“I am not thinking of the money, I assure you,” he told them. “Listen. Once upon a time I knew this same Captain Zenos. In fact, I was one of his crew, and went with him on three voyages. Then we had words, and he struck me. See, there is a mark, just under my hair, which I shall carry always with me. I dared not answer him as the rage in my heart would have tempted me to do; but I was resolved never again to sail with him. Besides, my heart was not in the work. I detested the cruel Turks by whom I had lost a father and elder brother in the last war. So you can now understand why I left Captain Zenos.”
“And it’s a good thing you did, Arturus,” said Amos, warmly. “You are on the right side now, depend on that, and fighting for all that is worth while in this world—the coming of a peace that will last forever, it is hoped.”
“And after I have heard what it was you two boys have done to my former captain,” continued the Greek, smiling again, “I was determined to serve you to the best of my ability. I owe you that, and much more, because in humbling that man you have at the same time avenged my wrongs. So please do not speak to me of money when I am only too glad to help you valiant boys.”
They asked Arturus to sit down and chat, for there were many things they wished to know. These not only concerned the methods by which the Territorials expected to surprise the Turks on one of their fast and holy days, but also covered the subject of their intended journey on the coming night.
The Greek told them what he could of the ground they would be compelled to pass over. Part of the way they might expect to utilize the sandy beach, but after getting a certain distance from the camp there was too much danger attached to that method of progression. Then it would be necessary for them to worm their way along, something after the manner the Territorials did when creeping up toward the lines held by the enemy.
The time dragged slowly, and it became noon.
Amos and Jack had been by themselves for several hours now, Arturus going about his own business. An oppressive silence seemed to hang over the scene, where on the preceding day a constant booming of great guns had made the air quiver with the concussion.
“It looks like there was going to be nothing doing from the fleet today, because we’ve hardly had a distant glimpse of a war vessel all morning,” Amos remarked, as he watched some of the soldiers who had been left behind, for the most part suffering from slight wounds, start to prepare the midday meal.
“Oh! that’s only to be expected,” Jack told him. “The wear and tear on the big guns must be something fierce. And then, you know, they have to take on more ammunition so as to be always ready for business. No, whatever goes on today will be ashore here; and up to now we’re in the dark just whether or not the boys can crawl up close enough to make an attack.”