282 NIGHTS IN THE XiALLEY. 



have not got either,' I answered, ' I had much rather he were an 

 Englishman ;' he smiled, and said ' that could not be.' I told him it 

 was quite as impossible that I could be a Greek. ' No, no/ said he, 

 4 it is not ; though it's true you can't really be a Greek, you can be 

 one of us.' I shook my head, and said I loved my country too 

 much. ' Well/ he said, ' I won't say any more about it now but 

 look, the dance is done, you shall dance with my sister, unless you 

 like any of the others better.' { Oh ! no/ said I, ' if your sister will 

 dance with me, I shall be truly happy.' ' Come then/ said he, and 

 after speaking a few words to Zuthea, she held out her hand, and I 

 led her out : the dance was very easy, very much like our hops, and 

 though I could not speak to my partner, I kept looking at her, and 

 she answered me in that way. Well we went on dancing, singing, 

 and talking till about nine, when we got ready to start home again, 

 and having bid all our friends good-bye, we lifted Zuthea on her 

 mule, and I led it, her brother walking by my side, with two guards 

 before and two behind, as we came. As we went along Zuthea began 

 to ask me a number of questions through her brother. ' How long 

 have you been from England?' ' Eight months.' ' Couldn't you 

 make up your mind to stay with us, if we make you our friend in- 

 stead of our slave?' This was a difficult question to answer, for her 

 bright eyes had made me doubt whether I couldn't manage to re- 

 nounce my country and live always near them ; but, however, I had 

 a father and mother, and I had only been in one little skirmish, and 

 that had made me wish to be in a good action ; so I answered that I 

 couldn't make up my mind to leave my country, that I was sure I 

 should die if I had no chance of seeing it again. When I said this I 

 looked at her, and I saw her bright eyes looking more bright by 

 being filled with tears ; she immediately began to talk very earnestly 

 with her brother, and he appeared to be remonstrating with her; but 

 I could not understand a word of what they said, arid we soon ar- 

 rived at home, when I went to bed and saw 110 more of her that 

 night " 



" Strike the bell eight !" cried the sentry. 



<f Stand by hammocks," piped the boatswain. 



*' Hurrah ! away I go," said Jack; " no more to-night, I'll finish 

 it to-morrow. 



f< But I say, Jack," said Bob Short, " tell me one thing, did you 

 marry that 'ere girl ?" 



" Ah ! ah ! I dare say, tell you the end of my story first, no, that 

 wont't do you shall hear it all to-morrow night;" and away he flew 

 to get his hammock down, but did not forget his promise, for the 

 next night I heard him finish it. 



