Pierre Leronge was standing in front of the Arabs, who were drawn up in two rows.
They had carved swords like scimetars and seven chambered revolvers.
“Salute!” cried Leronge.
The men did so.
“Do they know their drill?” asked Jack.
“Oui, Monsieur. They went to Suakim to fight for the English against the Mahdi and the Hadendowahs.”
Jack’s knowledge of Arabic was pretty good.
There was scarcely any language of which he did not have a smattering.
He took a bag of gold from his knapsack and gave each man three pieces.
“You shall have more, my men,” he said, “every day, if you fight well against the pirates. In one encounter you may defeat them. If so, you shall have, each of you, a hat full of tomauns.”