“Throw the girl to the sharks! Do you hear? Am I to be obeyed?” cried Cain, raising his cutlass.
Filippo started up, disengaged himself from the girl, and, drawing his knife, rushed towards the captain to plunge it in his bosom.
With the quickness of lightning the captain caught his uplifted hand, and, breaking his wrist, hurled him to the deck.
“Indeed!” cried he, with a sneer.
“You shall not separate us,” said Filippo, attempting to rise.
“I do not intend it, my good lad,” replied Cain. “Lash them both together and launch them overboard.”
This order was obeyed: for the pirates not only quailed before the captain’s cool courage, but were indignant that his life had been attempted. There was little occasion to tie the unhappy pair together; they were locked so fast in each other’s arms that it would have been impossible almost to separate them. In this state they were carried to the entering-port, and cast into the sea.
“Monster!” cried the bishop, as he heard the splash, “thou wilt have a heavy reckoning for this.”
“Now bring these forward,” said Cain, with a savage voice.
The bishop and his niece were led to the gangway.