Part 36 (1/2)

”Good,” says he, ”and ere you decide, you may cast an eye at my s.h.i.+p, which you shall know by a white moon painted on her beam; 'tis as fast a s.h.i.+p as any that sails from Alger, though she carry but one mast, and so be we agree to this venture, you shall find the cabin fitted for your lady and everything for your comfort.”

On this we separated presently, and I, joining my friends at our inn, laid the matter before them. There being still some light, we then went forth on the mole, and there we quickly spied the White Moon, which, though a small craft, looked very clean, and with a fair cabin house, built up in the Moorish fas.h.i.+on upon the stern. And here, sitting down, we all agreed to accept this offer, Mr. G.o.dwin being not less eager for the venture than we, who had so much more to dread by letting it slip, though his pa.s.s had yet a fortnight to run.

So the next day I repaired to the rock, and meeting Haroun (as he was called), I closed with him, and put a couple of ducats in his hand for earnest money.

”'Tis well,” says he, pocketing the money, after kissing it and looking up to heaven with a ”Dill an,” which means ”It is from G.o.d.” ”We will not meet again till the day of Ramadah at midnight, lest we fall under suspicion. Farewell.”

We parted as we did before, he going his way, and I mine; but, looking back by accident before I had gone a couple of hundred yards, I perceived a fellow stealing forth from a thicket of canes that stood in the marshy ground near the spot where I had lately stood with Haroun, and turning again presently, I perceived this man following in my steps.

Then, fairly alarmed, I gradually hastened my pace (but not so quick neither as to seem to fly), making for the town, where I hoped to escape pursuit in the labyrinth of little, crooked, winding alleys. As I rounded a corner, I perceived him out of the tail of my eye, still following, but now within fifty yards of me, he having run to thus overreach me; and ere I had turned up a couple of alleys he was on my heels and twitching me by the sleeve.

”Lord love you, Master,” says he, in very good English, but gasping for breath. ”Hold hard a moment, for I've a thing or two to say to you as is worth your hearing.”

So I, mightily surprised by these words, stop; and he seeing the alley quite empty and deserted, sits down on a doorstep, and I do likewise, both of us being spent with our exertions.

”Was that man you were talking with a little while back named Haroun?”

asks he, when he could fetch his breath. I nodded.

”Did he offer to take you and three others to Elche, aboard a craft called the White Moon?”

I nodded again, astonished at his information, for we had not discussed our design to-day, Haroun and I.

”Did he offer to carry you off in a boat to his craft from the rock on the mouth?”

Once more I nodded.

”Can you guess what will happen if you agree to this?”

Now I shook my head.

”The villain,” says he, ”will run you on a shoal, and there will he be overhauled by the janizaries, and you be carried prisoners back to Alger. Your freedom will be forfeited, and you will be sold for slaves.

And that's not all,” adds he; ”the la.s.s 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 l.u.s.t.”

I fell a-shaking only to think of this crowning calamity, and could only utter broken, unintelligible sounds to express my grat.i.tude 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 G.o.d 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 circ.u.mstances._

So Groves, as my man was named, told me how he and eight other poor Englishmen, sharing the same bagnio, had endured the hards.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+p 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?”