The vessel was long and sharp.  Two tall masts supported the broad triangular sails, and a red flag without device floated from the summit of the main; men appeared dressed in the Grecian costume lolling about the deck, some smoking, others talking, and others sleeping.  At the stern the leader paced up and down.  He was young, and had in his face all the high spirit and impetuous daring of youth.  His features were perfectly Grecian, all as finely formed as those of some antique statue of his native land.  A small fur cap was placed upon his head, from beneath which rich clusters of raven hair flowed down.  His eyes were large and dark, and a jetty moustache and beard completed the manly expression of his countenance.  He wore a rich crimson jacket, embroidered with gold, loose trousers with boots which reached to his knees, and a red silk scarf wound around his waist afforded a place where to put two pistols and a Turkish dagger.  A larger sword dangled at his side, and in his hand he held a long light gun which, like his pistols, was richly ornamented after the oriental fashion.

“Maffeo,” said he to his lieutenant, “how goes the wind now!”

“There is not any wind to go,” said Maffeo, a strong and hardy man who was leaning over the side.

“Well, I think we will have a wind very soon.”

“A wind?  Do you?  Why?”

“I feel it.”

“You can always tell, I know not how, when there will be a wind.  We are ready for it, however.”

“Maffeo, what was that you heard about these cursed Turks, when you were ashore?”

“Didn’t I tell you?  Well, I heard that they had landed upon Komao, a little island near—­”

“I know it well.”

“Where there were only a hundred inhabitants.  Monilon, the principal man there, was seized, beaten, robbed, and the worst of it was, his daughter Iona was carried away.”

“What! carried away?  Iona!  I have heard of her as the most beautiful of all Grecian girls.”

“She is gone like many others to the slave market at Constantinople.”

“Ah, the accursed hounds! the dogs of unbelievers!  Thus they tyrannize over us, and rob our men, and carry off our virgins.  But great Heaven, shall this be done longer?  Ah, the wretches!  Maffeo, this will make us whet our swords more readily upon the next Turks with whom we fight.”

“Whew!, there comes the wind! see how it blows around yon rock.”

“And by all the holy saints and angels, Maffeo, there is a Turkish vessel.  Ha! two vessels.  By heaven, there are three!” he cried, as one after another three vessels came borne by the wind around the point where it blew.

“How can we get off?  We have no wind.  They will be upon us.-See, each vessel is larger than ours, and the decks are crowded with armed men:  See that long gun.  It can shatter us to pieces!”

“Peace, Maffeo.  Be not so fearful.  The wind will come to us before they can get near enough to use that long piece.  Halloa there! up my men!  There are three Turkish ships behind us!”