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The instant Colonel Langley heard of it, he ordered his horse and galloped into town, accompanied by Rais Ali and Ted Flaggan, the latter having constituted himself a sort of extra aide-de-camp or special attendant of the consul, in order to gratify the more easily an insatiable thirst for knowledge as to all that took place around him.
The result was that Rais Ali gave himself a sounding slap on the side of the head, to Ted's inexpressible delight. When Rais indicated that he was "off" again, he received another touch, which resulted in a second slap and a savage growl, as the unfortunate man sat up and yawned. "They seems wuss than ornar," said Flaggan gravely. "Wuss?
Flaggan had, out of pure good-will, slung a primitive hammock similar to his own between two trees near him for his friend Rais Ali, in which the valiant Moor lay sound asleep, with his prominent brown nose pointing upwards to the sky, and his long brown legs hanging over the sides. Ted himself lay in a wakeful mood.
One o'clock passed, but no answer was forthcoming. Patient and long-suffering as usual and as he always is the British Lion delayed a full hour. "Ah, boys, if we wait till we git a peaceful answer from them villains, we'll wait till doomsday, so we will," said Ted Flaggan to the men of the gun to which he had attached himself.
The Moor dashed out and hastened to his post on the ramparts, while Ted Flaggan, drawing his burnous well round him, made straight for the northern gate of the town, casting an uneasy glance at his now white legs, of which at least the ankles and beginning of the brawny calves were visible.
Ted Flaggan was interrupted here by the sudden exclamation of "There she is!" and the next moment the boat with the flag of truce was seen returning with the signal flying "No answer." Instantly Lord Exmouth signalled to the fleet, "Are you ready?" to which an affirmative reply was at once returned, and then each ship and boat bore down on its appointed station.
Ted Flaggan also remained a happy inmate of the consul's abode, awaiting the arrival of a British vessel which might enable him to depart, but not at all anxious for that consummation, and, in the meantime, making himself generally useful. Down at the Marina, too, the state of things was a little, though not much, improved.
It is probable that the child's attention would not have been arrested by the proclamation of the Dey, if it had not chanced that, during a visit which she was asked to pay to the garden of the British consul for the purpose of playing with Agnes Langley, she overheard Rais Ali and Ted Flaggan mention the name of Lucien Rimini.
"But the aborigines," continued Lucien "The abor-what? sir," asked Flaggan, removing his pipe. "The aborigines the original inhabitants of the land " "Ah, I see, sir," returned Ted; "them as was at the werry beginnin', just arter Adam and Eve like; 'zactly so fire away!"
All the boats pushed swiftly off together, and did it so silently that they were close under the bow of the flag-ship before being observed. The Leander also saw them, and a few guns from her, as well as from the flag-ship, were instantly turned on them. "Musha! look there!" cried Ted Flaggan, who chanced to be on the part of the ship nearest them.
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