With many an oath and imprecation, the sailors rose and hastily gathered their arms.  One of them strung up at the foremast another flag, on which appeared a crescent beneath a cross.

“Now my brave men, we will have to run.  But we do not always do so.  Perhaps the time will come when we may have our turn at chasing.  If they come up, fight, fight like fiends, and die like Christians!”

Loud cheers arose and shouts of “Long live Ranadar!  Long live our noble captain, the brave Ranadar!”

And now the wind which Ranadar had prophesied, came down to them.  It blew steadily and strongly, so that in a short time her sharp prow dashed the bright waves foamingly on either side.  The Turkish vessels who had borne down toward the corsair, as soon as they saw him, and had felt certain of seizing him, now uttered cries of disappointment, as they saw him move away.  Loud cries were sent across the water, shouts of ridicule and opprobrious names which the wind bore along to their ears.

Ranadar looked back and shook his scimetar at the Turkish vessels.

“Howl on!  The time will come when you will tremble before me-Ranadar, the corsair!”

He cried so loudly, that they seemed to have heard him, for suddenly a shot came from the long gun, but it fell short, far short of the mark.  The men of Ranadar shouted in derision, and jerked the flag whenever appeared the humiliated crescent, so as to attract the notice of the Turks.

Ranadar gazed anxiously upon his pursuers.  Still they came bounding over the waves behind him, and his quick eye could not but see that the distance between them was gradually lessened.

“Maffeo, they are coming up to us.”

“What, can a Turkish vessel equal our swift ship?”

“These are sharp, and see what huge sails they carry.  I fear they will come up with us.”

“Well, we will fight them-yes, all three!”

“Good, Maffeo.  You are a brave man.  Tell this not to the men for a time, yet.”

Ranadar watched more anxiously.  The hours of day passed on, and midday arrived.  Though his own bark was swift, yet these were evidently more so.  At morning, the foremost was about two miles off.  Now not more than a mile separated them.

“Before night it will all be up.  O the scoundrelly Sciotes!  Why did they not give notice of this?” and Ranadar walked anxiously about.

“Men,” he cried at last.  “Ho, there!  Listen.  We are lost.  These Turks will overtake us.  But who will think of yielding?  None?”

“No, no, none,” cried the men.

“Then let us fight.  Prepare a train, and when all is ready, when our decks are full-then fire, and blow these Infidels to perdition!  We will make the Turks remember us, and when they pursue another corsair they will tremble, for they shall think of Ranadar the corsair.”  In obedience to his orders the train was prepared, but as it would be some time before their pursuers would come up to them, they did not make any preparation for soon firing it.