Musli had not yet sufficiently recovered to be able to answer articulately, but he shook his head by way of intimating that surrender it he would not.
"Give me that banner, Janissary!" cried Abdi once more, sternly regarding Musli straight between the eyes.
Instead of answering Musli simply proceeded to wind the banner round its pole.
"Give me that banner!" bellowed Abdi for the third time, with a voice of thunder, at the same time drawing his sword.
But now Musli twisted the pole round so that the mud-stained end which had been sticking in the earth rose high in the air, and he said:
"I honour you, Abdi Pasha, and I will not hurt you if you go away. I would rather see you fall in battle fighting against the Giaours, for you deserve to have a glorious name; but don't ask me for this banner any more, for if you come a step nearer I will run you through the body with the dirty end."
And at these words all the other Janissaries leaped to their feet and, drawing their swords, formed a glittering circle round the valiant Musli.
"I am sorry for you, my brave Janissaries," observed the Kapudan Pasha sadly.
"And we are sorry for you, famous Kapudan Pasha!"
Then Abdi quitted the Etmeidan. He perceived how the crowd parted before him everywhere as he advanced; but it also did not escape him that behind his back they immediately closed up again when he had passed.