702 THE RED TARTANE. 



it exhibited itself for the first time, and could by no means under- 

 stand the sudden change, till observing some stains upon his dress, 

 he exclaimed with interest, " You are wounded, Jago ; your sleeve 

 is stained with blood." 



" It is nothing, nothing at all, Captain," returned the lieutenant 

 with the utmost coolness; " but it is now of the first importance to 

 sink this accursed vessel ; the hatches are battened down a few 

 broadsides will do the business, and we shall then have finally pur- 

 ged the coast of the greatest miscreant that ever infested it." 



Massareo acquiesced in the propriety of this proceeding, and by 

 the orders of the valiant Jago, so vigorous and continued a fire was 

 poured into the unfortunate Tartane, that it was evident that a few 

 minutes would complete her destruction. The lieutenant's shrill 

 voice was heard throughout the Shrine of San Joseph, encouraging 

 the men at the guns " Courage, men ; God is just, and with his as- 

 sistance and mine we shall shortly be delivered from this infernal 

 Gitano." 



" You are then certain," demanded Massareo, ft that the accursed 

 cannot escape?" 



" Do you suppose in such weather as this a man can save himself 

 by swimming ? besides with my own hands was he not mortally 

 wounded and bound!" 



" Thy hands !" exclaimed Massareo, with an air of incredulity. 



" If you had seen him, Captain, when I lodged two balls in his side 

 his struggles were dreadful ; *by the seven pains of our Lady his 

 blood was black black as pitch, and smelt so strong of sulphur 

 that Bendito thought they were burning matches in the hold." 



" Holy Virgin protect us !" replied the worthy Massareo, extremely 

 interested; " but why did you not give us these details at first?" 



As a broadside was discharged at this moment, Jago pretended not 

 to have heard his commander's question, and continued with the most 

 imperturbable assurance, "I fancy I still see him, dressed in scar- 

 let, the wretch ! with deaths' heads embroidered in silver ; and then 

 his stature six inches higher than the tallest of men, with shoulders 

 as broad as the stem of the lugger. As to his feet, they were cloven 

 like those of my father's cow Peleika." 



Massareo crossed himself, and devoutly blessed Heaven t t had 

 been pleased to remove so vile a reprobate, 



At this moment the Tartane went down with a crackling noise, 

 amidst the joyous shouts of the whole crew of the lugger, and the 

 thick mists which, during the cannonade had been partially dis- 

 persed at intervals, now appeared denser than ever. The sea had 

 become almost calm, the feeble breeze which blew from the south 

 scarcely agitating its sullen waves. 



" At last then," cried the Captain, " we have succeeded by the 

 intercession of our Lady and the courage of Jago, which may be con- 

 sidered as a miracle ! but God's will be done in all things kneel, my 

 sons, and let us return thanks to Heaven for the favours it has shown 

 the blessed, and its anger towards the accursed. " 



f( Amen," responded the seamen, as they sunk on their knees. 

 Massareo had already begun to pray, when the words died away 



