
turning to Francisco, said:--
"Lay down your arms, else I scatter his brains on the deck. Take your
choice, but see that you be quick about it."
There was that in the pirate captain's tone and look which induced
instant compliance. Francisco and his companions, at once laying down
their weapons, were seized and had their arms pinioned. Mariano was
also bound, and then their conquerors proceeded to clear the decks of
the dead and wounded. This was soon accomplished; a prize crew was
placed in the schooner; the captives, still pinioned, were transferred to
the deck of the pirate-vessel, and there left to do as they pleased, while
the captain and Bacri descended to the cabin.
Night soon after descended on the sea, the wind fell almost to a calm,
the moon shone round and full in a cloudless sky, and the vessel glided
quietly along, while the rascally crew lay conversing and smoking on
her deck, many of them bearing marks of the recent conflict, and some
sleeping as peacefully as though their hands were guiltless of shedding
human blood, and legitimate trade their occupation.
CHAPTER THREE.
REVEALS SOMETHING SURPRISING IN REGARD TO
EUROPEAN FORBEARANCE AND PIRATIC IMPUDENCE.
Seated on a gun-carriage, apart from his comrades in sorrow, Francisco
Rimini gazed in stern silence upon the moonlit sea, and thought,
perchance, of the little old lady with the rippling mouth, and the
dark-eyed daughter of his adoption.
"Your fate is a sad one," said a deep voice close to his side.
Francisco started, and looked round with indignant surprise at Bacri.

"None the less sad that a friend has proved false, Jew," he said sternly.
"It has never been my custom to call any of your race `dog,' as too
many of my creed have done in time past, but I am tempted to change
my custom this night."
"To misname me would do you no good and me no harm," replied the
Jew gravely. "My race is an accursed one as far as man is concerned,
but man's curse is of no more value than his blessing."
"If these arms were free, Bacri," retorted Francisco hotly, "I would
teach thee that which would prove anything but a blessing to thy
carcase, thou huge caitiff! I had thought better of thee than thou didst
deserve.--Go, thy bulky presence is distasteful."
"Wherein have I wronged you?" asked the Jew.
"Wronged me!" exclaimed Francisco, with rising wrath, "art thou not
hand and glove with the chief pirate? Thinkest thou that my eyes have
lost their power of vision?"
"Truly I am acquainted with the corsair, though the acquaintance was
none of my seeking," returned the Jew, "for, as I said before, traders
have dealings with many sorts of men; but I did not advise him to
attack you, and I could not hinder him."
"Scoundrel!" exclaimed the padrone, "couldst thou not restrain thine
hand when it knocked the senses out of my boy Mariano? Wouldst
have me believe that thy huge fists are not subject to thy villainous will,
or that they acted as they did by mere accident, instead of aiding to
repel the pirates?"