568 THE RED TARTANE. 



behave as a brave man; God and your chief have their eyes upon 

 you !" and taking the same road as the others he was moving off, 

 when Jago, retaining him by the arm, exclaimed " No, captain ! no ! 

 I would sooner remain covered in church not kneel to my patron 

 saint deny the holy sacrament itself, than go on board this accursed 

 Tartane, where Satan holds his court in person. I I " 



" Jago, my friend, I have the right of life and death over every 

 man here who refuses to execute my orders," replied Massareo, 

 taking up his pistols significantly from off the capstan. Having no 

 other alternative Jago descended into the launch with the air of a 

 man being conducted to execution. 



The wind by this time had lulled considerably, allowing the fog 

 to become extremely dense ; the boat having received the lieutenant 

 pushed off and was soon lost to the view of the lugger ; nevertheless 

 the position of the Tartane could be distinctly discerned from the 

 light which was still visible through the mist, occasionally as before 

 obscured by a passing form, but otherwise dim, motionless, and silent. 



Anxiously did Massareo and the rest of the crew listen to learn if 

 possible the reception their boat would meet with ; twice the time 

 necessary for it to reach the vessel elapsed without the slightest 

 sound meeting their ears; already were they congratulating them- 

 selves on the peaceful issue of the affair, when a loud crashing noise, 

 followed by a sharp rattling discharge of fire-arms, broke upon the 

 still night air, and all was silent as before. 



BOARDING AN ENEMY. 

 (FROM MISS SHERIDAN'S COMIC OFFERING.) 



