In Greek Waters

nd the semicircle, as if the defenders feared that the assailants might be trying to crawl up towards them. Martyn continued to listen

d to himself. "He is showing no lights." Another five minu

dia ahoy!"

came acros

and in a minute or two I am going to open fire heavily to cover the rattle

musketry broke out all round the screen. The Turks, surprised at the sudden din, and fearing that a sortie was going to be made, replied briskly, and for four or five minutes the fir

Twelve of the sailors came down from their posts to assist with the boats, and in three or four

" Tom Burdett aske

exception of about half a

you just at daybreak this morning, and you can't tell how glad we were when we caught sight of th

over five hundre

said, "that is some

e you four and a helmsman to each boat with wha

I might be useful if you had

ather, would you mind going off with the first lot?" he said as Mr. Beveridge came up. "Marco has come ashore to help here, and Mr. Miller does not talk their language. If you take Zaimes with you he can help settle them down as they come on board. Mind, lads, you are to make as little noise as you can. There are six hundred of th

n said. "He has got the whole lot of them down between dec

led, and they were back again just after the two larger ones started. The schooner was but a hundred yards away, and so quickly did the work go on that in little more than a quarter of an hour the last batch of women and children left the s

one on board, Captain

n hardly have heard them, and if they did would not have made them out, knowing nothing of what is going on. Now do you and Tarleton go off, one each way, and send every third man down to the boats; but if the third man is a sailor send the next Greek to him. When you get down to the shore go a

rst batch off in one trip, sir," Tarleton reported, "and they will be ba

em five minutes

th grape, and blue lights ready, so that if they should at the last moment pres

en much bloodshed. The only time we got fairly at them was when they first gathered for a charge at that olive grove, and again when they came down the path to that place where we stopped them. Of course a few fell while we were falling back, but I should say that from forty to fifty would be quite the outside; and likely enough it may not have been half that. It has been a much easier

f the defenders stepped into the

?" Miller's voice asked a

fe, Mr.

know in a few minutes that you have gone, and it

uts and yells from the Greeks clustered on deck. As they stepped on to

the loss of a single life. We have had an anxious time of it, as you may gue

ller." The boatswain's whistle rang out, the falls

said. "We want all our room on deck. What

as they came on board. We have given up the whole of the lower dec

anage, Miller; indeed I don't see a

hatchways off, so I think they will manage. It will be pretty close,

village at daybreak, and they have had the biscuits they took with them; but I expect the

ld be ready for us in five minutes. How he managed it I don't know, for he, Mr. Beveridge, and Zaimes h

et as if he was sitting here on the quarter-deck, and what was better, he always fell in with what I suggested without any talk or argument, and if I were asked I should say

complete success in every respect, and they were the more pleased that it had been accomplished without the loss of a si

o. It is excellent," Martyn said. "I don'

e with the boats and have been helping with the women until a few minutes ago, so I have not

e to ask you a single question since I came on board. We made you out from th

buoyed and the chain ready to slip. Of course we kept a sharp watch all night; I was on deck half a

ty nearly broke our necks scrambling along t

up our head sails. Fortunately there was enough breeze even in here to fill our sails. I knew they could not make us out as yet, lying in here under the shadow of the land, and, indeed, I was half inclined for a moment to lower the sails and trust to their not ma

s bow-guns, but though we were not quite out of range, the shot went altogether wide of us. I never saw such lubberly shooting. We were better than a mile ahead when we came out beyond the point and got the true wind. As soon as I felt her beginning to walk along I got a couple of sails overboard to deaden her way and stood for the north-west

put six eighteen-pounder shot in it. I kept coal heaped on, and stuck a couple of extra lengths on to the chimney to make it draw, and by this time the balls were red-hot. We did not begin with them at first, but having got the second sail out of water we luffed a little so as to get the pivot to bear, and Tom Burdett

and returned the compliment. We trained the guns high, and as good luck would have it one of the shots struck the maintop-mast and down it came bringing the fore and mizzen-topgallant masts down with it. We gave a cheer, and the Greeks yelled like fiends. I had sent the women and children

The first frigate was still in complete confusion. With my glass I could make out the men trying to cut away the wreck, but it was not long before I saw a thin wreath of smoke rising from her forward hatchway, and presently I saw her ensign half hauled down as a signal of distress to her consort, which at once gave up the chase, which she must have already seen was useless, and bore down to her. Thinking I had done eno

"Fancy a schooner with ten men on board destroying a forty-gun

elted the galley, and we shall have to get a fresh one next time we

id; "but you have quite taken down any co

g a frigate, admirable as the action was. I will tell you about our doings. I have no doubt Martyn will be too modest

ime before they crawled forward and found out that our lines were deserted. We will fire a round of grape over their heads as a hint to them that they had better clear off, and as there is no hope of either plunder or blood th

its contents rattling among the rocks. Tarleton soon rejoined the party

my feet continually slipping from under me, of grasping at the grass, of having my knees bruised against rocks, and of thinking every moment that my coat collar must give way and that I must roll to the bottom of the hill. Zaimes had hold of that, and Martyn of my arm, and I should say that my flesh will be black and blue for weeks. I mentally registered a vow that though I was ready to fight for the Greeks I was not ready, and never would again undertake to climb among mountains for them. There is a limit to the

g of landing all these

ast idea, Martyn.

gation of her from stem to stern will be advisable. I don't suppose the British authorities would be grateful to us if we were to dump them all down in Zante or Corfu, because it is certain they would have to feed the

Beveridge said seriously. "However, it is evident that n

etter laid out in feeding them than in enabling the politicians and the Klephts

uch better that they should be divided, as they would in that way be more likely to get employment than if they were all turned out at one place. Some might be

ect most of them have got a little money, and as living is very cheap, if you were to give them a couple of pounds a head it would enable them to live a long time while they are looking for work. Besides, there are committees on those islands for helping refugees; so I do think it would be better to land all those who have no friends in Greece, or any particular wi

an," Mr. Beveridge said. "When are you goi

board we will be off. There is not much breeze here after dark, but we may as well get what benefit we can from it. I have no fear of the other Turkish frigate looking in here on her way back; and if she did, now that we have got

arter of a mile astern. You know where you landed last night. You had to march

it. However, we will have a try. It is just eight bells now, and it won't be l

can take the other. We will take some blue ligh

d the long-boat shall tow the schooner up to you. Then you can pass the end of the chain on board, and we will get it round the capstan and have the anchor up in no time. Now, Mr.

hand-bell beside him. "Marco, you must help me to my cabin, for I

raised Mr. Beveridge from his chair and almost carried him

h, and in another ten minutes the schooner wa

ouple of the hands who remained with me at the wheel, and let all the rest lie do

els of their females, which, in their cases, were of considerable value. Some of the poorer ones had literally nothing beyond the clothes in which they stood and a few almost worthless trinkets. There were not half a dozen of the whole number who had friends or connections in Greece. Some thirty of the unmarried men expressed their desire to join the Greek army and fight ag

head of each family a sum amounting to two pounds for each of its members, except

island and the facilities of obtaining employment there. The gratitude of the poor people to Mr. Beveridge, and indeed to all on board the schooner, was very great, but they were all much depressed on landing. At first their delight a

o keep this always in mind, and to lay by every penny they could spare of their earnings, so that they would eventually be able to return to Cyprus and resume their former life. When the Misericordia left Cyprus there remained on board only some half a dozen families who had friends in Greece, and the young men who intended to

tyn remarked to Miller, "but cleanliness

ence a sailor could have; but I back the Greeks against them. I don't think the schooner herself liked it. She seemed to have lost all her livelin

at at the next pay he shall give three pounds a head to each man as a reward

at the recognition of it as much as with the money. Besides, the same thing may happen again, and it is a good thi

?" Martyn asked Mr. Beveridge

o get up an army at all. After the last affair every man made off with the booty he had gathered to his own village; and there, I am afraid, they are all likely to stay till a Turkish army inv

ear land, and that even those bound for Alexandria and the African ports coast round there also. Some of these no doubt carry rich cargoes, and many will be taking Greek slaves to Alexandria and Tunis; so we shall be carrying out your object by releasing them, as well as picking up some prize-money. I think the men well deserve a little indulgence in this way. Their

llent conduct of the men. They have certainly had a good deal of hardship to pu

the men round the capstan and the stir of getting up sail. Then the watch w

interference. Of the larger vessels some contained mixed cargoes. In the cases where no Greek captives were on board, the valuable portion of the cargo was transferred to the schooner, and the ship was then permitted to proceed on her voyage. Where Greek slaves were fou

ilks, tobacco, and wine. These were all bound for Alexandria and Tunis, and carried a considerable number of Greek women and children, the survivors of massacres in towns in Asia Minor. In these cases the Turks were all placed in their boats wi