Sometimes, of course, men have been ransomed; but most, as I have heard, can never be found by their friends, however ready they may be to pay any ransom that might be asked.

It just depends whether they are sold to a Moor living in a seaport or not.

If they are, there would be no great difficulty in hearing of them, but if they are sold into the interior, no inquiries are ever likely to discover them." "You must hope for the best," Francis said.

"Chances of escape may occur, and I have heard that Christian captives, who have been released, say that the Moors are for the most part kind masters." "I have heard so, too," the captain said; "and anyhow, I would rather be a Moorish slave than lie in a Genoese dungeon.

The Genoese are not like us.