Isaac Stephen, captain, ransom demanded 2,000 Alexander Forsyth, mate 1,500 George Smith, seaman 900 John Gregory 725 James Hermet 725" "How much is 1,500 Algerine sequins?" I asked Murad. "A sequin," he explained, "amounts to eight shillings sterling, so that 12,000 shillings will be required for Alexander, and 126,000 shillings for the entire lot. There must be added to this sum 10 or 20 per cent of the total as bribes to the Dey's officers, and as commission to brokers. There are Jewish merchants over there whose chief business it is to procure the release of captives--for a consideration! "I know such a merchant in Algiers," Murad went on, "I shall write to him to interest himself in the captives and to use his influence to see that they are kindly treated. Perhaps he will be able to reduce the amount of the ransom. When the money is raised, I shall be at your service for negotiations." He bowed himself out. The rector went to the window and stood staring out after him. "It can't be," I heard him say, "and yet, if the commodore heard what he said to me, he'd swear the fellow was an agent for the corsairs!" CHAPTER III BARBARY AND THE BUCCANEERS "_In lofty strains the bard shall tell_ _How Truxton fought, how Somers fell,_ _How gallant Preble's daring host_ _Triumphed along the Moorish coast,_ _Forced the proud infidel to treat,_ _And brought the Crescent to their feet!_" I was straining like a leashed hound to board a ship and fight for my brother's freedom, but no way was open to secure the release of the captives except by diplomacy. As a vent for my feelings in those first weeks of hot rage, I plunged into a study of the history of the Barbary pirates. Every outrage done by them was the occasion for an outburst of vain anger on my part. But was it, after all, vain? Later I had my wish and shared in a campaign to free three hundred American prisoners from captivity in Tripoli. Meanwhile, we lost no time in sending to Alexander as comforting an answer as we could compose. He had asked that we send his mail to the care of the English consul who, he wrote, had obtained the consent of the Dey to send and receive letters for the American captives. Dr. Eccleston assured Alexander that Mr. Samuel Smith, Maryland's representative in Congress, had taken an interest in the case and would urge Congress to procure his speedy release. It was easy to predict a swift release--but hard, we soon found, to obtain one. I have heard men joke about the law's delays, but the delays of diplomats are longer yet. _Alexander's captivity was to endure for years!_