As it has been my fate through life to choose for the worst, so I
did now. I had gold in my purse, and good clothes on my back, and
to sea I went once more.

But I had worse luck this time than the last, for when we were
far out at sea, some Turks in a small ship came on our track in
full chase. We set as much sail as our yards would bear, so as to
get clear from them. But in spite of this, we saw our foes gain
on us, and we felt sure that they would come up with our ship in
a few hours' time.

At last they caught us, but we brought our guns to bear on them,
which made them shear off for a time, yet they kept up a fire at
us as long as they were in range. The next time the Turks came
up, some of their men got on board our ship, and set to work to
cut the sails, and do us all kinds of harm. So, as ten of our men
lay dead, and most of the rest had wounds, we gave in.

The chief of the Turks took me as his prize to a port which was
held by the Moors. He did not use me so ill as at first I thought
he would have done, but he set me to work with the rest of his
slaves. This was a change in my life which I did not think had
been in store for me. How my heart sank with grief at the thought
of those whom I had left at home, nay, to whom I had not had the
grace so much as to say "Good bye" when I went to sea, nor to
give a hint of what I meant to do!

Yet all that I went through at this time was but a taste of the
toils and cares which it has since been my lot to bear.