"Bid them make an end of that screeching," she snapped to vent some of
her fierce petulance. "Tell them I will have the rods to them if they
again disturb me."
The negress went out, and silence followed, for those other lesser
ladies of the Basha's hareem were more obedient to the commands of
Fenzileh than to those of the Basha himself.
Then she drew her son to the fretted lattice commanding the courtyard, a
screen from behind which they could see and hear all that passed out
yonder. Asad was speaking, informing Sakr-el-Bahr of what he had
learnt, and what there was to do.
"How soon canst thou put to sea again?" he ended
"As soon as the service of Allah and thyself require," was the prompt
answer.
"It is well, my son." Asad laid a hand, affectionately upon the
corsair's shoulder, entirely conquered by this readiness. "Best set out
at sunrise to-morrow. Thou'lt need so long to make thee ready for the
sea."
"Then by thy leave I go forthwith to give orders to prepare," replied
Sakr-el-Bahr, for all that he was a little troubled in his mind by this
need to depart again so soon.
"What galleys shalt thou take?"
"To capture one galley of Spain? My own galeasse, no more; she will be
full equal to such an enterprise, and I shall be the better able, then,
to lurk and take cover--a thing which might well prove impossible with a
fleet."
"Ay--thou art wise in thy daring," Asad approved him.
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