“Be silent and obey! That, I think, is my personal affair, and Pog-Reis shall not force me to abduct a woman, if I do not wish to do it.” “That abduction is a personal affair to Pog-Reis also, Lord Erebus. I cannot order the long-boat to be manned.” “What do you mean?” cried the young man, almost in fright. “Pog-Reis is an old stager, Lord Erebus. He knows that, in spite of his strength and courage, the tiger can fall, as well as the stupid buffalo, in the snare that the artful trapper has set for his steps. Eblis has shaken his wings over La Ciotat; the flames crackle, the cannon thunder, the musketry flashes; our people are glutting themselves with pillage and putting the Christians in chains,--that is well. But suppose Pog-Reis, suppose Trimalcyon-Reis should be surprised and taken prisoners by these dogs of Christians! Suppose our people should be obliged to fly back to their galleys and abandon the prisoners, Pog and Trimalcyon, to be quartered and burned as renegades--” “Will you finish, say, will you finish?” “By keeping the pearl of La Ciotat, Reine des Anbiez, as hostage, until the end of the enterprise, she can be of great help to us, and be worth to us, by her exchange, the liberty of Pog-Reis, or of Trimalcyon-Reis. So, then, this young girl and her companion must remain here until Pog-Reis has decided their fate.” Erebus was overwhelmed. Neither threats nor entreaties could shake the determination of Hadji, or of the crew. For a moment, in his despair, he was on the point of throwing himself into the sea and swimming to the coast, that he might be killed by the pirates; then he remembered that such a course would leave Reine without a defender. He descended to the cabin in the gloom of despair. “There is our generous saviour,” cried Reine, rising and walking up to him. Erebus shook his head sadly, and said: “I am now a prisoner like you.” And he related to the two young girls what had just transpired on the bridge. One moment calmed by a deceitful assurance, the distress of Reine now burst forth with renewed violence, and notwithstanding the repentance of Erebus, she accused him, with reason, of being the author of the misery which oppressed her. Such was the state of affairs on board the chebec, when, now commanded by Hadji, since Erebus had joined Reine and Stephanette, it approached the galleys of Pog and Trimalcyon, which, by dint of oars, were leaving La Ciotat after their fatal expedition. The Bohemian stood at the stem of the chebec, when Pog-Reis, hailing it from his galley, said to him: “Ah, well! is that girl on board?” “Yes, Captain Pog, and more, there is a linnet with the dove.” “And Erebus?” “Captain Erebus wanted to do what Captain Pog foresaw,” said the Bohemian, making an intelligent sign. “I expected it Watch him. Keep the command of the chebec, sail in my waters, and follow my manoeuvres.”