Therefore you had best go on,
my friends, and, if Allah permits me to join you in your festivities
to-day, I will hoist a signal, and you can stop for me and take me
in again." The capitan then steps into the strange boat. The two
proud bays see him take the paper from the hands of the stranger
boulouk bashi, break the seals, and read it.
With his eagle glance, Osman Bey Bardissi observes that the capitan
pacha's countenance becomes gradually clouded as he reads.
"He will not have time to return to us," says Tamboudji Bey, who
stands at his side. "It seems that grave intelligence has reached
him. Yes, it is so," the boat being rapidly rowed toward the
admiral's ship. "But look, Osman Bey! he cries, in alarm, as he
raises his arm and points to the departing boat, "look, there are
swords in the boat!"
"Yes, I see! Swords, Turkish swords! What are they in there for?"
"That is what I should like to know," replies the other, nervously
grasping the pistol in his girdle. "See, a ship is rapidly
approaching, and the capitan is steering toward it! But that is not
his ship! Where does it come from? What is it doing here?"
The countenance of the Mameluke chieftains is now threatening. They
observe the ship, rapidly approaching, with an eagle's glance. They
see the capitan ascend its side; they see the portholes filled with
glittering muskets.
"Treachery! This is treachery!" cries Bardissi.
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