Part 54 (1/2)
A faint rustle in the impenetrable blackness of his prison turned the current of his thoughts A rat, he thought, and drew hi attitude, and beat his slippered heels upon the ground to drive away the loathly creature Instead, a voice challenged hiloom
”Who's there?”
It startled him for a moment, in his complete assurance that he had been alone
”Who's there?” the voice repeated, querulously to add: ”What black hell be this? Where ah's, and marvelled how that latest of his recruits to the ranks of Moha this prison with him
”Faith,” said he, ”you're in the forecastle of the Silver Heron; though how you come here is more than I can answer”
”Who are ye?” the voice asked
”I have been known in Barbary as Sakr-el-Bahr”
”Sir Oliver!”
”I suppose that is what they will call me now It is as well perhaps that I aentleend to inscribe upon ain with Sir John was that none should be molested, and I cannot think Sir John would be forsworn”
”As to that I know nothing, since I did not even knohere I was bestowed until ye inforht, after I had put h your coe”
Sir Oliver caught his breath ”What do you say? You killed Lionel?”
”I believe so,” was the cool answer ”At least I sent a couple of feet of steel through hilish dropped aboard the galley; Master Lionel was in the van--the last place in which I should have looked to see hith Sir Oliver spoke in a save hih; the van was the last place in which to look for hiht escape a rope Best so, no doubt Best so! God rest him!”
”Do you believe in God?” asked the sinful skipper on an anxious note
”No doubt they took you because of that,” Sir Oliver pursued, as if conorance perhaps of his deserts, deee hihed ”Well, well, Master Leigh, Iyourself for a rascal you have all your life been preparing your neck for a noose; so this will come as no surprise to you”
The skipper stirred uneasily, and groaned ”Lord, how my head aches!” he complained
”They've a sure re in better co too You've earned it as fully as have I, Master Leigh Yet I am sorry for you--sorry you should suffer where I had not so intended”
Master Leigh sucked in a shuddering breath, and was silent for a while
Then he repeated an earlier question
”Do you believe in God, Sir Oliver?”
”There is no God but God, and Mohammed is his Prophet,” was the answer, and froh could not be sure that he did not mock
”That's a heathen creed,” said he in fear and loathing
”Nay, now; it's a creed by which men live They perform as they preach, which is more than can be said of any Christians I have ever met”