* The Great Bear.
On board, the bark they chaffed ’Ntoni because Sara had jilted him. While they were furling the sails, and the Carmela was rowed slowly round and round, dragging the big net after her like a serpent’s tail, “‘Swine’s flesh and soldier’s faith last but a little while,’ for that Sara threw you over,” they said to him.
“When the Turk turns Christian the woman keeps her word,” said Uncle Cola.
“I have plenty of sweethearts, if I want them,” replied ’Ntoni; “at Naples they ran after me.”
“At Naples you had a cloth coat and a cap with a name on it, and shoes on your feet,” said Barabbas.. .
“Are the girls at Naples as pretty as the ones here?”
“The girls here are not fit to hold a candle to those in Naples. I had one with a silk dress, and red ribbons in her hair, an embroidered corset, and gold epaulets like the captain’s. A fine, handsome girl who brought her master’s children out to walk, and did nothing else.”
“It must be a fine thing to live in those ports,” observed Barabbas.
“You on the left there, stop rowing!” called out Padron ’Ntoni..
“Blood of Judas! You’ll send the bark onto the net,” shouted Uncle Cola from the helm. “Will you stop chattering! Are we here to scratch ourselves or to work?”