Yussuf the Guide; or, the Mountain Bandits, being a Story of Adventurein Asia Minor, by George Manville Fenn. 

________________________________________________________________________

Lawrence is a boy in his late teens, who has consumption, which makeshim feel very tired and helpless. He says one day that he would love aholiday somewhere hot and sunny. He has no relations, but there is aguardian, a local lawyer; and a doctor and a retired professor elect togo to Turkey with him, to look at the antiquities. 

They travel first to Greece, where they find a lot of dishonesty, inparticular in the crew of the little ship in which they sail to Turkey. Luckily they had sent their luggage on ahead, but the experiences theyhad were not very nice. They had already employed a very charming andresourceful Turk as guide. 

But when they get to Turkey, they find that as they travel inland peoplebecome progressively less helpful, until eventually they are captured bybandits, and a ransom is demanded. How do they get out of this? And isTurkey still like this?

An exciting thriller. Recommended. 

________________________________________________________________________

YUSSUF THE GUIDE; OR, THE MOUNTAIN BANDITS, BEING A STORY OF ADVENTUREIN ASIA MINOR, BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN. 

CHAPTER ONE. 

MEDICAL AND LEGAL. 

"But it seems so shocking, sir. "

"Yes, madam, " said the doctor, "very sad indeed. You had better getthat prescription made up at once. "

"And him drenched with physic!" cried Mrs Dunn; "when it doesn't do hima bit of good. "

"Not very complimentary to me, Mrs Dunn, " said the doctor smiling. 

"Which I didn't mean any harm, sir; but wouldn't it be better to let thepoor boy die in peace, instead of worrying him to keep on takingphysic?"

"And what would you and his friends say if I did not prescribe for him?"

"I should say it was the best thing, sir; and as to his friends, why, hehasn't got any. "

"Mr Burne?"

"What! the lawyer, sir? I don't call him a friend. Looks after themoney his poor pa left, and doles it out once a month, and comes andtakes snuff and blows his nose all over the room, as if he was a humantrombone, and then says, `hum!' and `ha!' and `send me word how he isnow and then, ' and goes away. "

"But his father's executor, Professor Preston?"

"Lor' bless the man! don't talk about him. I wrote to him last weekabout how bad the poor boy was; and he came up from Oxford to see him, and sat down and read something out of a roll of paper to him about hisdog. "

"About his dog, Mrs Dunn?"

"Yes, sir, about his dog Pompey, and then about tombs--nice subject tobring up to a poor boy half-dead with consumption! And as soon as hehad done reading he begins talking to him. You said Master Lawrence wasto be kept quiet, sir?"

"Certainly, Mrs Dunn. "

"Well, if he didn't stand there sawing one of his hands about andtalking there, shouting at the poor lad as if he was in the next street, or he was a hout-door preacher, till I couldn't bear it any longer, andI made him go. "

"Ah, I suppose the professor is accustomed to lecture. "

"Then he had better go and lecture, sir. He sha'n't talk my poor boy todeath. "

"Well, quiet is best for him, Mrs Dunn, " said the doctor smiling at therosy-faced old lady, who had turned quite fierce; "but still, change andsomething to interest him will do good. "

"More good than physic, sir?"

"Well, yes, Mrs Dunn, I will be frank with you--more good than physic. What did Mr Burne say about the poor fellow going to Madeira or thesouth of France?"

"Said, sir, that he'd better take his Madeira out of a wine-glass andhis south of France out of a book. I don't know what he meant, and whenI asked him he only blew his nose till I felt as if I could have boxedhis ears. But now, doctor, what do you really think about the poordear? You see he's like my own boy. Didn't I nurse him when he was ababy, and didn't his poor mother beg of me to always look after him?And I have. Nobody can't say he ever had a shirt with a button off, ora hole in his clean stockings, or put on anything before it was airedtill it was dry as a bone. But now tell me what you really think ofhim. "

"That I can do nothing whatever, Mrs Dunn, " said the doctor kindly. "Our London winters are killing him, and I have no faith in the south ofEngland doing any good. The only hope is a complete change to a warmerland. "

"But I couldn't let him go to a horrible barbarous foreign country, sir. "

"Not to save his life, Mrs Dunn?"

"Oh, dear! oh, dear! oh, dear!" sighed the old lady. "It's very hardwhen I'd lay down my life to save him, and me seeing him peek and pineaway and growing so weak. I know it was that skating accident as didit. Him nearly a quarter of an hour under the ice, and thereceiving-house doctor working for an hour before he could bring himto. "

"I'm afraid that was the start of his illness, Mrs Dunn. "

"I'm sure of it, doctor. Such a fine lad as he was, and he has neverbeen the same since. What am I to do? Nobody takes any interest in thepoor boy but me. "

"Well, I should write at once to the professor and tell him that MrLawrence is in a critical condition, and also to his father's executor, Mr Burne, and insist upon my patient being taken for the winter to amilder clime. "

"And they won't stir a peg. I believe they'll both be glad to hear thathe is dead, for neither of them cares a straw about him, poor boy. "

There had been a double knock while this conversation was going on inGuildford Street, Russell Square, and after the pattering of steps onthe oil-cloth in the hall the door was opened, and the murmur of a gruffvoice was followed by the closing of the front door, and then a seriesof three sounds, as if someone was beginning to learn a deep brassinstrument, and Mrs Dunn started up. 

"It's Mr Burne. Now, doctor, you tell him yourself. "

Directly after, a keen-eyed grey little gentleman of about fifty wasshown in, with a snuff-box in one hand, a yellow silk handkerchief inthe other, and he looked sharply about as he shook hands in a hurriedway, and then sat down. 

"Hah! glad to see you, doctor. Now about this client of yours. PatientI mean. You're not going to let him slip through your fingers?"

"I'm sorry to say, Mr Burne--"

"Bless me! I am surprised. Been so busy. Poor boy! _Snuff snuffsnuff_. Take a pinch? No, you said you didn't. Bad habit. Bless mysoul, how sad!"

Mr Burne, the family solicitor, jumped up when he blew his nose. Satdown to take some more snuff, and got up again to offer a pinch to thedoctor. 

"Really, Mr Burne, there is only one thing that I can suggest--"

"And that's what Mrs Dunn here told me. "

There was a most extraordinary performance upon the nose, which madeMrs Dunn raise her hands, and then bring them down heavily in her lap, and exclaim:

"Bless me, man, don't do that!"

"Ah, Mrs Dunn, " cried the lawyer; "what have you been about? Nothingto do but attend upon your young master, and you've got him into a statelike this. "

"Well of all--"

"Tut tut! hold your tongue, Mrs Dunn, what's gone by can't be recalled. I've been very busy lately fighting a cousin of the poor boy, who wastrying to get his money. "

"And what's the good of his money, sir, if he isn't going to live?"

"Tut tut, Mrs Dunn, " said the lawyer, blowing his nose more softly, "but he is. I telegraphed to Oxford last night for Professor Preston tomeet me here at eleven this morning. I have had no answer, but he maycome. Eccentric man, Mrs Dunn. "

"Why you're never going to have him here to talk the poor boy to death. "

"Indeed but I am, Mrs Dunn, for I do not believe what you say ispossible, unless done by a woman--an old woman, " said the lawyer lookingat the old lady fixedly. 

"Well I'm sure!" exclaimed Mrs Dunn, and the doctor rose. 

"You had better get that prescription made up, Mrs Dunn, and go on asbefore. "

"One moment, doctor, " said the lawyer, and he drew him aside for a briefconversation to ensue. 

"Bless me! very sad, " said the lawyer; and then, as Mrs Dunn showed thedoctor out, the old gentleman took some more snuff, and then performedupon his nose in one of the windows; opposite the fire; in one corner;then in another; and then he was finishing with a regular coach-hornblast when he stopped half-way, and stared, for Mrs Dunn was standingin the doorway with her large florid cap tilted forward in consequenceof her having stuck her fingers in her ears. 

"Could you hear me using my handkerchief, Mrs Dunn?" said the lawyer. 

"Could I hear you? Man alive!" cried the old lady, in a tone full ofwithering contempt, "could I hear _that_!"

CHAPTER TWO. 

THE SECOND GUARDIAN. 

"That!" to which Mrs Dunn alluded was a double knock at the front door;a few minutes later the maid ushered in a tall broad-shouldered man ofabout forty. His hair was thin upon the crown, but crisp and grizzled, and its spareness seemed due to the fact that nature required so muchstuff to keep up the supply for his tremendous dark beard that his headran short. It was one of those great beards that are supposed to gowith the portrait of some old patriarch, and over this could be seen apair of beautiful large clear eyes that wore a thoughtful dreamy aspect, and a broad high white forehead. He was rather shabbily dressed in apepper-and-salt frock-coat, vest, and trousers, one of which had beenturned up as if to keep it out of the mud while the other was turneddown; and both were extremely baggy and worn about the knees. Judgingfrom appearances his frock-coat might have been brushed the week beforelast, but it was doubtful, though his hat, which he placed upon thetable as he entered, certainly had been brushed very lately, but thewrong way. 

He did not wear gloves upon his hands, but in his trousers pockets, fromwhich he pulled them to throw them in his hat, after he had carefullyplaced two great folio volumes, each minus one cover, upon a chair, andthen he shook hands, smiling blandly, with Mrs Dunn, and with thelawyer. 

"Bless the man!" said Mrs Dunn to herself, "one feels as if onecouldn't be cross with him; and there's a button off the wrist-band ofhis shirt. "

"'Fraid you had not received my telegram, sir, " said the lawyer inrather a contemptuous tone, for Mrs Dunn had annoyed him, and he wantedto wreak his irritation upon someone else. 

"Telegram?" said the professor dreamily. "Oh, yes. It was forwarded tome from Oxford. I was in town. "

"Oh! In town?"

"Yes. At an hotel in Craven Street. I am making preparations, youknow, for my trip. "

"No, I don't know, " said the lawyer snappishly. "How should I know?"

"Of course not, " said the professor smiling. "The fact is, I've been somuch--among books--lately--that--these are fine. Picked them up at alittle shop near the Strand. Buttknow's _Byzantine Empire_. "

He picked up the two musty old volumes, and opened them upon the table, as a blast rang out. 

The professor started and stared, his dreamy eyes opening wider, butseeing that it was only the lawyer blowing his nose, he smiled andturned over a few leaves. 

"A good deal damaged; but such a book is very rare, sir. "

"My dear sir, I asked you to come here to talk business, " said thelawyer, tapping the table with his snuff-box, "not books. "

"True. I beg your pardon, " said the professor. "I was in town makingthe final preparations for my departure to the Levant, and I did notreceive the telegram till this morning. That made me so late. "

"Humph!" ejaculated the lawyer, and he took some more snuff. 

"And how is Lawrence this morning?" said the professor in his calm, mildway. "I hope better, Mrs Dunn. "

"Bless the man! No. He is worse, " cried Mrs Dunn shortly. 

"Dear me! I am very sorry. Poor boy! I'm afraid I have neglected him. His poor father was so kind to me. "

"Everybody has neglected him, sir, " cried Mrs Dunn, "and the doctorsays that the poor boy will die. "

"Mrs Dunn, you shock me, " cried the professor, with the tears in hiseyes, and his whole manner changing. "Is it so bad as this?"

"Quite, sir, " cried the lawyer, "and I want to consult you as myco-executor and trustee about getting the boy somewhere in the south ofEngland or to France. "

"But medical assistance, " said the professor. "We must have the bestskill in London. "

"He has had it, sir, " cried Mrs Dunn, "and they can't do anything forhim. He's in a decline. "

"There, sir, you hear, " said the lawyer. "Now, then, what's to bedone?"

"Done!" cried the professor, with a display of animation that surprisedthe others. "He must be removed to a warmer country at once. I had noidea that matters were so bad as this. Mr Burne, Mrs Dunn, I am astudent much interested in a work I am writing on the Byzantine empire, and I was starting in a few days for Asia Minor. My passage was taken. But all that must be set aside, and I will stop and see to my dear oldfriend's son. "

_Poo woomp poomp. Pah_!

Mr Burne blew a perfectly triumphal blast with his pocket-handkerchief, took out his snuff-box, put it back, jumped up, and, crossing to wherethe professor was standing, shook his hand very warmly, and without aword, while Mrs Dunn wiped her eyes upon her very stiff watered silkapron, but found the result so unsatisfactory that she smoothed it down, and hunted out a pocket-handkerchief from somewhere among the folds ofher dress and polished her eyes dry. 

Then she seemed as if she put a sob in that piece of white cambric, andwrapped it up carefully, just as if it were something solid, doublingthe handkerchief over and over and putting it in her pocket before goingup to the professor and kissing his hand. 

"Ha!" said the latter, smiling at first one and then the other. "Thisis very good of you. I don't often find people treat me so kindly asthis. You see, I am such an abstracted, dreamy man. I devote myself somuch to my studies that I think of nothing else. My friends have givenme up, and--and I'm afraid they laugh at me. I am writing, you see, agreat work upon the old Roman occupation of--. Dear me! I'm wanderingoff again. Mrs Dunn, can I not see my old friend's son?"

"To be sure you can, sir. Pray, come, " cried the old lady; and, leadingthe way, she ushered the two visitors out into the hall, the professorfollowing last, consequent upon having gone back to fetch the two bigfolio volumes; but recollecting himself, and colouring like an ingenuousgirl, he took them back, and laid them upon the dining-room table. 

Mrs Dunn paused at the drawing-room door and held up a finger. 

"Please, be very quiet with him, gentlemen, " she said. "The poor boy isvery weak, and you must not stay long. "

The lawyer nodded shortly, the professor bent his head in acquiescence, and the old lady opened the drawing-room door. 

CHAPTER THREE. 

A PLAN IS MADE. 

As they entered, a pale attenuated lad of about seventeen, who was lyingback in an easy-chair, with his head supported by a pillow, and a bookin his hand, turned to them slightly, and his unnaturally large eyes hadin them rather a wondering look, which was succeeded by a smile as theprofessor strode to his side, and took his long, thin, girlish hand. 

"Why, Lawrence, my boy, I did not know you were so ill. "

"Ill? Nonsense, man!" said the lawyer shortly. "He's not ill. Areyou, my lad?"

He shook hands rather roughly as he spoke from the other side of theinvalid lad's chair, while Mrs Dunn gave her hands an impatient jerk, and went behind to brush the long dark hair from the boy's forehead. 

He turned up his eyes to her to smile his thanks, and then laid hischeek against the hand that had been smoothing his hair. 

"No, Mr Burne, I don't think I'm ill, " he said in a low voice. "I onlyfeel as if I were so terribly weak and tired. I get too tired to readsometimes, and I never do anything at all to make me so. "

"Hah!" ejaculated the lawyer. 

"I thought it was the doctor come back, " continued the lad. "I say, MrPreston--you are my guardian, you know--is there any need for him tocome? I am so tired of cod-liver oil. "

"Yah!" ejaculated the lawyer; "it would tire anybody but a lamp. "

He snorted this out, and then blew another blast upon his nose, whichmade some ornament upon the chimney-piece rattle. 

"Doctor?" said the professor rather dreamily, as he sat down beside thepatient. "I suppose he knows best. I did not know you were so ill, myboy. "

"I'm not ill, sir. "

"But they say you are, my lad. I was going abroad; but I heard that youwere not so well, and--and I came up. "

"I am very glad, " said the lad, "for it is very dull lying here. OldDunny is very good to me, only she will bother me so to take moremedicine, and things that she says will do me good, and I do get sotired of everything. How is the book getting on, sir?"

"Oh, very slowly, my lad, " said the professor, with more animation. "Iwas going abroad to travel and study the places about which I amwriting, but--"

"When do you go?" cried the lad eagerly. 

"I was going within a few days, but--"

"Whereto?"

"Smyrna first, and then to the south coast of Asia Minor, and fromthence up into the mountains. "

"Is it a beautiful country, Mr Preston?"

"Yes; a very wild and lovely country, I believe. "

"With mountains and valleys and flowers?"

"Oh, yes, a glorious place. "

"And when are you going?"

"I was going within a few days, my boy, " said the professor kindly;"but--"

"Is it warm and sunshiny there, sir?"

"Very. "

"In winter?"

"Oh, yes, in the valleys; in the mountains there is eternal snow. "

"But it is warm in the winter?"

"Oh, yes; the climate is glorious, my lad. "

"And here, before long, the leaves will fall from that plane-tree in thecorner of the square, that one whose top you can just see; and it willget colder, and the nights long, and the gas always burning in thelamps, and shining dimly through the blinds; and then the fog will fillthe streets, and creep in through the cracks of the window; and theblacks will fall and come in upon my book, and it will be so bitterlycold, and that dreadful cough will begin again. Oh, dear!"

There was silence in the room as the lad finished with a weary sigh; andthough it was a bright morning in September, each of the elderpersonages seemed to conjure up the scenes the invalid portrayed, andthought of him lying back there in the desolate London winter, miserablein spirit, and ill at ease from his complaint. 

Then three of the four present started, for the lawyer blew a challengeon his trumpet. 

"There is no better climate anywhere, sir, " he said, addressing theprofessor, "and no more healthy spot than London. "

"Bless the man!" ejaculated Mrs Dunn. 

"I beg to differ from you, sir, " said the professor in a loud voice, asif he were addressing a class. "By the reports of the meteorologicalsociety--"

"Hang the meteorological society, sir!" cried the lawyer, "I go by myown knowledge. "

"Pray, gentlemen!" cried Mrs Dunn, "you forget how weak the patientis. "

"Hush, Mrs Dunn, " said the lad eagerly; "let them talk. I like tohear. "

"I beg pardon, " said the professor; "and we are forgetting the object ofour visit. Lawrence, my boy, would you like to go to Brighton orHastings, or the Isle of Wight?"

"No, " said the lad sadly, "it is too much bother. "

"To Devonshire, then--to Torquay?"

"No, sir. I went there last winter, and I believe it made me worse. Idon't want to be always seeing sick people in invalid chairs, and bealways hearing them talk about their doctors. How long shall you begone, sir?"

"How long? I don't know, my lad. Why?"

The boy was silent, and lay back gazing out of the window in a dreamyway for some moments before he spoke again, and then his hearers werestartled by his words. 

"I feel, " he said, speaking as if to himself, "as if I should soon getbetter if I could go to a land where the sun shone, and the sea wasblue, and the sweet soft cool breezes blew down from the mountains thattower up into the clear sky--where there were fresh things to see, andthere would be none of this dreadful winter fog. "

The professor and the lawyer exchanged glances, and the latter took agreat pinch of snuff out of his box, and held it half-way up towards hisnose. 

Then he started, and let it fall upon the carpet--so much brown dust, for the boy suddenly changed his tone, and in a quick excited mannerexclaimed, as he started forward:

"Oh! Mr Preston, pray--pray--take me with you when you go. "

"But, my dear boy, " faltered the professor, "I am not going now. I havealtered my plans. "

"Then I must stop here, " cried the boy in a passionate wailingtone--"stop here and die. "

There was a dead silence once more as the lad covered his face with histhin hands, only broken by Mrs Dunn's sobs as she laid her head uponthe back of the chair and wept aloud, while directly after Mr Burnetook out his yellow handkerchief, prepared for a blow, and finallydelivered himself of a mild and gentle sniff. 

"Lawrence!"

It was the deep low utterance of a strong man who was deeply moved, andas the boy let fall his thin white fingers from before his eyes he sawthat the professor was kneeling by his chair ready to take one of hishands and hold it between his broad palms. 

"Lawrence, my boy, " he said; "your poor father and I were great friends, and he was to me as a brother; your mother as a sister. He left me asit were the care and charge of you, and it seems to me that in myselfish studies I have neglected my trust; but, Heaven helping me, myboy, I will try and make up for the past. You shall so with me, my dearlad, and we will search till we find a place that shall restore you tohealth and strength. "

"You will take me with you?" cried the boy with a joyous light in hiseyes. 

"That I will, " cried the professor. 

"And when?"

"As soon as you can be moved. "

"But, " sighed the lad wearily, "it will cost so much. "

"Well?" said the professor, "What of that? I am not a poor man. Inever spend my money. "

"Oh! if it came to that, " said the lawyer, taking some more snuff andsnapping his fingers, "young Lawrence here has a pretty good balancelying idle. "

"Mr Burne, for shame!" cried Mrs Dunn; "here have I been waiting tohear you speak, and you encourage the wild idea, instead of stampingupon it like a black beadle. "

"Wild idea, ma'am?" cried the lawyer, blowing a defiant blast. 

"Yes, sir; to talk about taking that poor weak sickly boy off intoforeign lands among savages, and cannibals, and wild beasts, and noxiousreptiles. "

"Stuff, ma'am, stuff!"

"But it isn't stuff, sir. The doctor said--"

"Hang the doctor, ma'am!" cried the lawyer. "The doctor can't cure him, poor lad, so let's see if we can't do a little better. "

"Why, I believe you approve of it, sir!" cried Mrs Dunn with ahorror-stricken look. 

"Approve of it, ma'am? To be sure, I do. The very thing. Asia Minor, didn't you say, Mr Preston?"

The professor bowed. 

"Yes; I've heard that you get summer weather there in winter. I thinkyou have hit the right nail on the head. "

"And you approve of it, sir?" cried the boy excitedly. 

"To be sure, I do, my lad. "

"It will kill him, " said Mrs Dunn emphatically. 

"Tchah! stuff and nonsense, ma'am!" cried the lawyer. "The boy's tooyoung and tough to kill. We'll take him out there and make a man ofhim. "

"We, sir?" exclaimed the professor. 

"Yes, sir, we, " said the lawyer, taking some more snuff, and dusting hisblack waistcoat. "Hang it all! Do you think you are the only man inEngland who wants a holiday?"

"I beg your pardon, " said the professor mildly; "of course not. "

"I haven't had one worth speaking of, " continued Mr Burne, "fornearly--no, quite thirty years, and all that time I've been in dingystuffy Sergeant's Inn, sir. Yes; we'll go travelling, professor, andbring him back a man. "

"It will kill him, " cried Mrs Dunn fiercely, and ruffling up and comingforward like an angry hen in defence of her solitary chick, the last therats had left. 

The lawyer sounded his trumpet, as if summoning his forces to a charge. 

"I say he shall not go. "

"Mrs Dunn, " began the professor blandly. 

"Stop!" cried the lawyer; "send for Doctor Shorter. "

"But he has been, sir, " remonstrated Mrs Dunn. 

"Then let him come again, ma'am. He shall have his fee, " cried thelawyer; "send at once. "

Mrs Dunn's lips parted to utter a protest, but the lawyer literallydrove her from the room, and then turned back, taking snuffoutrageously, to where the professor was now seated beside the sick lad. 

"That's routing the enemy, " cried the lawyer fiercely. "Why, confoundthe woman! She told me that the doctor said he ought to be taken to amilder clime. "

"But do you really mean, Mr Burne, that, supposing the doctor gives hisconsent, you would accompany us abroad?"

"To be sure I do, sir, and I mean to make myself as unpleasant as I can. I've a right to do so, haven't I. "

"Of course, " said the professor coldly. 

"And I've a right to make myself jolly if I like, haven't I, sir?"

"Certainly, " replied the professor, gazing intently at the fiercegrizzled little man before him, and wondering how much he spent a-yearin snuff. 

"It will not cost you anything, and I shall not charge my expenses tothe estate, any more than I shall let you charge yours, sir. "

"Of course not, sir, " said the professor more coldly still, andbeginning to frown. 

"You shall pay your expenses, I'll pay mine, and young Lawrence hereshall pay his; and I tell you what, sir, we three will have a thoroughlygood outing. We'll take it easy, and we'll travel just where you like, and while you make notes, Lawrence here and I will fish and run aboutand catch butterflies, eh? Hang it, I haven't caught a butterfly thesethree or four and thirty years, and I think it's time I had a try. Eh, what are you laughing at, sir?"

Lawrence Grange's laugh was low and feeble, but it brightened up his sadface, and was contagious, for it made the professor smile as well. Thecold stern look passed away, and he held out his hand to the lawyer. 

"Agreed, sir, " he said. "If the doctor gives his consent, we will allthree go, and, please Heaven, we will restore our young friend here hishealth and strength. "

"Agreed, sir; with the doctor's consent or without, " cried the lawyer, grasping the extended hand. "By George, we must begin to make ourpreparations at once! and as for the doctor--Oh, here he is!"

For there was a double knock, and directly after Mrs Dunn, appearingvery much agitated, ushered in the doctor, who did not look quite socool as he did when he left. 

"Oh!" he ejaculated, "I was afraid from Mrs Dunn's manner thatsomething was wrong. "

"No, doctor, nothing, " said the lawyer. "We only want to ask you whatyou think of our young friend here being taken to spend the winter inTurkey. "

"Admirable!" said the doctor, "if it could be managed. "

"Oh, Doctor Shorter!" wailed Mrs Dunn, "I thought you would stop thismad plan. "

"There, madam, there!" cried the lawyer; "what did I say?"

"But he is not fit to move, " cried Mrs Dunn, while the boy's cheekswere flushed, and his eyes wandered eagerly from speaker to speaker. 

"Only with care, " said the doctor. "I should not take a long sea trip, I think; but cross to Paris, and then go on gently, stopping where youpleased, to Brindisi, whence the voyage would be short. "

"The very thing!" cried the lawyer, giving one emphatic blow with hisnose. "What do you say, professor?"

"It is the plan I had arranged if I had gone alone, " was the reply; "andI think if Doctor Shorter will furnish us with the necessarymedicines--"

"He requires change more than medicines, " said the doctor. "Careagainst exertion, and--there, your own common sense will tell you whatto do. "

"Doctor! doctor! doctor!" sobbed Mrs Dunn; "I didn't think it of you. What's to become of me?"

"You, madam?" replied the doctor. "You can read and write letters toour young friend here, and thank Heaven that he has friends who willtake him in charge and relieve him from the risk of another winter inour terrible climate. "

"Hear, hear!" and "No, no!" cried the lawyer. "Doctor Shorter, ours isnot a bad climate, and I will not stand here and listen to a wordagainst it. Look at me, sir! Thirty years in Sergeant's Inn--fog, rain, snow, and no sunshine; and look at me, sir--look at me!"

"My dear sir, " said the doctor smiling, "you know the old saying aboutone man's meat being another man's poison? Suppose I modify my remark, and say terrible climate for our young friend. You are decided, then, to take him?"

"Certainly, " said the professor. 

"To Turkey?"

"Turkey in Asia, sir, where I propose to examine the wonderful ruins ofthe ancient Greek and Roman cities. "

"And hunt up treasures of all kinds, eh?" said the doctor smiling. 

"I hope we may be fortunate enough to discover something worthy of thesearch. "

"But, let me see--the climate; great heat in the plains; intense cold inthe mountains; fever and other dangers. You must be careful, gentlemen. Brigands--real brigands of the fiercest kind--men who mean heavyransoms, or chopped-off heads. Then you will have obstinate Turks, insidious and tricking Greeks, difficulties of travel. No child's play, gentlemen. "

"The more interest, sir, " replied the professor, "the greater change. "

"Well, " said the doctor, "I shall drop in every day till you start, andbe able to report upon our friend's health. Now, good day. "

The doctor left the room with Mrs Dunn, and as he went out Mr Burneblew a flourish, loud enough to astonish the professor, who wondered howit was that so much noise could be made by such a little man, till heremembered the penetrating nature of the sounds produced by such tinycreatures as crickets, and then he ceased to be surprised. 

CHAPTER FOUR. 

A VERBAL SKIRMISH. 

It seemed wonderful: one day in London, then the luggage all ticketed, the young invalid carefully carried by a couple of porters to afirst-class carriage, and seated in a snug corner, when one of themtouched his cap and exclaimed:

"Glad to see you come back, sir, strong enough to carry me. Pore youngchap!" he said to his mate; "it do seem hard at his time o' life. "

"Hang the fellow!" cried the lawyer; "so it does at any time of life. Idon't want to be carried by a couple of porters. "

Then there was a quick run down to Folkestone, with the patient tenderlywatched by his two companions, the professor looking less eccentric incostume, for he had trusted to his tailor to make him some suitableclothing; but the lawyer looking more so, for he had insisted uponretaining his everyday-life black frock-coat and check trousers, theonly change he had made being the adoption of a large leghorn straw hatwith a black ribbon; on the whole as unsuitable a costume as he couldhave adopted for so long a journey. 

"But I've got a couple of Holland blouses in one of my portmanteaus, " hesaid to Lawrence, "and these I shall wear when we get into a hottercountry. "

At Folkestone, Lawrence showed no fatigue; on the contrary, when theprofessor suggested staying there for the night he looked disappointed, and begged that they might cross to Boulogne, as he was so anxious tosee France. 

Judging that it was as well not to disappoint him, and certainlyadvisable to take advantage of a lovely day with a pleasant breeze forthe crossing, the professor decided to proceed--after a shortconversation between the two elders, when a little distant feeling wasremoved, for the professor had felt that the lawyer was not going toturn out a very pleasant travelling companion. 

"What do you think, sir?" he had said to the fierce-looking little man, who kept on attracting attention by violently blowing his nose. 

"I'll tell you what I think, professor, " was the reply. "It seems to methat the boy is a little sore and upset with his parting from his oldnurse. Milk-soppish, but natural to one in his state. He wants to getright away, so as to forget the trouble in new impressions. Then, asyou see, the journey so far has not hurt him, and he feels well enoughto go on. Sign, sir, that nature says he is strong enough, so don'tthwart him. Seems to me, sir--_snuff, snuff, snuff_--that the way to dohim good is to let him have his own way, so long as he doesn't want todo anything silly. Forward!"

So they went forward, a couple of the steamer's men lifting Lawrencecarefully along the gangway and settling him in a comfortable part ofthe deck, which he preferred to going below; and ten minutes later themachinery made the boat quiver, the pier seemed to be running away, andthe professor said quietly: "Good-bye to England. "

The sea proved to be more rough than it had seemed from the pier, and, out of about seventy passengers, it was not long before quite sixty hadgone below, leaving the deck very clear; and the professor, who keptwalking up and down, while the lawyer occupied a seat near Lawrence, kept watching the invalid narrowly. 

But there was no sign of illness. The lad looked terribly weak anddelicate, but his eyes were bright, and the red spots on his cheeks wereunchanged. 

"I say, Preston, " said the lawyer, when they had been to sea about aquarter of an hour, "you look very pale: if you'd like to go below I'llstay with him. "

"Thanks, no, " was the reply; "I prefer the deck. How beautiful thechalky coast looks, Lawrence!"

"Yes, lovely, " was the reply; "but I was trying to look forward to seeFrance. I want to see health. Looking back seems like being ill. "

The professor nodded, and said that the French coast would soon be veryplain, and he stalked up and down, a magnificent specimen of humanity, with his great beard blown about by the wind, which sought in vain toplay with his closely-cut hair. 

"I'm sure you had better go below, professor. You look quite white, "said the lawyer again; but Mr Preston laughed. 

"I am quite well, " he said; and he took another turn up and down to lookat the silvery foam churned up by the beating paddles. 

"Look here!" cried the lawyer again, as the professor came and stoodtalking to Lawrence; "had you not better go down?"

"No. Why go down to a cabin full of sick people, when I am enjoying thefresh air, and am quite well?"

"But are you really quite well?"

"Never better in my life. "

"Then it's too bad, sir, " cried the lawyer. "I've been waiting to seeyou give up, and if you will not, I must, for there's something wrongwith this boat. "

"Nonsense! One of the best boats on the line. "

"Then, there's something wrong with me. I can't enjoy my snuff, andit's all nonsense for this boy to be called an invalid. I'm theinvalid, sir, and I am horribly ill. Help me below, there's a goodfellow. "

Mr Burne looked so deplorably miserable, and at the same time so comic, that it was impossible to avoid smiling, and as he saw this he stampedhis foot. 

"Laughing at me, eh? Both of you. Now, look here. I know you bothfeel so poorly that you don't know what to do, and I'll stop up on deckand watch you out of spite. "

"Nonsense! I could not help smiling, " said the professorgood-humouredly. "Let me help you down. "

"Thank you, no, " said the lawyer taking off his hat to wipe his moistbrow, and then putting it on again, wrong way first. "I'm going to stopon deck, sir--to stop on deck. "

He seemed to be making a tremendous effort to master the qualmishfeeling that had attacked him, and in this case determination won. 

A night at Boulogne, and at breakfast-time next morning Lawrence seemedno worse for the journey, so they went on at once to Paris, where aday's rest was considered advisable, and then, the preliminaries havingbeen arranged, the train was entered once more, and after two or threestoppages to avoid over-wearying the patient, Trieste was reached, wherea couple of days had to be passed before the arrival of the steamerwhich was to take them to Smyrna, and perhaps farther, though theprofessor was of opinion that it might be wise to make that thestarting-place for the interior. 

But when the steamer arrived a delay of five days more ensued before astart was made; and all this time the invalid's companions watched himanxiously. 

It was in these early days a difficult thing to decide, and severaltimes over the professor and Mr Burne nearly came to an open rupture--one sufficiently serious to spoil the prospects of future friendlyfeeling. 

But these little tiffs always took place unknown to Lawrence, whoremained in happy ignorance of what was going on. 

The disagreements generally happened something after this fashion. 

Lawrence would be seated in one of the verandahs of the hotel enjoyingthe soft warm sea-breeze, and gazing out at the scene glowing in all thebrightness of a southern sun, when the old lawyer would approach thetable where, out of the lad's sight and hearing, the professor wasseated writing. 

The first notice the latter had of his fellow-traveller's approach wouldbe the loud snapping of the snuff-box, which was invariably followed bya loud snuffling noise, and perhaps by a stentorian blast. Then thelawyer would lean his hand upon the table where the professor waswriting with:

"Really, my dear sir, you might put away your pens and ink for a bit. I've left mine behind. Here, I want to talk to you. "

The professor politely put down his pen, leaned back in his chair andfolded his arms. 

"Hah! that's better, " said Mr Burne. "Now we can talk. I wanted tospeak to you about that boy. "

"I am all attention, " said the professor. 

"Well, sir, there's a good German physician here as well as the Englishone. Don't you think we ought to call both in, and let them have aconsultation?"

"What about?" said the professor calmly. 

"About, sir? Why, _re_ Lawrence. "

"But he seems certainly better, and we have Doctor Snorter's remedies ifanything is necessary. "

"Better, sir? decidedly worse. I have been watching him this morning, and he is distinctly more feeble. "

"Why, my dear Mr Burne, he took my arm half an hour ago, and walked upand down that verandah without seeming in the least distressed. "

"Absurd, sir!"

"But I assure you--"

"Tut, tut, sir! don't tell me. I watch that boy as I would an importantcase in a court of law. Nothing escapes me, and I say he is muchworse. "

"Really, I should be sorry to contradict you, Mr Burne, " replied theprofessor calmly; "but to me it seems as if this air agreed with him, and I should have said that, short as the time has been since he lefthome, he is better. "

"Worse, sir, worse decidedly. "

"Really, Mr Burne, I am sorry to differ from you, " replied theprofessor stiffly; "but I must say that Lawrence is, to my way ofthinking, decidedly improved. "

"Pah! Tchah! Absurd!" cried the lawyer; and he went off blowing hisnose. 

Another day he met the professor, who had just left Lawrence's sideafter sitting and talking with him for some time, and there was ananxious, care-worn look in his eyes that impressed the sharp lawyer atonce. 

"Hallo!" he exclaimed; "what's the matter?"

The professor shook his head. 

"Lawrence, " he said sadly. 

"Eh? Bless me! You don't say so, " cried Mr Burne; and he hurried outinto the verandah, which was the lad's favourite place. 

There Mr Burne stayed for about a quarter of an hour, and then wentstraight to where the professor was writing a low-spirited letter toMrs Dunn, in which he had said that he regretted bringing Lawrenceright away into those distant regions, for though Trieste was a largeport, and there was plenty of medical attendance to be obtained, it wasnot like being at home. 

"I say! Look here!" cried Mr Burne, "you ought to know better, youknow. "

"I do not understand you, " replied the professor quietly. 

"Crying wolf, you know. It's too bad. "

"Really, " said the professor, who was in one of his dreamy, abstractedmoods, "you are mistaken, Mr Burne. I did not say a word about awolf. "

"Well, whoever said you did, man?" cried the lawyer impatiently as hetook out his snuff-box and whisked forth a pinch, flourishing some ofthe fine dry dust about where he stood. "Can't you, a university man, understand metaphors--shepherd boy calling wolf when there was nothingthe matter? The patient's decidedly better, sir. "

"Really, Mr Burne--_er_--_tchishew_--_er_--_tchishew_!"

Old Mr Burne stood looking on, smiling grimly, as the professor had aviolent fit of sneezing, and in mocking tones held out his snuff-box andsaid:

"Have a good pinch? Stop the sneezing. Ah! that's better, " he added, as the professor finished off with a tremendous burst. "Your head willbe clear now, and you can understand what I say. That boy's gettingwell. "

"I wish I could think so, " said the professor, sniffing so very quietlythat, as if to give him a lesson, his companion blew off one of hisblasts, with the result that a waiter hurried into the room to see whatwas wrong. 

"Think? there is no occasion to think so. He is mending fast, sir; andif you have any doubt about it, and cannot trust in the opinion of a manof the world, go and watch him, and see how interested he seems in allthat is going on. Why, a fortnight ago he lay back in his chairdreaming and thinking of nothing but himself. Now he is beginning toforget that there is such a person. He's better, sir, better. "

The fact was that the lawyer was right, and so was the professor, for atthat time Lawrence was as changeable of aspect as an April day, and hisfriends could only judge him by that which he wore when they went to hisside. 

At last the morning came when the steamer started for Smyrna, and thepair were for once in a way agreed. They had been breakfasting withLawrence, noting his looks, his appetite, listening to every word, andat last, when he rose feebly, and went out into the verandah to gazedown at the busy crowd of mingled European and Eastern people, whosedress and habits seemed never tiring to the lad, the lawyer turned tothe professor and exclaimed:

"You did not say a word to him about sailing to-day. "

"No. Neither did you. "

"Well, why didn't you?"

"Because I thought that it seemed useless, and that we had better stay. "

"Well, I don't often agree with you, professor, but I must say that I doto-day. The boy is not equal to it. But he is better. "

"Ye-es, " said the professor. "I think he is better. "

Just then Lawrence returned from the verandah, looking flushed andexcited. 

"Why, the Smyrna boat sails to-day, Mr Preston, " he exclaimed. "One ofthe waiters has just told me. Hadn't we better get ready at once?"

"Get ready?" said the professor kindly. "We thought that perhaps we hadbetter wait for the next boat. "

"Oh!" exclaimed Lawrence, with his countenance changing. "I shall be sodisappointed. I felt so much better too, and I've been longing to seesome of the Grecian isles. "

"Do you really feel yourself equal to the journey, my dear boy?" saidthe professor. 

"Oh yes. I don't know when I have felt so well, " said Lawrence eagerly. 

"Bless my soul!" cried the old lawyer, opening and shutting hissnuff-box as if for the purpose of hearing it snap, and sending the finedust flying, "what a young impostor you are! Here, let's get our billpaid, and our traps on board. There's no time to spare. "

Lawrence's face brightened again, and he left the room. 

"Tell you what, professor, " said Mr Burne, "you and I have been readyto quarrel several times over about what we do not understand. Now, look here. I want to enjoy this trip. What do you say to burying thehatchet?"

"Burying the hatchet? Oh! I see. Let there be peace. "

"To be sure, " cried the lawyer, shaking hands warmly, "and we'll keepthe fighting for all the Greeks, Turks, brigands, and the like whointerfere with us. "

"With all my heart, " said the professor smiling; but Mr Burne stilllingered as if he had something to say. 

"Fact is, " he exclaimed at last, "I'm a curious crotchety sort offellow. Had too much law, and got coated over with it; but I'm not badinside when you come to know me. "

"I'm sure you are not, Burne, " said the professor warmly; "and if youcome to that, I have spent so many years dealing with dead authors, anddigging up musty legends, that I am abstracted and dreamy. I do notunderstand my fellow-men as I should, but really I esteem you veryhighly for the deep interest you take in Lawrence. "

"That's why I esteem you, sir, " said the lawyer; "and--no, I won't takeany more snuff now; it makes you sneeze. There, be off, and get readywhile I pay the bills. "

That evening, in the golden glow of the setting sun, they set sail forSmyrna. 

CHAPTER FIVE. 

SOME FELLOW-TRAVELLERS. 

It was one bright morning, after a delightful passage, that the steamermade its way into the port of Smyrna, where everything around seemed tobe full of novelty--strange craft manned by strange-looking crews, Turkswith white turbans, Turks with scarlet fezzes and baggy breeches, andTurks with green turbans to show their reputation among theircompatriots. Greeks, too--small, lithe, dark men, with keen faces anddark eyes, differing wonderfully from the calm, dignified, handsomeTurks, but handsome in their way if it had not been for a peculiarlysharp, shifty expression that suggested craftiness and a desire tooverreach, if not cheat. 

There was a constant succession of fresh sights, from the Turkishman-of-war that was of British build, to the low fishing-boat with itslong graceful lateen sail, spread out upon its curved and tapering spar. 

Ashore it was the same. The landing-place swarmed with fresh faces, fresh scenes. Everything looked bright, and as if the atmosphere waspeculiarly clear, while the shadows were darker and sharper as they werecast by the glowing sun. 

For the sun did glow. The time was short since they had left England, with symptoms coming on of falling leaves, lengthening nights, andchills in the air, while here all was hot summer time, and one of thefirst things Mr Burne said was:

"There's no mistake about it, I must have out a blouse. "

They were soon comfortably settled in the best hotel, from whence theprofessor decided to sally forth at once to call upon and deliver hisletters of recommendation to the British consul; but he was not fated togo alone. 

"I want to see everything and everybody, " said Mr Burne, "and I'll gowith you. Look here, Lawrence, my boy, I would not get in the sun. I'dgo and lie down for an hour or two till we get back. "

"The sun seems to give me strength, " said Lawrence eagerly. "I haveseen so little of it in London. I want to go with you, please. "

The professor darted a look at Mr Burne which seemed to say, "Let himhave his own way;" and the landlord having been consulted, a Greek guideor dragoman was soon in readiness, and they started. 

"Look here, " said Mr Burne, taking hold of the professor's sleeve. "Idon't like the look of that chap. "

"What, the guide?"

"Yes! I thought Greeks were nice straightforward chaps, with long nosesdrawn down in a line from their foreheads, like you see in the BritishMuseum. That fellow looks as if he wouldn't be long in England beforehe'd be looking at a judge and jury, and then be sent off to penalservitude. Greek statues are humbug. They don't do the Greeksjustice. "

"It does not matter as long as he does his duty by us for the short timewe are here. Be careful. He understands English. "

"Well, I am careful, " said Mr Burne; "and I'm looking after mypocket-book, watch, and purse; and if I were you I should do the same. He's a rogue, I'm sure. "

"Nonsense!"

"'Tisnt nonsense, sir; you're too ready to trust everybody. Did youhear his name?"

"I did, " said Lawrence smiling. "Xenos Stephanos. "

"Yes, " grumbled Mr Burne. "There's a name. I don't believe any mancould be honest with a name like that. "

The professor showed his white teeth as he laughed heartily, and MrBurne took snuff, pulled out a glaring yellow silk handkerchief, andblew a blast that was like the snort of a wild horse. 

It was done so suddenly that a grave-looking Turkish gentlemen in frontstarted and turned round. 

"Well, what is it?" said Mr Burne fiercely. "Did you never see anEnglishman take snuff before?"

The Turk bowed, smiled, and continued his way. 

"Such rudeness. Savages!" snorted out Mr Burne. "Don't believe theyknow what a pocket-handkerchief is. "

"I beg your pardon, " said the Turk, turning round and smiling as hespoke in excellent English, "I think you will find we do, but we havenot the use for them here that you have in England. "

"I--er--er--er. Bless my soul, sir! I beg your pardon, " cried the oldlawyer. "I did not know you understood English, or--"

"Pray, say no more, sir, " said the Turkish gentleman gravely. And heturned to cross the street. 

"Snubbed! Deserved it!" cried Mr Burne, taking off his straw hat, anddoubling his fist, as if he were going to knock the crown out. "Letthis be a lesson to you, Lawrence. Bless me! Thought I was amongsavages. Time I travelled. "

"You forgot that you were still amongst steam, and post-offices, andtelegraph wires, and--"

"Bless me! yes, " cried Mr Burne; "and, look there, an English name up, and Bass's pale ale. Astonishing!"

Just then the Greek guide stopped and pointed to a private house asbeing the English consul's, and upon entering they were at once showninto a charmingly furnished room, in which were a handsome bronzedmiddle-aged gentleman, in earnest conversation with a tallmasculine-looking lady with some pretensions to beauty, and a littleeasy-looking man in white flannel, a glass in one eye, and a very highshirt collar covered with red spots, as if a number of cochineal insectshad been placed all over it at stated intervals and then killed. 

He was smooth-faced all but a small moustache; apparently about thirty;plump and not ill-favoured, though his hair was cut horribly close; buta spectator seemed to have his attention taken up at once by the spottedcollar and the eye-glass. 

"Glad to see you, Mr Preston, " said the bronzed middle-aged man. "Youtoo, Mr Burne. And how are you, Mr Grange? I hope you have borne thevoyage well. Let me introduce you, " he continued, after shaking hands, "to our compatriots Mr and Mrs Charles Chumley. We can't afford, outhere, not to know each other. "

Mutual bowing took place, and the consul continued:

"Mr and Mrs Chumley are bound on the same errand as you are--a tripthrough the country here. "

"Yes, " said the gentleman; "we thought--"

"Hush, Charley! don't, " interrupted the lady; "let me speak. Are youProfessor Preston?"

"My name is Preston, " said the professor, bowing. 

"Glad to meet you. Mr Chumley and I are going to do Turkey this year. Mr Thompson here said that you and your party were going to travel. Hehad had letters of advice. We are going to start directly and gothrough the mountains; I suppose you will do the same. "

"No, " said the professor calmly; "we are going to take steamer round toone of the southern ports and start from there. "

"Oh, I say, what a pity!" said the little gentleman, rolling his headabout in his stiff collar, where it looked something like a ball in acup. "We might have helped one another and been company. "

"I wish you would not interfere so, Charley, " cried the lady. "You knowwhat I said. "

"All right, Agnes, " said the little gentleman dolefully. "Are youpeople staying at Morris's?"

"Yes, " said the professor. 

"So are we. See you at dinner, perhaps. "

"Charley!" exclaimed the lady in tones that were quite Amazonic, theywere so deep and stern. 

Then a short conversation took place with the consul, and the strangecouple left, leaving their host free to talk to the other visitors. 

"I had very kind letters from Mr Linton at the Foreign Officerespecting you, gentlemen, " said the consul. 

"I know Linton well, " said the professor. 

"He is an old friend of mine too, " said the consul. "Well, I have doneall I could for you. "

"About passports or what is necessary?" said the professor. 

"I have a properly-signed firman for you, " said the consul smiling; "andthe showing of that will be sufficient to ensure you good treatment, help, and protection from the officials in every town. They willprovide you with zaptiehs or cavasses--a guard when necessary, andgenerally see that you are not molested or carried off by brigands, orsuch kind of folk. "

"But is it a fact, sir, " said Mr Burne, "that you have real brigands inthe country?"

"Certainly, " said the consul smiling. 

"What! in connection with postal arrangements, and steam, andtelegraphs?"

"My dear sir, we have all these things here; but a score or so of milesout in the country, and you will find the people, save that firearms arecommon, just about as they were a thousand years ago. "

"Bless my heart!" exclaimed Mr Burne. 

"It is a fact, sir; and I should advise great care, not only as to whomyou trust among the people, but as to your health. The country is in ahorrible state of neglect; the government does nothing. "

"But I do not see how that is to affect us, " said the professor, "especially as we have that firman. "

"It will not affect you in the more settled districts, but you may runrisks in those which are more remote. I have been warning Mr and MrsChumley about the risks, but the lady laughed and said that she alwayscarried a revolver. "

"Bless me!" exclaimed Mr Burne, "a lady with a revolver! She would notdare to fire it. "

"I don't know about that, " said the professor. 

"Of course, " continued the consul, "I am at your service, Mr Preston. If you are in need of aid, and are anywhere within reach of thetelegraph wires, pray send to me and I will do my best. Can I doanything more for you?"

This was a plain hint to go, for it was evident that others were waitingfor an interview with the representative of England; so a friendlyfarewell was taken and the little party returned to the hotel. 

"I'm glad you decided to go a different way to those people, Preston, "said Mr Burne. 

"The decision was made on the instant, my dear sir; for I did mean tostart from here. "

"Ah, you thought those people would be a nuisance?"

"Indeed I did. "

The professor had hardly spoken when Lawrence touched his arm; for theparties alluded to approached, and the lady checked her lord, who wasgoing to speak, by saying:

"I thought I would give you a hint about going pretty well-armed. Youwill not have to use your weapons if you let the people see that youhave them. "

"Arms, ma'am! Stuff! rubbish!" cried Mr Burne. "The proper arms of anEnglishman are the statutes at large, bound in law calf, with red labelson their back. "

"Statutes at large!" said the lady wonderingly. 

"Yes, ma'am--the laws of his country, or the laws of the country wherehe is; and the proper arms of a lady, madam, are her eyes. "

"And her tongue, " said the professor to himself, but not in so low avoice that it was not heard by Lawrence, who gave him a sharp look fullof amusement. 

Mrs Chumley smiled and bowed. 

"Very pretty, sir!" she said; "but you forget that we are going totravel through a country where the laws are often a mere name, andpeople must take care of themselves. "

"Take care of themselves--certainly, ma'am, but not by breaking thelaws. If a pack of vagabonds were to attack me I should hand them overto the police, or apply at the nearest police-court for a summons. Thatwould be a just and equitable way of treating the matter. "

"Where would you get your police, Burne? and whom would you get to serveyour summons if you could procure one?"

"Nearest town, sir--anywhere. "

The lady laughed heartily, and her little husband rubbed his hands andthen patted her on the back. 

"This lady is quite right, my dear Burne, " said the professor. "I seethat we shall be obliged to go armed. "

"Armed, sir!--armed?"

"Yes. We shall for the greater part of our time be in places where thelaws are of no avail, unless a body of troops are sent to enforce them. "

"But then your firman will have furnished us with a Turkish soldier forour protection. "

"But suppose the Turkish soldier prefers running away to fighting?"exclaimed the lady, "what then?"

"What then, ma'am?--what then?" cried the lawyer. "I flatter myselfthat I should be able to quell the people by letting them know that Iwas an English gentleman. Do you think that at my time of life I amgoing to turn butcher and carve folks with a sword, or drill holesthrough them with bullets?"

"Yes, sir, if it comes to a case of who is to be carved or drilled. There!--think it over. Come, Charley! let's have our walk. "

Saying which the lady nodded and smiled to the two elders, and was goingoff in an assumed masculine way, when she caught sight of Lawrence lyingback in an easy-chair, and her whole manner changed as she crossed tohim and held out her hand with a sweet, tender, womanly look in hereyes. 

"Good-bye for the present!" she said. "You must make haste and growstrong, so as to help me up the mountains if we meet somewhere fartherin. "

CHAPTER SIX. 

MR. BURNE TRIES A GUN. 

"Now that's just what I hate in women, " said the old lawyer, viciouslyscattering snuff all over the place. "They put you in an ill temper, and rouse you up to think all sorts of bitter things, and then just asyou feel ready to say them, they behave like that and disarm you. Afterthe way in which she spoke to Lawrence there I can't abuse her. "

"No, don't, please, Mr Burne, " said Lawrence warmly, and with hischeeks flushing, "I am sure she is very nice when you come to know her. "

"Can't be, " cried the lawyer. "A woman who advocates fire and sword. Bah!"

"But as a protection against fire and sword, " said the professorlaughing. 

"Tchah, sir! stuff!" cried the other. "Look here; I can be prettyfierce when I like, and with you so big and strong, and with such a waywith you as you have--Bah! nonsense, sir, we shall want no arms. "

"Well, I propose that we now consult the landlord. "

"Oh, just as you like, sir; but if he advocates such a proceeding, I'mnot going to stalk through Turkey carrying fire-irons in my belt andover my shoulder, like a sham footpad in a country show. "

The landlord was summoned--a frank-looking Englishman, who listened toall the professor said in silence and then replied:

"Mr Thompson the consul is quite right, sir. We are not in Englandhere, and though this is the nineteenth century the state of the countryis terribly lawless. You know the old saying about when at Rome. "

"Do as the Romans do, eh?"

"Exactly, sir. Every second man you meet here even in the town goesarmed, even if his weapons are not seen, while in the country--quite inthe interior, it is the custom to wear weapons. "

"Then I shall not go, " said Mr Burne decisively. "If you ask myadvice, gentlemen, I should say, carry each of you a good revolver, aknife or dagger, a sword, and a double-barrelled gun. "

"Sword, dagger, and gun!" cried the professor. "Surely a revolver wouldbe sufficient. "

"Why not push a nice large brass cannon before us in a wheel-barrow?"said Mr Burne sarcastically, and then leaning back in his chair tochuckle, as if he had said something very comical, and which heemphasised by winking and nodding at Lawrence, who was too muchinterested in the discussion upon weapons to heed him. 

"A revolver is not sufficient, for more than one reason, gentlemen, "said the landlord. "It is a deadly weapon in skilful hands; but youwill meet scores of people who do not understand its qualities, but whowould comprehend a sword or a gun. You do not want to have to use theseweapons. "

"Use them, sir? Of course not, " roared the lawyer. "Of course not, sir, " said the landlord. "If you go armed merely with revolvers you mayhave to use them; but if you wear, in addition, a showy-looking swordand knife, and carry each of you a gun, you will be so formidable inappearance that the people in the different mountain villages will treatyou with the greatest of respect, and you may make your journey insafety. "

"This is very reasonable, " said the professor. 

"I assure you, sir, that in a country such as this is now suchprecautions are as necessary as taking a bottle of quinine. And beside, you may require your guns for game. "

"The country is very fine, of course?"

"Magnificent, sir, " replied the landlord; "but it is in ruins. Theneglect and apathy of the government are such that the people are likethe land--full of weeds. Why, you will hardly find a road fit totraverse, and through the neglect of the authorities, what used to besmiling plains are turned to fever-haunted marshes spreading pestilencearound. "

"You will have to give way, Mr Burne, " said the professor smiling, "anddress like a bandit chief. "

"Never, sir, " cried the lawyer. "You two may, but I am going throughAsia Minor with a snuff-box and a walking-stick. Those will be enoughfor me. "

"Where can we get arms?" said the professor smiling. 

"At Politanie's, sir, about fifty yards from here. You will find him avery straightforward tradesman. Of course his prices are higher thanyou would pay in London; but he will not supply you with anything thatis untrustworthy. Perhaps you may as well say that you are friends ofour consul, and that I advised you. "

"It is absurd!" exclaimed Mr Burne, as soon as they were alone. "Whatdo you say, Lawrence, my boy? You don't believe in weapons of war, I'msure. "

"No, " replied Lawrence quietly. 

"There, professor. "

"But, " continued Lawrence, "I believe in being safe. I feel sure thatthe people will respect us all the more for being armed. "

"And would you use a sword, sir?" cried the lawyer fiercely. 

Lawrence drew his sleeve back from his thin arm, gazed at it mournfully, and then looked up in a wistful half-laughing way at his two friends. 

"I don't think I could even pull it out of the sheath, " he said sadly. 

"Come, Burne, you will have to yield to circumstances. "

"Not I, sir, not I, " said Mr Burne emphatically. "I have been too muchmixed up with the law all my life, and know its beauties too well, everto break it. "

"But you will come with us to the gunsmith's?"

"Oh, yes, I'll come and see you fool away your money, only I'm not goingto have you carry loaded guns near me. If they are to be for show letthem be for show. There, I'm ready. "

"You will lie down for an hour, Lawrence, eh?" said the professor; "itis very hot. " But the lad looked so dismayed that his friend smiled andsaid, "Come along, then. "

A few minutes later they were in a store, whose owner seemed to selleverything, from tinned meat to telescopes; and, upon hearing theirwants, the shrewd, clever-looking Greek soon placed a case of revolversbefore them of English and American make, exhibiting the differences ofconstruction with clever fingers, with the result that the professorselected a Colt, and Lawrence a Tranter of a lighter make. 

"He's a keen one, " said Mr Burne. "What a price he is asking for thesegoods!"

"But they seem genuine, " said the professor; for the Greek had gone tothe back of his store to make some inquiry about ammunition. 

"Genuine fleecing, " grumbled Mr Burne; and just then the dealerreturned. 

"You select those two, then, gentlemen, " he said in excellent English. "But if you will allow me, sir, " he continued to Lawrence, "this is amore expensive and more highly finished pistol than the other, and it islighter in the hand; but if I were you, as my arm would grow stronger, Ishould have one exactly like my friend's. "

"Why?" said Lawrence; "I like this one. "

"It is a good choice, sir, but it requires different cartridges to yourfriend's, and as you are going right away, would it not be better tohave to depend on one size only? I have both, but I offer thesuggestion. "

"Yes, that's quite right, " said the old lawyer sharply; "quite right. Ishould have both the same; and, do you know, I think perhaps I might aswell have one, in case either of you should lose yours. "

Mr Preston felt ready to smile, but the speaker was looking full athim, as if in expectation thereof, and he remained perfectly serious. 

The pistols having been purchased, with a good supply of ammunition, guns were brought out, and the professor invested in a couple of gooduseful double-barrelled fowling-pieces for himself and Lawrence; MrBurne watching intently the whole transaction, and ending by asking thedealer to show him one. 

"You see, " he explained, "I should look odd to the people if I were notcarrying the same weapons as you two, and besides I have often thoughtthat I should like to go shooting. I don't see why I shouldn't; do you, Lawrence?"

"No, sir, certainly not, " was the reply: and Mr Burne went on examiningthe gun before him, pulling the lever, throwing open the breech, andpeeping through the barrels as if they formed a double telescope. 

"Oh! that's the way, is it?" he said. "But suppose, when the thing goesoff, the shots should come out at this end instead of the other?"

"But you don't fire it off when it's open like that, Mr Burne, " criedLawrence. 

"My dear boy, of course not. Do you suppose I don't understand? Youput in the cartridges like this. No, they won't go in that way. Youput them in like that, and then you pull the trigger. "

"No, no, no, " cried Lawrence excitedly. "You shut the breech first. "

"My dear boy--oh! I see. Yes, of course. Oh! that's what you meant. Of course, of course. I should have seen that directly. Now, then, it's all right. Loaded?"

"Sir! sir! sir!" cried the dealer, but he was too late, for the oldlawyer had put the gun to his shoulder, pointing the barrel towards thedoor, and pulled both triggers. 

The result was a deafening explosion, two puffs of smoke half fillingthe place, and the old gentleman was seated upon the floor. 

"Good gracious, Burne!" cried the professor, rushing to him, "are youmuch hurt?"

Lawrence caught at the chair beside him, turning ashy pale, and gazingdown at the prostrate man, while quite a little crowd of people filledthe shop. 

"Hurt?" cried Mr Burne fiercely--"hurt? Hang it, sir, do you think aman at my time of life can be bumped down upon the floor like thatwithout being hurt?"

"But are you wounded--injured?"

"Don't I tell you, yes, " cried Mr Burne, getting up with greatdifficulty. "I'm jarred all up the spinal column. "

"But not wounded?"

"Yes, I am, sir--in my self-respect. Here, help me up. Oh, dear! Oh, lor'! Gently! Oh, my back! Oh, dear! No; I can't sit down. That'sbetter. Ah!"

"Would you like a doctor fetched?"

"Doctor? Hang your doctor, sir. Do you think I've came out here to bepoisoned by a foreign doctor. Oh, bless my soul! Oh, dear me!Confound the gun! It's a miserable cheap piece of rubbish. Went off inmy hands. Anyone shot?"

"No, sir, " said the dealer quietly; "fortunately you held the muzzlewell up, and the charges went out of the upper part of the door. "

"Oh! you're there, are you?" cried Mr Burne furiously, as he lay backin a cane chair, whose cushion seemed to be comfortable. "How dared youput such a miserable wretched piece of rubbish as that in my hands!"

The dealer made a deprecatory gesture. 

"Here, clear away all these people. Be off with you. What are youstaring at? Did you never see an English gentleman meet with anaccident before? Oh, dear me! Oh, my conscience! Bless my heart, Ishall never get over this. "

The dealer went about from one to the other of the passers-by who hadcrowded in, and the grave gentlemanly Turks bowed and left in the mostcourteous manner, while the others, a very motley assembly, showed somedisposition to stay, but were eventually persuaded to go outside, andthe door was closed. 

"To think of me, a grave quiet solicitor, being reduced to such aposition as this. I'm crippled for life. I know I am. Serves me rightfor coming. Here, give me a little brandy or a glass of wine. "

The latter was brought directly, and the old lawyer drank it, with theresult that it seemed to make him more angry. 

"Here, you, sir!" he cried to the dealer, who was most attentive; "whathave you to say for yourself? It's a wonder that I did not shoot one ofmy friends here. That gun ought to be destroyed. "

"My dear Burne, " said the professor, who had taken the fowling-piece andtried the locks, cocking and recocking them over and over again; "thepiece seems to me to be in very perfect order. "

"Bah! stuff! What do you know about guns?"

"Certainly I have not used one much lately, and many improvements havebeen made since I used to go shooting; but still I do know how to handlea gun. "

"Then, sir, " cried the little lawyer in a towering fury, "perhaps youwill be good enough to tell me how it was that this confounded piece ofmechanism went off in my hands?"

"Simply, " said the professor smiling, "because you drew both thetriggers at once. "

"It is false, sir. I just rested my fingers upon them as you are doingnow. "

"And the piece went off!" said the professor drily, but smiling thewhile. "It is a way that all guns and pistols have. "

The dealer smiled his thanks, and Mr Burne started up in the chair, butthrew himself back again. 

"Oh, dear! oh, my gracious me!" he groaned; "and you two grinning at meand rejoicing over my sufferings. "

"My dear sir, indeed I am very sorry, " said the dealer. 

"Yes, I know you are, " said Mr Burne furiously, "because you think, andrightly, that I will not buy your precious gun. Bless my heart, how itdoes hurt! I feel as if I should never be able to sit up again. I knowmy vertebrae are all loose like a string of beads. "

"Will you allow us to assist you into my private room, sir?" said thedealer. 

"No, I won't, " snapped the sufferer. 

"But there is a couch there, and I will send for the resident Englishdoctor. "

"If you dare do anything of the kind, confound you, sir, I'll throwsomething at you. Can't you see that there is nothing the matter withme, only I'm in pain. "

"But he might relieve you, Burne, " said the professor kindly. 

"I tell you I don't want to be relieved, sir, " cried the little lawyer. "And don't stand staring at me like that, boy; I'm not killed. "

"I am afraid that you are a great deal hurt, " said Lawrence, going tohis side and taking his hand. 

"Oh, dear! oh, dear!" groaned the sufferer. "Well, I'm not, boy, not abit. There. "

"Let me send for a doctor, sir, " said the dealer. 

"I tell you I will not, man. Do you take me for a Greek or a Turk, or aheretic? Can't you see that I am an Englishman, sir, one who is neverbeaten, and never gives up? There, go on selling your guns. "

"Oh, nonsense!" said the professor; "we cannot think of such things withyou in that state. "

"State? What state, sir? Here you, Mr What's-your-name, I beg yourpardon. I ought to have known better. Not used to guns. Pens are morein my way. Confoundedly stupid thing to do. But I've learned moreabout a gun now than I should have learned in six months. I beg yourpardon, sir. "

"Pray, say no more, sir, " replied the dealer; "it is not needed. "

"Yes, it is, sir, " cried the lawyer fiercely. "Didn't I tell you I wasan English gentleman. An English gentleman always apologises when he isin the wrong. I apologise. I am very sorry for what I said. "

The dealer smiled and bowed, and looked pleased as he handed thesufferer another glass of wine, which was taken and sipped at intervalsbetween a few mild _ohs_! and _ssfths_!

"Not a bad wine this. What is it?"

"One of the Greek wines, sir. "

"Humph! not bad; but not like our port. Now, you people, go on withyour business, and don't stare at me as if I were a sick man. Here, MrWhat's-your-name, put that gun in a case, and send it round to thehotel. I've taken a fancy to it. "

"Send--this gun, sir?"

"Yes. Didn't I speak plainly? Didn't the professor, my friend here, say it was a good gun?"

"Yes, sir, yes: it is an excellent piece of the best English make. "

"Well, I want a gun, and I suppose any piece would go off as that did ifsomebody handled it as stupidly as I did. "

"Yes, sir, of course. "

"Then send it on, and the pistol too. Ah, that's better--I'm easier;but I say, Preston, I shall have to be carried back. "

"I'm very glad you are easier, but really if I were you I would see adoctor. "

"I've no objection to seeing a doctor, my dear sir, but I'm not going tohave him do anything to me. "

"Then you really wish us to go on with our purchases?"

"Why, of course, man, of course. What did we come for? Go on, man, goon. Here, mister, show me one or two of these long carving knives. "

"Carving knives?" said the dealer. "I do not keep them. "

"Yes, you do: these, " said Mr Burne, pointing to a case in which wereseveral Eastern sabres. 

"Oh, the swords!" said the dealer smiling. "Of course. "

"You are not going to buy one of these, are you, Mr Burne?" saidLawrence eagerly. 

"To be sure I am, " was the reply. "Why shouldn't I play at soldiers ifI like. There, what do you say to that?" he continued, drawing a light, keen-looking blade from its curved sheath. "Try it. Mind it don't gooff--I mean, don't go slashing it round and cutting off the professor'slegs or my head. Can you lift it?"

"Oh, yes, " cried Lawrence, poising the keen weapon in his hand beforeexamining its handsome silver inlaid hilt. 

"Think that would do for me? Oh, dear me, what a twinge!"

"Yes, sir, admirably, " replied Lawrence. 

"Then I don't, " was the gruff retort. "Seems to me that it would justsuit you. There, buckle on the belt. "

Lawrence did as he was told, but the belt was too large and had to bereduced. 

"Hah! that's better, " said Mr Burne. "There, that's a very handsomesword, Lawrence, and it will do to make you look fierce when we are inthe country, and to hang up in your room at home to keep in memory ofour journey. Will you accept it, my boy, as a present?"

"Oh, thank you, " cried the lad excitedly. 

"Took a fancy to it as soon as you saw it, you young dog. I saw you!"cried the old lawyer chuckling. "There, now for a dagger or knife to gowith it. "

The dealer produced one in an ornamental sheath directly, and explainedthat it was for use as a weapon, for hunting, or to divide food when ona journey. 

"That will do, then, nicely. There, my boy, these are my presents. Now, Preston, I suppose we must each have one of these long choppers?"

"Yes, I think so, " replied the professor. "They will make us look moreformidable. "

"Very well, then: choose one for me too, but I warn you, I shall fastenmine down in the sheath with gum. I'm not going to take mine out, forfear of cutting off somebody's legs or wings, or perhaps my own. "

"You feel better now?" said the professor. 

"Hold your tongue, sir--do! No: I don't feel better. I had forgottenmy pain, but now you've made me think about it again. There!--choosetwo swords and knives and let's get back. "

Two plain useful sabres were selected, and the dealer received hisorders to send the weapons to the hotel, after which the injured man washelped into a standing position, but not without the utterance ofseveral groans. Then he was walked up and down the shop several times, ending by declaring himself much better. 

"There, Lawrence!" he cried, "that's the advantage of being anEnglishman. Now, if I had been a Dutchman or a Frenchman I should havehad myself carried back, sent for a couple of doctors, and been very badfor a month or two; but you see I'm better already, and I'm not going togive up to please the Grand Panjandrum himself. Dear me! bless myheart! panjandrum! Pan--pan--pan--jan--jan--jan--drum! Where did Ihear that word?"

"In a sort of nursery ditty, sir, " said Lawrence laughing. 

"To be sure I did, " cried the old man, "and I had forgotten it; but Isay, don't laugh like that, boy. "

"Why not, sir?"

"Because it will make us believe that you have been shamming all thistime, and that you're really quite well, thank you, sir!--eh?"

"I--I think I am better, " said Lawrence quickly. "I don't know why, butI have not been thinking about being ill these last few days, everythingis so bright and sunshiny here, you see. "

"Yes, I see, " said the old lawyer, giving the professor a peculiar look;and they went back to the hotel. 

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

THE GREEK SKIPPER. 

"No, I can't do it, " said Mr Burne after several brave efforts; "Ireally am a good deal jarred, and it is quite impossible. I am quiteright as long as I keep still, but in such pain if I move that I canhardly bear it. "

"Then we will put off the journey for a week, " said the professordecisively. 

"And disappoint the lad?" said Mr Burne. "No; you two must go. "

"How can you talk like that?" exclaimed Lawrence sharply, "when you havecome on purpose to help me get strong again? Mr Preston, we shall stayhere--shall we not?"

"Of course, " replied the professor. "The enjoyment of our trip dependsupon our being staunch to one another. "

Mr Burne declared that it was absurd, and ridiculous, and nonsensical, and raked out a few other adjectives to give force to his sentiments, speaking in the most sour way possible; but it was very evident that hewas highly pleased, and the steamer sailed without them. 

The next day Mr Burne was so stiff that he could not walk about; but herefused to see a doctor, and a week passed before he could move withoutpain. Then one morning he declared that he was mending fast, andinsisted upon inquiries being made respecting the sailing of the nextsteamer that would stop at one or other of the little towns on the southcoast; but there was nothing bound in that direction, nor likely to befor another fortnight. 

"And all my fault!" cried Mr Burne angrily. "Tut-tut-tut! Here, ringfor the landlord. "

The landlord came and was questioned. 

No, there was no possibility of a passage being made for quite afortnight, unless the visitors would go in a small sailing boatbelonging to one or the other of the trading crews. 

The professor glanced at Lawrence, thought of the probable discomfort, and shook his head. 

"The very thing!" exclaimed Mr Burne sharply. 

"We can make trips in steamers at anytime; but a trip in a Greekfelucca, with real Greek sailors, is what I have longed for all my life. Eh, Lawrence, what do you say?"

"I think with you, sir, that it would be delightful--that is, if you arewell enough to go. "

"Well enough to go! of course I am. I'm longing to be off. Only a bitstiff. Look here, landlord, see what you can do for us. One moment, though; these Greeks--they will not rob us and throw us overboard--eh?"

"No fear, sir. I'll see that you go by a boat manned by honest fellowswho come regularly to the port. Leave it to me. "

The landlord departed and the question was discussed. The professor wasready enough to go in the manner proposed so long as Lawrence felt equalto the task, and this he declared he was; and certainly, imperceptiblyas it had come about, there was an improvement in his appearance thatwas most hopeful. 

The principal part of their luggage had gone on by steamer, and would belying waiting for them at Ansina, a little port on the south coast whichhad been considered a suitable starting-point; and they had beensuffering some inconvenience, buying just such few things as would do tomake shift with till they overtook their portmanteaux. 

Oddly enough, Mr Burne expressed the most concern about their newpurchases, the weapons and ammunition, which had been sent on to thesteamer by the landlord as soon as they arrived from the store. 

"Such things must be so tempting to the people who see them, " said theold lawyer. 

"But they were all carefully packed in cases, " said the professor. "They would not know what was inside. "

"Nonsense, my dear sir. We English folk would not have known, but aGreek or a Turk would. These people smell powder just like crows in acorn-field. I'm afraid that if we don't make haste we shall find ourthings gone, and I wouldn't lose that gun for any money. "

The landlord came back in about a couple of hours to say that he had hadno success, but that it would become known that he had been inquiring, and an application might be made. 

This turned out correct, for as the travellers were seated that eveningover their dessert, enjoying by an open window the deliciously softbreeze, as Lawrence partook of the abundant grapes, and the professorpuffed at a water-pipe--an example followed by Mr Burne, who diligentlytried to like it, but always gave up in favour of a cigar at the end ofa quarter of an hour--the waiter brought their coffee and announced thatthe master of a small vessel desired to see their excellencies. 

The man was shown in, and proved to be a picturesque-looking fellow in ascarlet cap, which he snatched from his curly black hair and advancedinto the room, saying some words in modern Greek whose import theprofessor made out; but his attempts to reply were too much for theskipper, who grew excited, shook his head, and finally rushed out of theroom, to the great amusement of Mr Burne, who knocked the ash off thecigar he had recently lit. 

"That's what I always say, " he cried. "Book language is as different ascan be from spoken language. I learned French for long enough when Iwas a boy, but I never could make a Frenchman understand what I meant. "

"Let's ring and inquire, " said the professor, to hide a smile. "I hopewe have not driven the fellow away. "

"Hope you have, you mean, " said Mr Burne. 

The professor rose to reach the bell, but just then the landlord enteredwith the Greek sailor, who smiled and showed his white teeth. 

With the landlord as interpreter the matter became easy. The man wasgoing to sail in three days, that was as soon as the little vessel, inwhich he had brought a cargo of oranges and other fruit from Beyrout, had discharged her load and was ready to return. He was going toLarnaca on his return voyage, but for a consideration he was ready totake the English excellencies to any port they liked on the southcoast--Ansina if they wished--and he would make them as comfortable asthe boat would allow; but they must bring their own food and wine. 

The bargain was soon struck, the Greek asking a sum which the landlordnamed to the professor--so many Turkish pounds. 

"But is not that a heavy price for the accommodation we shall receive?"

"Yes, " said the landlord smiling. "I was going to suggest that youshould offer him one-third of the amount. "

"Then we shall offend him and drive him away, " said Mr Burne. 

"Oh, dear me! no, gentlemen. He does not expect to get what he asks, and the sum I name would be very fair payment. You leave the settlementin my hands. "

The professor acquiesced, and the landlord turned to the Greek sailor tooffer him just one-third of the sum he had asked. 

"I thought as much, " said the old lawyer. "The landlord thinks we're inEngland, and that it was a bill of costs that he had to tax. Look atthe Greek, Lawrence!"

The latter needed no telling, for he was already watching the sailor, who was protesting furiously. One moment his hands were raised, thenext they were clenched downwards as if about to strike the floor. Again they were lifted menacingly, and there seemed danger, for onerested upon a knife in his belt, but only for it to be beaten furiouslyin the other. Quick angry words, delivered with the greatestvolubility, followed; and then, turning and looking round in the mostscornful manner, the man seemed to fire a volley of words at the wholeparty and rushed from the room. 

"I'm sorry for this, " said the professor, "for we would have paidheavily sooner than wait longer. "

"Humph! Yes, " exclaimed Mr Burne. "Why not call the man back andoffer him two-thirds of his price?"

"Because, sir, " replied the landlord, "it would have been giving himtwice as much as would pay him well. Don't you see, sir, that he isgoing back empty, and every piastre you pay him is great profit. Besides, I presume that you will take far more provisions than willsuffice for your own use. "

"Naturally, " replied the professor. 

"And this man and his little crew will reap the benefit?"

"But you have driven him away. "

"Oh dear, no, sir!" replied the landlord smiling. "He will be backto-night, or at the latest to-morrow morning, to seal the bargain. "

"Do you think so?" cried Lawrence, who looked terribly disappointed atthis new delay. 

"I am sure, " said the landlord laughing. "Here he is. "

For there was a quick step on the stair, the door was opened, and theswarthy face of the Greek was thrust in, the red cap snatched off, and, showing his white teeth in a broad smile, he came forward, noddingpleasantly to all in turn. 

A few words passed, the bargain was made, and the tall lithe fellowstrode out in high glee, it being understood that he was to well cleanout the little cabin, and remove baskets and lumber forward so as tomake the boat as comfortable as he could for his passengers; that he wasto put in at any port they liked, or stop at any island they wished tosee; and, moreover, he swore to defend them with his men against enemiesof every kind, and to land them safely at Ansina, or suffer death indefault. 

This last was his own volunteered penalty, after which he darted back tosay that their excellencies might bring a little tobacco for him and hismen, if they liked, and that, in return, they might be sure of finding aplentiful supply of oranges, grapes, and melons for their use. 

"Come, landlord, " said Mr Burne, "I think you have done wonders forus. "

"I have only kept you from being cheated, gentlemen, " was the reply. "These men generally ask three or four times as much as they mean totake. "

"And do the landlords?" said the professor drily. 

"I hope not, sir, " was the reply. "But now, gentlemen, if you willallow me, I should like to offer you a bit of advice. "

"Pray, give it, " said the professor gravely. 

"I will, sir. It is this. You are going into a very wild country, where in places you will not be able to help yourselves in spite of yourfirman. That will be sufficient to get you everything where the law isheld in anything like respect, but you will find yourselves in placeswhere the rude, ignorant peasants will look upon you as Christian dogs, and will see you starve or die of exposure before they will give or evensell you food for yourselves or horses. "

"Mighty pleasant set of barbarians to go amongst, I must say!" cried MrBurne. 

"I am telling you the simple truth, gentlemen. You will find no hotelsor inns, only the resting-places--the khans--and often enough you willbe away from them. "

"He is quite right, " said the professor calmly. "I was aware that weshould sometimes have to encounter these troubles. "

"Humph! 'Pon my word!" grumbled Mr Burne. "Look here, Lawrence, let'sgo back. "

"What for?" cried the lad flushing. "Oh, no! we must go on. "

The professor glanced at him quickly, and smiled in his calm grave waybefore turning to the landlord. 

"You have not given us your advice, " he said. 

"It is very simple, gentlemen, and it is this: Take with you a man whoknows the country well, who can act as guide, and from his frequenttravels there can speak two or three languages--a faithful trusty fellowwho will watch over you, guard you from extortion, and be ready tofight, if needs be, or force the people he comes among to give you orsell you what you need. "

"Oh! but are they such savages as this--so near to the more civilisedplaces of the East?"

"Quite, sir, " replied the landlord. 

"And where is this pearl among men to be found?" said the professor witha slight sneer. "Do you know such a one?"

"Yes, sir; he only returned from a journey yesterday. I happened to seehim this morning, and thought directly of you. "

"Would he go with us?" said the old lawyer quickly. 

"I cannot say for certain, " was the reply; "but if you will give meleave I will see him and sound him upon the subject. "

"Humph!" from the old lawyer. 

"He has just been paid, and would no doubt like to stay and rest here alittle while, but I daresay I could prevail upon him to go with you ifhe saw you first. "

"Then he is to be the master, not we?"

"Well, gentlemen, I don't say that, " said the landlord smiling; "butpeople out here are very different to what they are at home. I havelearned by bitter experience how independent they can be, and how strongtheir natural dislike is to Christians. "

"This man is not a Christian, then?"

"Oh, no, sir! a Muslim, a thorough-going Turk. "

"He will not carry his religious feelings to the pitch of pushing usover some precipice in the mountains, eh? and then come home thinking hehas done a good work, eh, Mr Landlord?" said the old lawyer. 

"Oh, no! I'll answer for his integrity, sir. If he engages to go withyou, have no hesitation in trusting him with your baggage, your arms, your purses if you like. If he undertakes to be your guide, he willlose his life sooner than see you robbed of a single piastre. "

"And what will he require?" said Mr Burne shortly; "what pay?"

"Very moderate, gentlemen, and I promise you this, that if I canpersuade him to go with you, the cost of paying him will be saved out ofyour expenses. I mean that you will spend less with him than you wouldwithout. "

"And he knows something of the country?"

"A great deal, gentlemen. Shall I see if I can get him to go?"

"By all means, " cried the two elders in a breath. 

"If he consents I will bring him to you. I beg pardon, I am wrong. Imust bring him to see you first before he will consent. "

"Then, as I said before, he is to be the master, not we, " said theprofessor. 

"No, no, sir, you must not take it like that. The man is independent, and need not undertake this journey without he likes. Is it surprising, then, that if he should come and see you, and not liking yourappearance, or the prospect of being comfortable in your service, heshould decline to go?"

"You are quite right, " said Mr Burne. "I would not. "

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

YUSSUF THE GUIDE. 

At breakfast-time the next morning the landlord came and announced thatYussuf was in waiting. A few minutes later he ushered in a ratherplain-looking, deeply-bronzed, middle-aged man, who, at the firstglance, seemed to have nothing whatever to recommend him. As a nationhis people are good-looking and dignified. Yussuf was ratherill-looking and decidedly undignified. He did not seem muscular, oractive, or clever, or agreeable, or to have good eyes. He was not evenwell dressed. But upon further examination there was a hardened wirylook about the man, and a stern determined appearance in the lines ofhis countenance, while the eyes that did not seem to be good, so sunkenwere they beneath his brow, and so deeply shaded, were evidently keenand piercing. They seemed to flash as they met those of the old lawyer, to look defiant as they encountered the professor's searching gaze, andthen to soften as they were turned upon Lawrence, as he lay back in hischair rather exhausted by the heat. 

A few questions were asked on either side, the newcomer speaking verygood English, and also grasping the professor's Arabic at once. Infact, it appeared evident that he was about to decline to accompany theparty; but the words spoken sonorously by the professor seemed to makehim hesitate, as if the fact of one of the party speaking the familiartongue gratified him, but still he hesitated. 

Just then, he hardly knew why, but attracted by the eyes of the Turk, which were fixed upon him gravely, and in a half-pitying manner, Lawrence rose and approached. 

"I hope you will go with us, " he said quickly. 

Yussuf took his hand and held it, gazing in the lad's face earnestly, asa pleasant smile illumined his own. 

"You are weak and ill, " he said softly. "The wind that blows in themountains will make you strong. "

Then turning slowly to the others he saluted them gravely. 

"Effendis, " he said, "I am thy servant. Allah be with us in all ourjourneyings to and fro. I will go. "

"I am glad!" cried Lawrence. 

"And so am I, " said the professor, hesitating for a moment, and thenholding out his hand, which Yussuf took respectfully, held for a moment, and then turned to Mr Burne. 

"Oh, all right, shake hands, " said the latter, "if it's the custom ofthe country; and now about terms. "

"Leave me to settle that with Yussuf, " said the landlord hastily, and heand the Muslim left the room. 

"Seems queer to begin by being inspected, and then shaking hands withthe servant we engage, eh, professor?" said Mr Burne. 

"The man is to be more than servant, " replied Mr Preston; "he is to beour guide and companion for months. He repelled me at first, butdirectly he spoke in that soft deep voice there seemed to me to be truthin every accent. He is a gentleman at heart, and I believe we havefound a pearl. What do you say, Lawrence?"

"He made me like him directly he looked in my eyes, and I am very gladhe is going. "

"I repeat my words, " said the professor. 

"Well, I mustn't quarrel, I suppose. My back's too bad; so I throw inmy lot with you, and say I am glad, and good luck to us. "

"Amen, " said the professor gravely; "but I like our guide's way ofwishing success the better of the two. "

CHAPTER NINE. 

YUSSUF IS SUSPICIOUS. 

Lawrence watched anxiously for the arrival of the new guide Yussuf onthe day appointed for sailing. There had been one more disappointment, the Greek having declared that he must have another day before he wouldbe ready, but there was no further delay. 

Yussuf came to say that he had examined the boat, that it was good, seaworthy, and well manned by a stout little crew of sailors, but thathe was very much dissatisfied with the accommodation prepared for thegentlemen. 

He had not been told to report upon this matter, and his evident quieteagerness to serve his employers well was satisfactory. 

"We expect to rough it, " said the professor. "It will not be for long. "

Yussuf shrugged his shoulders, and said as he looked hard at Lawrence:

"It may be long, effendi. The winds perhaps light, and there arestorms. "

"I am afraid we must risk these troubles; and besides, it is a coastingtrip, and we should be able to run into some port. "

Yussuf bowed. 

"I thought it my duty to tell his excellency of the state of the boat, "he said; and then, in an earnest busy way, he asked about the baggage togo on board, and provisions, promising to bring up a couple of the Greeksailors to carry down what was necessary. 

In the course of the afternoon this was done, the consul visited andparted from in the most friendly manner, Lawrence's eyes brightening asthe official rested his hand upon his shoulder, and declared in allsincerity that he could see an improvement in him already. 

The landlord endorsed this remark too on parting, and he as well as theconsul assured the little party that, if anything could be done to helpthem, a message would receive the most earnest attention. 

"You think we shall get into trouble, then?" Lawrence ventured to say, but shrank back directly he had spoken, with his cheeks flushed andheart beating, for his long illness had made him effeminate. 

"I think it possible, " said the landlord smiling; "but I sincerely hopeyou will not. In fact, with a man like Yussuf your risks are greatlyreduced. Good-bye, gentlemen, and I shall look forward to seeing youagain on your way back. "

"Bravo, Lawrence!" cried the professor, clapping him on the shoulder. "I had been thinking the same thing; now I am sure of it. "

"I don't understand you, " said the lad wiping his face, for theperspiration was standing in a fine dew all over his brow. 

"Why, both Mr Thompson and the landlord here said that you were better, and you have just shown me that you are. "

"How, Mr Preston?" said the lad bashfully. 

"By the way in which you just now spoke out, my boy, " said Mr Burne, joining in. "Why, you couldn't have spoken like that before we started. You are not much better now; but when we settled to come on this tripyou were as weak and bashful as a delicate girl. Preston, we shall makea man of him after all. "

They were walking towards the landing-place nearest to where the Greek'sboat lay, and further conversation was stayed by Yussuf coming to them. 

"The boatman will not believe, excellencies, " he said, "that there is nomore luggage. Have I got all?"

"Yes; all our luggage went on by the steamer to Ansina. "

Yussuf bowed and went back to the landing-place, where a small boatmanned by the Greek and one of his men was in waiting, and in thetravellers' presence Yussuf explained about their belongings. 

The Greek listened with rather a moody expression, but said no more; andin a very short time the little party were pulled to the side of a longlight craft, about the burden of a large west country fishing lugger, but longer, more graceful in shape, and with the fore-part pretty wellcumbered with baskets, which exhaled the familiar ether-like odour oforanges. 

The accommodation was very spare, but, as the weather was deliciouslyfine, there was little hardship in roughing it in the open--provisionbeing made for the invalid to stay in shelter as much as he liked. 

They began to find the value of their guide at once, for he eagerly setto work to find them seats by improvising places in the stern; showinghow he had arranged the provisions and fresh water, and offeringLawrence some ripe grapes as he made him comfortable where he would beout of the way of the men hoisting sail, and getting clear of the manyboats lying at hand. First one and then the other long tapering sailwas hoisted, each looking like the wing of a swallow continued to apoint, as it stretched out to the tip of the curved and tapering spar;and as these filled the light vessel careened over, and began to glideswiftly through the bright blue sea. 

After lending some help the Greek skipper went behind his passengers tothe helm, his crew of three swarthy-looking fellows, each with his knifein his belt, threw themselves down amongst the baskets forward, and asthe passengers stood or sat watching the glorious panorama of town, coast, and shipping they were passing, Yussuf calmly shook his loosegarment about him, squatted down beside the low bulwark, and lighting awater-pipe began to smoke with his eyes half closed, and as if there wasnothing more to trouble about in life. 

"'Pon my word!" said the old lawyer. "What a place this boat seems tobe for practising the art of doing nothing comfortably!"

"Yes, " said the professor, taking in the scene on board at a glance. "It is typical of the East. You must get westward to see men toilingconstantly like ants. The word business does not belong to theselands. "

"You are right, " said Mr Burne. 

"Well, it is the custom of the country, " continued the professor, "andwhile we have no hard travel to do, let us follow these people'sexample, and watch and think. "

"There is no room to do anything else, " said Mr Burne grumpily. 

"How delicious!" said Lawrence as if to himself. 

"What, those grapes!" said the professor smiling. 

"I beg your pardon!" exclaimed Lawrence, starting and flushing againlike a girl. "No: I meant sitting back here, and feeling this beautifulsoft breeze as we glide through the blue sea. "

"You like it then?" said Mr Burne smiling. 

"Oh, yes! I don't know when I felt so well and happy. It isdelightful. "

"That's right, " cried Mr Burne. "Come, now; we must throw the invalidoverboard. "

Lawrence laughed. 

"I mean the disease, " said Mr Burne. "No more talking about beingill. "

"No, " said Lawrence quietly, and speaking as if he felt every word heuttered to be true; "I feel now as if I were growing better every hour. "

"And so you are, " cried the professor. "Come, don't think aboutyourself, but set to work and take photographs. "

"Nonsense!" cried Mr Burne; "let the boy be, now he is comfortable. Photographs indeed! Where's your tackle?"

"I mean mental photographs, " said the professor laughing. 

"Then, why didn't you say so, man? Good gracious me, if we lawyers wereto write down one thing when we mean another, a pretty state of affairswe should have. The world would be all lawsuits. Humph; who'd thinkthat Smyrna was such a dirty, shabby place, to look at it from here?"

"A lovely scene certainly!" said the professor. "Look, Lawrence, howwell the mountain stands out above the town. "

"Humph, yes; it's very pretty, " said the lawyer; "but give me Gray's Innwith its plane-trees, or snug little Thavies' Inn. This place is asham. "

"But it is very beautiful seen from here, Mr Burne, " said Lawrence, whowas feasting on the glorious sunlit prospect. 

"Paint and varnish, sir, over rotten wood, " snorted Mr Burne. "Look atthe drainage; look at the plagues and fevers and choleras they gethere. "

"Yes, " said the professor, "at times. "

"Bah! very pretty, of course, but nothing like London. "

"With its smoke, " said the professor. 

"Fine healthy thing, sir, " cried the old gentleman. "Magnificent city, London!"

"And its darkness and fogs, " said Lawrence. 

"Well, who minds a bit of fog, so long as he is well?" cried Mr Burne. "Look here, young man; don't you find fault with your own land. Stickup for it through thick and thin. "

"For all of it that is good, my lad, " said the professor merrily, "butdon't uphold the bad. "

"Bad, sir! There's precious little that's bad in London. If you wantto go a few hundred miles there, you can go at any time and get goodaccommodation. Not be forced to ride in a market-boat with hard seats. Bless me, they are making my back bad again. "

"Oh, but, Mr Burne, look, look, the place here is lovely!"

"Oh, yes, lovely enough, but, as the fellow said, it isn't fit to livein long; it's dangerous to be safe. "

"What do you mean?"

"Earthquakes, sir. If you take a house in London, you know where youare. If you take one here, as the fellow said, where are you? To-dayall right, to-morrow shaken down by an earthquake shock, or swallowedup. "

"There are risks everywhere, " said the professor, who seemed to begradually throwing off his dreamy manner, and growing brighter and moreactive, just as if he had been suffering from a disease of the mind asLawrence had of the body. 

"Risks? Humph! yes, some; but by the time we've finished our trip, you'll all be ready to say, There's no place like home. "

"Granted, " said the professor. 

"Why, you're not tired of the journey already, Mr Burne?"

"Tired? No, my boy, " cried the old man smiling. "I'm in a bad temperto-day, that's all. This seat is terribly hard and--oh, I know what'sthe matter. I'm horribly hungry. "

He turned his head to see that Yussuf had finished and put away hispipe, and was busy over one of the baskets of provisions, from which heproduced a cloth and knives and forks, with a bottle of wine and severalother necessaries, which his forethought had suggested; and in a shorttime the travellers were enjoying a rough but most palatable _al fresco_meal in the delicious evening, with the distant land glowing with lightof a glorious orange, and the deep blue sea dappled with orange andgold. 

"We have plenty of provisions, I suppose, " said the professor. 

"Yes, effendi, plenty, " said Yussuf, who had been taking his portionaside. 

"Then pass what is left here to the skipper and his men. "

Yussuf bowed gravely, and the men, who had been making an evening mealof blackish bread and melons, were soon chattering away forward, eatingthe remains of the meal and drinking a bottle of the Greek wine Lawrencetook them. 

The tiller had been lashed so as to set the Greek skipper at liberty, and the travellers were alone, while, wearied by his extra exertion, Lawrence lay back, apparently fast asleep, when Yussuf approached theprofessor and his companion, with his water-pipe which he was fillingwith tobacco, and about which and with a light, he busied himself in themost matter-of-fact manner. 

But Yussuf was thinking of something else beside smoke, for he startledthe professor and made Mr Burne jump and drop his cigar, as he said ina low voice:

"Your excellencies are well-armed, of course?"

"Armed?" exclaimed the professor. 

Yussuf did not speak, but stooped to pick up the fallen cigar, which hehanded to its owner. 

"Be calm, excellency, " he said smiling, "and tell me. "

The professor looked at him suspiciously; but there was that in theman's countenance that disarmed him, and he said quietly: "We certainlyhave plenty of arms. "

"That is good, " said Yussuf, with a flash of the eye. 

"But our weapons are packed up with our luggage, and went on by thesteamer. "

"That is bad, " said Yussuf quietly. 

"We never thought they would be necessary till we got ashore. "

"Look here, my man, " said Mr Burne; "speak out. Are you suspicious ofthese people?"

"My life has taught me to be suspicious, effendi, " said Yussuf, lightinghis pipe, "particularly of the low-class Greeks. They are not honest. "

"But surely, " began the professor. 

"Be perfectly calm, effendi, " said Yussuf, pointing shoreward, andwaving his hand as if telling the name of some place. "I have nothingcertain against this Greek and his men; but we are out at sea and attheir mercy. "

"But something has happened to make you speak like this, " said Mr Burnewith a searching look. 

"A trifle, effendi, " replied the Muslim; "but a little cloud like thatyonder, "--pointing seaward now beyond the Greek sailors, so that thetravellers could see that they were watched by the skipper--"issometimes the sign of a coming storm. "

"Then what have you seen?" said Mr Burne suspiciously. 

"A trifle--almost nothing, effendi, only that the man there was out oftemper when he found that all your baggage had gone. "

"Humph!" ejaculated Mr Burne. "Then you think there is danger?" saidthe professor. 

"I do not say that, " said Yussuf, pointing shoreward again, "but yourexcellencies may as well learn your lessons at once. We are commencingour journey, and are now, as we generally shall be, at the mercy of menwho obey the laws when they feel the rod over their backs, but who, whenthey cannot see the rod, laugh at them. "

"What do you ask us to do, then?" said the professor quickly. 

"Be always on guard, but never show it. Be prepared for danger. Ifthere is none, so much the better. Life here is a little mattercompared to what I am told it is among you Franks, and it becomes everyman's duty to guard his life. "

"But these Greek sailors?" said Mr Burne sharply. 

"I do not trust them, " replied Yussuf calmly. "If we are the strongerthey will be our slaves. If they feel that they are, our lives wouldnot be safe if they had the chance to rob us. They believe yourexcellencies to be rich and to have much gold. "

"Look here, Yussuf, " said Mr Burne uneasily, "our friend ashore gaveyou a capital character. "

"I have eaten salt with your excellencies, and my life is yours, "replied Yussuf. 

"Then what would you do now?"

"Be perfectly calm, effendi, and treat these men if you did not knowfear. "

"And we have no arms, " said Mr Burne uneasily. 

"Can your excellency fight?" said Yussuf quietly. 

"A law case--yes, with any man, but any other case of fighting--goodgracious me, no. I have not fought since I had a black eye at school. "

"But you can, effendi?" continued Yussuf, looking with admiration at theprofessor's broad chest and long muscular arms. 

"I daresay I can, if I am driven to it, " replied the professor gravely;and he involuntarily clenched a large, hard, bony hand. 

"Yes, " said Yussuf, with a grave smile of satisfaction. "Yourexcellency can fight, I see. "

"But we are entirely without arms, " repeated Mr Burne excitedly. 

"Not quite, " replied Yussuf calmly. "Your excellency has a big stick;the effendi here has hands and strength that would enable him to throwan enemy into the sea, and I never go a journey without my pistol and aknife. "

"You have a pistol?" said Mr Burne eagerly. 

"Be quite calm, excellency, " said Yussuf, laughing as he smoked, andbowing down as if something droll had been said. "Yes, I have a pistolof many barrels given to me by a Frankish effendi when we returned froma journey through the land of Abraham, and then down to the stony cityin the desert--Petra, where the Arab sheiks are fierce and ready to roball who are not armed and strong. "

"Where is it?" said the professor. 

"Safe in my bosom, effendi, where my hand can touch it ere you blink aneye. So you see that we are not quite without arms. But listen, " hecontinued; "this may be all a fancy of mine. "

"Then you will do nothing?" exclaimed Mr Burne. 

"Oh no, I do not say that, effendi. We must be watchful. Two mustsleep, and two must watch night or day. The enemy must not come to thegate and find it open ready for him to enter in. "

"Those are the words of wisdom, " said the professor gravely, andYussuf's eyes brightened and he bowed. 

"This watchfulness, " he said, "may keep the enemy away if there be one. If there be none: well, we have taught ourselves a lesson that will notbe thrown away. "

"Why, Yussuf, I am beginning to think you are a treasure!" exclaimed MrBurne. 

Yussuf bowed, but he did not look pleased, for he had not warmed towardsthe old lawyer in the slightest degree. He had been met with distrust, and he was reserved towards him who showed his doubt so openly. 

"I thought it was but just, effendis, to warn you, and I thought itbetter to say so now, while the young effendi is asleep, for fear hemight be alarmed. "

"I am not asleep, " said Lawrence turning his head. "I have not been tosleep. "

"Then you have heard all that was said, " exclaimed the professor. 

"Every word, Mr Preston. I could not help hearing, " said Lawrence, sitting up with his face flushed and eyes brightened. "I did not knowtill just now that I was not expected to hear. "

"Humph, and do you feel alarmed?" said the old lawyer. 

"I don't think I do, sir, " replied the lad calmly. "Perhaps I shouldif--if there should be a fight. "

"I do not think there will be, " said the professor quietly. "Yussufhere has warned us, and forewarned is forearmed. "

"Even if we have no pistols, eh?" said Mr Burne laughing, but ratheracidly. "Humph, here comes the skipper. "

The Greek came aft smiling and unlashed the tiller, altering theircourse a little, so that as the evening breeze freshened they seemedliterally to skim along the surface of the sea. 

CHAPTER TEN. 

A NIGHT OF HORRORS. 

The night came, with the stars seeming to blaze in the clear atmosphere. The skipper had given up the helm to one of his men, and joined theothers forward to lie down among the baskets and sleep, as it seemed, while aft, at the professor's request, Mr Burne and Lawrence lay downto sleep, leaving the others to watch. 

The night grew darker, and the water beat and rippled beneath the bows, all else being wonderfully still as the boat glided on. 

Yussuf lit his water-pipe, and the professor a cigar, to beginconversing in a low tone, but always watchful of the slightest movementof the men. 

A couple of hours had glided away, and then, after being apparently fastasleep, the skipper rose and came aft to speak eagerly to Yussuf, whoheard him out, and then turned to the professor. 

"The captain says that there is no danger of wreck or storm; that he andhis men will watch over you as if you were given over to their safekeeping, and all will be well. "

"Tell the captain that I prefer to sit up and watch the sea and sky, "replied the professor. "When I am tired I will lie down. "

The skipper nodded and smiled, and went forward again, while, after someminutes' silence, the professor said softly:

"You are quite right to be doubtful, Yussuf, I mistrust that man. "

"Yes, " replied Yussuf in the same tone, "the Greek dog will bite thehand which fed him if he has a chance, but that chance, effendi, he mustnot have. "

The hours glided on, and some time, perhaps soon after midnight, theskipper rose again from where he had lain apparently asleep, but reallywatching the speakers attentively, and coming aft this time with one ofhis men, the sailor at the helm was changed, and the other went forwardto throw himself down as if to sleep. 

"Will not the effendi lie down and take his rest now?" said the skipperto Yussuf. "The day will not be very long before it comes, and then itis no longer time to sleep. "

Yussuf quietly repeated the man's words to the professor, who repliedcoldly:

"Tell the Greek captain that he is paid to convey us to our journey'send, and that it is not for him to presume to interfere as to the way inwhich we pass our time. Tell him we know the night from the day. "

Yussuf interpreted the words, and the Greek smiled and replied in themost humble manner that perhaps the English excellency did not know howbad it was for strangers to expose themselves to the night air. That hewas anxious about them, and wished them to go into the little cabin tobe safe. 

"Tell him to mind his own business, " said the professor shortly, andthis being interpreted the man slunk forward, and the professor saidsoftly:

"There is no doubt about it, Yussuf; the man is a scoundrel and has badintentions. "

"He is a pig, " said the Muslim in a low voice full of contempt; "but heand his men will be afraid to show their teeth to your excellencies ifwe are watchful and take care. "

Towards morning the man came aft again, but he did not speak, and justat sunrise Lawrence awoke to come hurriedly out of the cabin where MrBurne was still sleeping. 

"I thought you would have called us, " he said; "I thought we were towatch. "

"So you are, " said the professor smiling. "How have you slept?"

"Oh, deliciously--all the night. I never do at home, but lie awake forhours. "

"Even in a comfortable bed!"

"Even in a comfortable bed, " replied Lawrence. "But you must be verytired. I'll call Mr Burne now. "

"No, let him lie. He is a bit of an invalid too. Suppose you go andhave a sleep now, Yussuf; my friend here and I will watch. "

The Turk smiled. 

"Your servant once went without sleep for six nights in a time ofdanger. He slept a little upon his horse sometimes. One night withoutsleep! What is it? A nothing. No, your excellency must not ask me tosleep now. A short time and we shall be ashore, and away from theseGreek dogs, who think we are without arms; then thy servant will liedown and sleep for hours. Last night, to-night I shall not sleep. "

The bright morning, the glancing sea, and the soft breeze seemed to takeaway all the fancies and suspicions of the night. The shore was insight--the mainland or one of the beautiful Grecian isles, and to makematters more pleasant still Mr Burne was in the most amiable oftempers. 

"I must have been out of order when we were crossing the Channel, " hesaid smiling. "I thought it was sea-sickness, but it could not havebeen, for I am as well as can be out here in this little boat. "

The professor was almost annoyed with himself for his suspicions aboutthe Greek and his men, for an easier, happier-looking set it would havebeen impossible to find. They smiled and showed their teeth, as theylounged in the front of the boat or took their turn at the helm, andthen picked out some sunny spot where the tall sails cast no shade andslept hour after hour. When they were not smiling or sleeping, theywere eating melon, bread, grapes or olives, or watching like dogs to seeif any food was going to be given them by the travellers. 

The sail was glorious, and at first great way was made, but in thecourse of the afternoon the wind dropped, and the little vessel hardlymoved through the water. 

"This is vexatious, " the professor said. "I am anxious to get to ourjourney's end. "

"Don't say that, " said Lawrence, almost reproachfully; "one seems to beso happy, and everything is so delightful out here in the sunshine. Ishould like to go sailing on like this for ever. "

"If we had some cushions, " put in Mr Burne, who had overheard hisremark. "Well, it doesn't matter to a few days, one way or the other, Preston, " he continued; "we are very comfortable considering, my back'sbetter, and this is easy travelling, so never mind about Yussuf'ssuspicions. All nonsense. "

That day glided away, the brilliant night came, and with it the nervousfeeling of all being not as it should be. 

Nothing more had been said to Mr Burne till quite evening, but then theprofessor felt it to be his duty to speak of the suspicion, and did so;but the old lawyer laughed. 

"What nonsense, Preston!" he said; "why, the man and his crew are likeso many good-tempered gypsy boys. No, sir, I am not going to be scaredbecause the night is coming on. Poor fellows, they are honest enough. That sour Turk--I don't like the fellow--has been filling our heads withnonsense to make himself seem more important. It's all right. "

"I hope it is, " said the professor to himself, and in due course he laydown, but not to sleep. 

During the day, by a quiet understanding, he and Yussuf had taken it inturns to snatch an hour's repose, with the result that they were farbetter prepared to encounter the night than might have been supposed. 

"We will lie down, excellency, " Yussuf took the opportunity ofwhispering; "but one of us must not sleep. "

After a time the old lawyer, who had been leaning back watching thestars from far above till they seemed to dip down in the transparentsea, yawned aloud, and then began to talk in an unknown tongue, using astrange guttural language which for the most part consisted of arepetition, at regular intervals, of the word "_Snorruk_, " and this hada wonderful effect upon his companions, who had felt listless and drowsyafter the hot day; but the coolness of the night and the interestingnature of Mr Burne's discourse effectually banished sleep, and hence itwas that, when the skipper and a couple of his men came stealing aft toapparently change the steersman, the professor sat up, and Lawrence sawthat Yussuf was wide awake and on the _qui vive_. 

This occurred three times, and then the rosy morning lit up the tops ofthe distant mountains, and made the sea flash as if it were all so muchmolten topaz. 

A pleasant listless day followed, and another and another, during whichthe travellers slept in turn, and watched the various islands seem torise out of the sea, grow larger, and then, after they were passed, sinkdown again into the soft blue water. 

It was a delicious dreamy time, the only drawbacks being the suspicionsof the boatmen, and the cramped nature of the space at disposal. 

They sailed on and on now, with the water surging beneath their bows andthe little vessel careening over in the brilliant sunshine; but theywere still far from their destination, and now the question had arisenwhether it would not be wise to put in at the principal port of Cyprus, which they were now nearing, to obtain more provisions, as the wind wasso light that the prospect of their reaching Ansina that night was verydoubtful. 

The evening had come on, with the sun going down in the midst of apeculiar bank of clouds that would have looked threatening toexperienced eyes; but to the travellers it was one scene of glory, theedges of the vapours being of a glowing orange, while the sky and seawere gorgeous with tints that were almost painful in their dazzlingsheen. There was not a breath of wind, not a sound upon the smooth sea. The sails hung motionless, and the heat was as oppressive as if thoseon board were facing some mighty furnace. 

"Very, very grand!" said Mr Burne at last, after he had sat with theothers for some time silently watching the glorious sight; "but to mymind there's too much of it. I should like to have it spread overmonths, a little bit every night, not like this, all at once. "

"Oh, Mr Burne!" cried Lawrence reproachfully. 

"I once saw a pantomime many years ago, when I took some of my sister'schildren to a box I was foolish enough to pay for. This reminds me ofone of the scenes, only there are no sham fairies and stupid peoplebobbing about and standing on one leg. Just when everything was at thebrightest a great dark curtain came down, and it was all over, and itseems to be coming here, only it's coming up instead of coming down. Heigho--ha--hum! how sleepy I am!"

He lay down as he spoke close under the low bulwark, and as he did soLawrence glanced forward and saw that the gorgeous sunset had no charmsfor the sailors, for they were lying among the baskets fast asleep, their faces upon their arms, while, upon looking aft, the man at thehelm was crouched up all of a heap sleeping heavily. 

"It is very beautiful, " said the professor; "but I daresay some of ourEnglish sunsets are nearly as bright, only we do not notice them, beingeither shut up or too busy to look. "

"Doesn't this curious stuffy feeling of heat make you feel drowsy, MrPreston?" said Lawrence, after a few minutes' silence, "or do I feel itbecause I am weak with being ill so long?"

"My dear boy, " replied the professor laughing, "at the present moment Ifeel as if all my bones had been dissolved into so much gristle. It isthe heat, my lad, the heat. "

Lawrence lay back upon the deck with his head resting upon a pillowformed out of a doubled-up coat. He had tried going below, but thelittle cabin was suffocating. It was as if the bulkheads and deck hadimbibed the sun's heat all day and were now slowly giving it out. Tosleep there would have been impossible, and he had returned on deckbathed in perspiration to try and get a breath of air. 

As he lay there he could see the old lawyer sleeping heavily, theprofessor with his head resting upon his hand, and his face glorified bythe reflection from sea and sky, and their guide Yussuf seatedcross-legged smoking placidly at his water-pipe, his dark eyes seemingto glow like hot coals. 

Beyond him lay the Greek and his men upon their faces, motionless as theman at the helm, and then all at once the muttering bubbling noise madeby Yussuf's pipe seemed to be coming from the old lawyer's parted lips, and the pipe, instead of justifying its name of "hubble-bubble, " kept onsaying _snorruk_--_snorruk_, after the fashion of Mr Burne. Finally, there was nothing--nothing at all but sleep, deep, heavy, satisfyingsleep that might have lasted one hour, two hours, any length of time. It seemed as if there was no dreaming, till all at once Lawrenceimagined that the professor was bitterly angry with him for gettingbetter that he jumped up and kicked him violently, and that then, as hetried to rise, he stamped upon him, and the stamp made a loud report. He was awake. 

Awake, but in a dazed, puzzled state, for all was pitchy dark, and as hejumped up he was knocked down again, and would have gone over the sidehad he not struck against and clung to one of the ropes which supportedthe mast. 

About him a terrible struggle was going on; there was heavy, hoarsebreathing; men were trampling here and there with falls and strugglesupon the scrap of a deck. 

Then Lawrence turned cold, for there was a yell and a splash, followeddirectly after by a blinding flash of light and a loud report. 

The struggle went on for a few moments longer, seemed to cease, and avoice that he recognised said some words hastily in Greek, which werereplied to in hoarse panting tones. 

Then the professor's welcome voice arose out of the pitchy darkness. 

"Lawrence! Lawrence! where are you?"

Before an answer could be given there was the dull thud of a heavy blow, and the professor roared more than spoke the one word:

"Coward!"

The struggle was resumed for a moment or two, while the Greek skipperyelled out some order; but before it could be executed there came fromout of the darkness a sharp hiss and a loud roar. Lawrence felt himselfdrenched by what seemed to be a cutting tempest of rain, and then it wasas if some huge elastic mass had struck the boat, capsizing it in aninstant. The lad felt that he was beneath the surface of the water, thesudden plunge clearing his faculties and making him strike for thesurface. 

As he rose he had touched a rope, which he caught at with theinstinctive clutch of a drowning man, and found that it was attached tosomething which enabled him to keep his head above the water, but how itwas or what it all meant he could not comprehend in the midst of thedeafening rushing noise of the wind and the beating stinging blows ofthe surf that was flying over him. 

All at once from out of the darkness a hand seemed to be stretched forthand to grasp him by the collar of the light Norfolk jacket he wore. 

In spite of himself he uttered a cry of horror, but the grasp was notinimical, for he felt that he was drawn up on to what seemed to be aheaving piece of woodwork, and then a strong arm was passed round him, aman's breast pressed him down, and the rush and roar and confusionincreased. 

There were times when he could scarcely breathe, the wind and spraystifling him till he could turn by an effort a little aside. Then forlong periods together, as they seemed, they were under water, as somewave leaped over them. In fact, after a few such experiences he washalf insensible, and every struggle towards recovery was met by a newattack. 

How long it lasted the lad never knew; all he could comprehend was thathe was floating upon something in the midst of a wildly tempestuous sea, and that the wind and spray seemed to have combined to tear him fromwhere his feeble efforts were aided by a strong man's arm. 

Once or twice he fancied he heard a shout, but he could not be sure, andhe could make no effort to understand his position, for the storm thathad stricken the boat so suddenly robbed him more and more of the powerto move. 

It was like another waking from sleep, to feel that his head was beingraised a little more from where it drooped, and someone pressed a pairof lips to his ear and spoke. 

He could not answer, he could not even move, for though the voice wasfamiliar, its import did not reach his brain, and he lay perfectly inerttill it seemed as if the sea and wind were not beating so hard upon hisface, and that he could breathe more easily. 

Then it was not so dark, for the stars were coming out, and he foundhimself gazing at a great black veil that was being drawn over theheavens. 

The next thing he heard was a voice, a familiar voice, speaking, andanother which he recognised, and which came from close by, answered, butwhat was said he could not tell. 

There was another confused half-dreamy time, and then it wascomparatively light. The spray had ceased to beat, and the mass of woodupon which he had been dragged was rising and falling in a regulardrowsy rocking fashion, while now he felt bitterly cold. 

"I cannot get to you, Yussuf, " said the familiar voice again. "If Iattempt to move he will slip off into the water. Safe?"

"He is alive!" came in a low deep voice from close by Lawrence's ear, and then there was a fierce puff of wind again, and with it the dreamysensation once more. 

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

CAST ASHORE. 

When Lawrence came to himself again there was more vigour in his brain, and he was conscious that he was on the side of the boat held fast byYussuf. The wind was blowing fiercely, and had seized hold of a portionof a half-submerged sail which had filled out into a half sphere, andthey were going swiftly through the water. 

The stars were shining brightly; there was no more spray, and as herecovered himself he could see, right at the far end of the boat, thedimly defined head and shoulders of the professor, whom he knew by hisgreat beard, and he seemed to be supporting Mr Burne. 

Between them, seated high and clear of the water, were the Greek skipperand a couple of his men, holding on tightly in a bent position. 

There was deep silence now, save the ripple made by the boat in goingthrough the water, which it did at a fairly rapid rate, seeing how itwas submerged; but the wind having filled the portion of the sail, seemed to be raising it more and more from where it lay in the water, and as a natural consequence the more surface was raised and filled, themore rapidly the other loose portion was dragged up, distended, and drewthe boat along. 

For a full hour no one spoke. The travellers were divided by the Greekand his men, who held the post of vantage, and there was a growingfeeling in every breast that if any attempt were made to get into abetter position, the enemy would be roused to action, and perhaps thrustthem from their precarious hold into the sea. 

By degrees Lawrence began to get a clear understanding of what hadhappened, and as far as he could make out the suspicions of Yussuf hadbeen quite correct. The Greek and his men, for purposes of robbery, hadmade an attack during the night when all were asleep, and in the midstof the struggle one of the terrible squalls, whose threatenings they hadnot read on the previous evening, had suddenly struck and capsized theboat, to which they were now desperately clinging for life. 

Lawrence felt too much numbed to speak to Yussuf, or even to shout tothe other end of the boat, where the professor was clinging, and hiscompanion was too intent upon holding him in his position to care tomake any remarks. 

The breeze blew very coldly, and the lad knew that if it increased toany great extent, and the waves rose, they must all be swept off; butthe wind showed more disposition to lull than increase, the sail nappingand sinking once, but only to fill again and bear them steadily on. Forthe squall had exhausted its violence; the intense heat had passed, andthe sea rapidly grew more placid as they were borne along. 

There was something strange and terrible, and sufficient to appal aheart stronger than that of a boy who had suffered from a long andsevere illness. The darkness seemed to float as it were in a thicktransparent body upon the surface of the sea, while far above the starsshone out clearly and spangled the sky with points of gold. 

Where were they being borne? What was to be the end of it all? Werethey to cling there for an hour--two hours, and then slip off into thesea?

It was very terrible, and as he grew cold, a strange sensation ofreckless despair began to oppress Lawrence, mingled with a feeling thatperhaps after all it would be better to let go and slide off the boat soas to arrive at the end. 

These despondent thoughts were ended upon the instant by a movement madeby one of the Greeks who were crouching in the middle of the boat. 

He seemed to be quitting his position slowly and to be creeping towardswhere Yussuf was clinging. 

At that moment the Turk heaved himself up; there was a quick movement ofhis arm; and Lawrence clung spasmodically to the boat, for he felthimself slipping. 

In his agony he did not hear the click made by the pistol the guide hadsnatched out and held before him; neither could he understand the Turk'swords, but they were full of menace and evidently embodied a threat. 

The Greek uttered an angry snarl and snatched a knife from his waist, ashe crept on and said something, to which Yussuf replied by drawingtrigger. 

The result was a click, and the Greek laughed and came on; but just ashe was nearly within striking distance Yussuf drew trigger again, andthis time there was the sharp flash and report of the pistol, while fora moment the smoke hid the man from view, but a cry of agony and fearwas heard. 

The breeze cleared the smoke away directly, and revealed in the dimstarlight the form of the Greek lying back and one of his companionscrawling to his side. 

The Turk uttered a few words full of warning, and the second Greekpaused to speak in a low pleading tone, to which Yussuf responded bylowering his arm and watching his enemies while one helped the otherback to his place where he had clung. 

"Is he much hurt?" came from the other end of the boat. 

"I cannot say, excellency, " was Yussuf's reply in English. But directlyafter he roared out a few words in Greek, with the pistol pointed; foras soon as the wounded man was crouching in the central part of the boathe said something fiercely, and his two followers began to creep towardswhere the professor and the old lawyer clung. 

It was plain enough to all what Yussuf had shouted, with pistol aimed, for the two Greek sailors cowered down as if seeking to shelterthemselves behind their wounded skipper, and for a space no one moved orspoke. 

Yussuf was the next to break the silence with a few words of warningwhich made the Greeks creep back to their old position, and then whatseemed to be a terrible space of time ensued in the darkness that grewcolder and colder, and where it seemed to be vain to look around forhelp. No one moved or spoke, but all were animated by the same intenselonging, and that was for the light of day. 

Morning seemed as if it would never come. Right in front there was agreat black cloud touching the sea and rising high; but though the windset towards the cloud, which grew higher and broader, they knew that atany time the breeze might change to a furious squall, coming from wherethat cloud was gathering; and when it came it would be to find themnumbed and cold, and unable to resist its violence and the beatingwaves. 

The helpless drowsy sensation was attacking Lawrence again, and he wouldhave slipped back into the sea but for the strong arm about him. Thedimly-seen figures grew unreal and as if part of a dream, and he wasfalling more and more into a state of unconsciousness, when, as if bymagic, there was a patch of light in the sky before them, to right ofthe great cloud; there was a dull murmur ahead; then more light, and, asif by some rapid scenic effect, the stars paled, the sky grew grey, thenpink, red, glowing orange, and it was morning. 

Yussuf uttered a low cry of joy, for the dark cloud ahead of them was ahigh mountainous land, whose topmost points were beginning to blush withthe first touches of the sun that was rising directly behind. 

"We are safe, excellencies!" cried the guide. "In an hour this windwill carry us to the shore. "

"The boy!" cried the professor in a low voice that told of exhaustion. 

"He is here and safe, " was the reply. "It is day once more, and we canperhaps better our position. "

The words were hopeful and had a stimulating effect, but nothing couldbe done. The Greeks could not be trusted, even under the influence ofthreats, to go to the help of the professor; and Yussuf dared not quithis own charge, for Lawrence was too much exhausted to be left alone; sothere was but the one hope--to wait and remain clinging to the side ofthe boat until the breeze carried them ashore. 

As the sun rose warm and bright it brought with it hope and sent a glowthrough the chilled forms of all, but the morning light made nothingelse clear. They were just as they had made themselves out to be in thedarkness. 

The sail had been filled now till it was of a goodly size, and they wereborne more swiftly still towards what seemed to be a barren rocky coast;but the same dread was in the heart of each of the travellers, and thatwas lest when the sun rose higher the power of the wind should fail, and, slight as the currents were in that part of the world, they mightbe swept past the land unseen. 

The dread was needless, for at the end of about a couple of hours of themost intense anxiety the boat was blown close in to the beach, andstruck with a bump that changed her position, shaking Yussuf and hiscompanion from their hold. 

But it was into the shallow transparent water, and, gaining his feet, Yussuf tried to raise Lawrence on to his shoulders; but he was so stiffand cramped that he could only hold the lad beneath his arm and wadewith him ashore. 

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

A WARM LAND WELCOME. 

The distance was only some forty yards, and Yussuf was quite half-waythere when he was met by the professor, who came staggering down to hisaid, and between them they carried Lawrence the rest of the way, to layhim beside Mr Burne in the full sunlight and upon the soft warm sand. 

The three Greeks were already ashore selecting a spot a good hundredyards away, and they could be seen to be stripping the clothes fromtheir wounded captain, and then one of them appeared to be binding acloth round his leg, showing where Yussuf's bullet had taken effect. 

By way of precaution Yussuf's first act was to take out his pistol, andswing it about to get rid of all the water possible before unchargingit, and laying it with its cartridges in the sun to dry, in the hopethat some of them might prove to be uninjured, the water not having beenable to penetrate to the powder, though it was extremely doubtful. 

His next act was to take out his pipe from a pocket in his loose robe, and place that with his bag of tobacco and little tinder-box and matchesalso in the sun, which was rapidly gaining power, all of which beingdone he proceeded coolly enough to slip off his garments, to wring themand spread them upon the glowing sand. 

Meanwhile the professor was dividing himself between Lawrence and thelawyer, then lying in the warm sunshine, whose influence rapidly madeitself felt, and seemed to carry strength as well as a pleasant glow. 

"Well, Lawrence, " said the professor anxiously, "how do you feel?"

"Not quite so cold, " was the reply, "but very stiff and hungry. "

"Hah!" ejaculated the professor, "then you are not very bad. Can youfollow Yussuf's example?"

Lawrence hesitated. 

"Take my advice, my lad. Take off and wring your clothes as well as youcan, and then, in spite of being soaked with the sea-water, go down andhave a quick plunge, and then walk or run about till you are dry. "

The advice seemed so droll, that now the danger was past the ladlaughed, but he saw that Yussuf was doing precisely what the professoradvised, and, weakly and shivering a good deal, he did the same. 

Freed by the evident lack of anything to apprehend about the lad for thepresent, the professor turned to Mr Burne, whom he had been helping forsome hours to cling to the boat, and had sustained with a few whisperedwords of encouragement in his feeblest moments. 

The old man was lying in the sunshine just as he had sunk down upon hisback, apparently too much exhausted to move, but as the professor wentdown on one knee by his side he opened his eyes. 

"Not dead yet, Preston, " he said smiling. "I say, don't laugh at me. "

"Laugh at you, my dear sir?"

"For being such an old goose as to come upon such a journey. Oh, myback!"

"Come, come, it was an accident. "

"Accident, eh? I say, we'll prosecute those murdering thieves of Greeksfor this. "

"One of them has met his punishment already, " said the professor, "andYussuf has severely wounded another. "

"Yes. I was pretty well done then, but I saw him shoot that scoundrel. I believe the heathen dog was going to shove us off. "

"There is no doubt about that, " said the professor. 

"But Yussuf? don't you think he was in league with the murderousrascals?"

"Yussuf? My dear sir!"

"Humph! No! He couldn't have been, could he, or he wouldn't havefought for us as he did at first, and then shot that scoundrel yonder?I hope his bandage will come off, and he'll bleed to death. "

"No, you do not, " said the professor. 

"Oh, yes, I do--a dog!"

"No, you do not; and as to Yussuf--well, I need not defend him. "

"Well, I suppose not. Boy seems to be all right, don't he?"

"Yes, I think so. This warm sunshine is a blessing. "

"Hah, yes, but I'm so stiff and sore I cannot move. Preston, my dearboy, would you mind putting your hand into my pocket and taking out mysnuff-box. I suppose it's all paste, but a bit of that would be, likeyour sunshine, a blessing. It's all very well, but I'd rather have afire, a towel, a warm bath, and some dry clothes. Hah, yes! Thank you. Now for some paste. "

He thrust the little box in and out among the dry sand till the moisturewas all gone, and doing this dried and warmed his hands as well beforehe proceeded to open the lid, when he uttered a cry of satisfaction. 

"Bravo, Preston! Dry as dust. Have a pinch, my dear sir?"

"Thanks. No. I am drying a cigar here for my refreshment, in the hotsand. I daresay my matches are all right in their metal box. "

"Just as you like. Smoking is all very well, but nothing like a pinch. "

"I am most anxious about the boy, " said the professor. 

"Must teach him to take snuff. Well, where are we? Is this a desolateisland, and are we going to be so many Robinson Crusoes for the rest ofour days?"

"Desolate enough just here, " replied the professor; "but it must beinhabited. It strikes me that we have reached Cyprus. "

"Then, my dear fellow, just look about, or shout, or do something tomake the inhabitants bring me a bottle of Cyprus wine. Hah! a pinch ofsnuff is a blessing, and, bless me, how wet my handkerchief is!" hecried, as he struggled to his feet and took out and wrung the article inquestion before making the rocks echo with a tremendous blow. 

"How do you feel?" said the professor. 

"Bad, sir; but I'm not going to grumble till we get all right again. Imust try and walk about to get some warmth into me. How beautiful andwarm this sand is! Hah!"

He seemed to revel in the beautiful dry sand of the shore, which, withthe sunshine, sent a glow into the perishing limbs of all, and to suchan extent that in about an hour the sufferers were not so very much theworse for their adventure. The professor and Mr Burne had lit cigars;Yussuf was enjoying his pipe; and Lawrence alone was without anything tosoothe his hunger. 

The wounded Greek lay at a distance where his companions had left him. The professor had been to him with Lawrence, and seen to his injury, theothers paying no heed, and the injured man himself only looking sulky, and as if he would like to use his knife, even though he was beingtended by a man who knew something of what was necessary to be done. 

He was left then, and the professor and Lawrence joined Mr Burne, whowas very cheerful though evidently in pain. 

"I say, " he said, "those fellows had planned that attack. "

"Decidedly, " said the professor. "I feared it, though I did not sayanything more to you. "

"Then it was very ungentlemanly of you, sir, " cried the old lawyertestily. "Lucky for you I was awake, sir, or we should all have beenkilled in our sleep. "

"I thought you were fast asleep, as, I am ashamed to say, I was. "

"Oh, you own you were, professor. "

"Fast. "

"Then I'll own I was too. It seems, then, that Yussuf was on the watchand met them. "

"Exactly so, and saved our lives. "

"Well, I don't know about that, but he certainly kept the boy fromdrowning during the night, for I couldn't stir to help him. I don'tdislike that fellow half so much as I did; but I wish to goodness hecould do as those Turks and Persians did in the _Arabian Nights_. "

"What's that?" said the professor. 

"Conjure a breakfast up for that poor boy. "

"It strikes me, " said the professor, who was watching where Yussuf hadposted himself on the edge of the sea, "that that is the very thing heis about to do. "

"Eh? what do you mean?"

"Oh, I say, Mr Preston, don't talk about food if there is none, " criedLawrence, "for I am so hungry. "

"I mean this, " said the professor, "that the two Greeks down there areevidently trying to get something out of the boat, and if they findanything to eat, Yussuf is there with his loaded pistol, and he willcertainly have a share. "

In effect the two sailors had stripped, and were busy in the shallowwater doing something, and in a short time they had contrived to thrustthe boat out, and, by using the masts as levers, completely turned herround, so that her deck was parallel with the shore. 

The men were evidently working hard, and in a short time they had gotthe vessel so closely in that they were able to lower the sails, orrather run them down to the foot of each mast, with the result that, bythe help of hard work with a spar they partly raised the side of theboat that was submerged, its natural inclination to resume its normalposition aiding them; and at last, after several attempts, theysucceeded in getting at one of the baskets of provisions that hadfortunately not been washed away. 

As they dragged this out and waded ashore, they were for making off inthe direction of the spot where their wounded skipper lay, but a fewsharp orders from Yussuf stopped them. 

They were not disposed to yield up their prize peaceably, for each man'shand went to his knife, and the professor ran down to Yussufs help. 

But there was no need. The Turk went close up to them, pistol in hand, and the men stooped and lifted the basket, carrying it between themsulkily to where Mr Burne and Lawrence were breathlessly watching theproceedings. 

The water streamed and dripped from the basket as they bore it over thesands, and plumped it down, scowling fiercely, where they were told tostop. Then turning, they were going off, but the professor bade themstay. 

They did not understand his words, but their tone was sufficientcommand; besides there was Yussufs pistol, which acted like a magician'swand in ensuring obedience. 

"Tell the scoundrels that we will behave better to them than they haveto us, Yussuf, " said the professor; and he took out from the drippingbasket a great sausage, a bottle of wine, and one of the tins of biscuitthat were within. 

"Am I to give them this food, effendi?" said Yussuf calmly. "You willget no gratitude, and the dogs will murder us if they get a chance. "

"Yes; give it to them, " replied the professor. "Coals of fire upontheir head, O follower of Mahomet. There, bid them eat. We may want tomake them work for us. "

Yussuf bowed, and handed the food and wine to the two Greeks, who tookwhat was given them without a word, and went to join their companion. 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 

HOW TO BALE A BOAT. 

"Hah!" ejaculated Mr Burne, after they had made a hearty meal, seatedupon the warm sands. "I don't know that I like my biscuit sopped, andthere was more salt than I cared for, but really I don't feel as if Ihad done so very badly. Another taste of that wine, Preston. Hah!well, we might have been worse off. "

This was the general opinion, for matters looked better now, and adiscussion arose as to what they were to do next; whether they were totravel along the coast till they came to some village, or, as Yussufsuggested, try to get the boat baled out and righted, and once more makefor Ansina. 

Yussuf declared that they were undoubtedly on the western coast ofCyprus, but he could not tell them how far they might have to journey, and it would be terrible work for Lawrence, who was too weak to walkfar, so the Muslim's suggestion was received; and its wisdom wasendorsed by the action of the Greeks, who had carried their skipper downto the boat and seated him upon the sands. 

"We are three strong men against two now, " Yussuf had said, "for we willnot count the wounded master, or the young effendi here. The men shallempty the boat of water, and they shall take us across to the coast. "

"But suppose another storm should come?" said Mr Burne. 

"If another storm should come we should meet it like men, effendi, " saidthe Turk gravely. "That white squall last night saved our lives, for Iwas mastered. "

"And so was I, " said the professor. "You are right, Yussuf; but we mustnot let ourselves be surprised again. I had no business to sleep. "

"We should not have been surprised if yon Greek dog had not struck medown when he was pretending to be asleep by the helm. But see, effendi, he is ordering them to try and empty the boat. Let us go down andhelp. "

The remains of the food were placed in the basket, which was carrieddown and left in the sun to dry, not far from where the Greek skipperwas seated, holding his wounded leg. 

The tide there was very slight, but still it was falling, and thishelped them in their plans. 

The two Greeks were hard at work with the spar, using it as a lever; andtwice over they obtained so good a purchase that they raised thesubmerged side just above the water, but it slipped back directly. 

The professor did not hesitate, but said a few words to Yussuf, whohanded his loaded pistol to Lawrence, tucked up his garment, and wadedinto the water at once along with Mr Preston. 

"Humph! just as they were getting so nice and dry, " said Mr Burne. "Well, when one is in Cyprus, one must act like a Cypriote, eh, Lawrence, my lad? I say, fancy one of my clients seeing me doing this. "

He took off his coat, and rolled up his shirt-sleeves, noddinglaughingly at Lawrence. 

"Look here, my boy, " he said, "if that Greek rascal there moves, justyou go up and shoot him somewhere. Don't kill him, but we cannot standany of his nonsense now. "

The two Greek sailors stared as the three travellers came wading tothem, and seemed disposed to leave off their task; but Yussuf gave themtheir orders direct from Mr Preston, who made them get out some piecesof board and cut loose a couple of spars. 

The result of this was that one of the long spars was securely lashed bytheir aid to the top of the principal mast which acted as a lever, whenall took hold of the spar and pushed upwards. By this means the side ofthe boat was raised a foot or so, and could not sink back, for the freeend of the spar rested on the sand. Then another foot was gained, theend of the spar being dragged along, and so on and on, till from beingwhere it was lashed to the top of the mast, quite an obtuse angle of thewidest, it was by degrees worked into a right angle, and by that timethe submerged bulwark was quite out of the water, and the keel touchedthe bottom and kept them from moving the boat any farther. 

The next thing to be done was to bale out the enormous quantity of waterwithin, and there was no bucket or anything of the kind; but theprofessor was equal to the occasion. There was a small box in the bigprovision basket and the biscuit tin. These were emptied at once, andthe two sailors set to work baling, while, as soon as it was possible, an attempt was made to get something serviceable out of the littlecabin. 

The search was vain, but just then one of the sailors took out hisknife, left the biscuit tin with which he was baling, and going forwardthrust down his knife-armed hand, and cut free a good-sized cask whichwas lashed there for the purpose of holding water. 

This floated up directly, and when the man had got so far, he stoodholding on and looking at it. 

Yussuf had seized the biscuit tin, and was baling so as to lose no time, but the professor waded to the sailor, tossed the cask over, andfollowing it, dragged it out on to the sandy shore, where the sea-waterwith which it was now filled ran gurgling out of the big bung-hole. 

While it was emptying the professor walked some little distance to wherea few pieces of rock were lying, and securing one weighing about half ahundredweight, he brought it back, set the cask up, and dashed in itshead. 

This made a baling implement of wonderful power, as soon as it wasfloated back and lifted into the boat. Certainly it took two men to useit, but the professor called to Yussuf to give the baling tin back tothe Greek, and come to his side, and then Christian and Muslim set towork, stripping to it and displaying energy that made the Greeks workthe harder in spite of the burning sun. For seizing the cask, as hestood waist-deep, the professor depressed and sank it, and as soon as itwas full, he and Yussuf raised it between them till the edge was againstthe low side of the boat, and then they tilted it, sending its contentsinto the sea. 

It was slow and terribly laborious work, but at the end of an hour theamount they had discharged was something tremendous, and after a restfor refreshment, the baling went on till, towards evening, the feluccawas afloat once more, and riding to a little anchor cast out upon theshore. 

There was still a great deal more water in her, but everyone was weariedout, and the professor gave the word for a cessation of labour, whensome more provision was secured, with wine, and fairly distributed, whenthe Greeks encamped by their skipper, and the travellers went up closeto the rocks, where a little thread of delicious fresh water trickleddown and lost itself in the sand. 

This was a treasure to the travellers, and at the professor's desireYussuf filled the biscuit tin, and took it to the Greeks, who, however, only laughed and said they preferred the wine. 

The deliriously warm evening was spent in drying the wet garments in theheated sand, and in resting. The professor, who seemed a good dealfagged by his exertions, would hardly hear of sleeping, but wasexceedingly anxious about Lawrence, who, however, seemed to be none theworse for the past night's exposure, the warmth of the day and the resthe had had having recouped him to a wonderful extent. Mr Burne, too, though he had worked very hard, declared that he never felt better, andafter smoking a cigar, which he took as a sandwich between two layers ofsnuff, preparations were made for the night, it being decided to liedown early and rise at daybreak, when a couple more hours' work would, it was considered, make the felucca in a condition to sail at any time. 

The professor insisted upon Yussuf lying down at once to get the firstrest, so as to be roused up towards midnight to take the watch. 

He consented rather unwillingly, and then the point had to be settledwho should have the pistol and take the first watch. 

The professor wished to commence, but Mr Burne was so indignant andinsisted so sternly that the pistol was handed to him, after Yussuf hadbeen asleep for about a couple of hours, and then Mr Preston andLawrence sought their sandy couches, and lay for a little whilelistening to the soft murmur of the sea, and watching the brilliantstars in the dark sky and in the purply black water, while with regularand slow beat, like a sentry, Mr Burne walked up and down, pistol inhand. 

Lawrence lay awake long enough to hear the professor's deep breathing, and his muttering of something once or twice. Then he lay gazing at theold lawyer, thinking how comical it was, and what a change from GuilfordStreet in busy London, till it all seemed to be dim and strange anddreamlike. 

Then it really was dreamlike, for, though the old lawyer was stillmarching up and down before Lawrence's mental vision, it seemed to himthat he had swollen out to ten times his natural size, and that he wasnot walking to and fro between him and the sea, but in front of therailings in Bloomsbury, and that, to prevent his making a noise anddisturbing the sleepers, he had wound list all about his boots, whichnow made not a sound upon the pavement. 

To and fro, to and fro he seemed to go, till his head swelled andswelled and no longer appeared to be a head, but a great roughgrenadier's cap, and it was no longer Mr Burne, but one of the sentriesin front of the British Museum, who marched, and marched, and marched, till he marched right out of sight, and all was blank as a deep, deepsleep is sometimes, from which the lad started into wakefulness justbefore dawn, upon hearing the professor say loudly:

"Eh? What? Is it time?"

CHAPTER FOURTEEN. 

HOW MR. BURNE KEPT WATCH. 

"Yes, effendi, quite time, " said a stern voice which Lawrence, as he satup, recognised as Yussuf's; and there was the grave-looking Turk, mistyand strange of aspect, bending down. 

"Quite time, eh?" said Mr Preston yawning. 

"Quite time, effendi. Look there!"

Mr Preston rose and gazed in the direction of the Turk's pointingfinger, which was directed towards something indistinctly seen a fewyards away. 

"Mr Burne! Asleep!" said the professor quickly. 

"Yes, effendi; I lay down to rest as you bade me, and I slept, expectingto be called later on to watch; but I was not awakened, and sleptheavily. I was weary. "

"But Mr Burne was to watch for only three hours as near as he couldguess, and then call me. It is too bad. Those scoundrels might havestolen upon us in our sleep. "

Lawrence had risen and joined them. 

"Poor fellow!" he said softly; "he must have been tired out. Let mewatch now, Mr Preston. "

"No, " said the professor sternly. "Lie down and sleep, my lad. Sleepbrings strength. You shall have your turn as soon as you are wellenough. "

"Thy servant will watch now, " said Yussuf. "It is nearly day. "

"It is too bad, " said the professor again; and with the Turk he walkedto where Mr Burne lay fast asleep--so soundly, indeed, that he did notstir when Yussuf bent down and took the pistol from his hand. 

"Let him sleep, then, " said Mr Preston rather bitterly. "I willwatch;" and as he spoke he looked in the direction of the Greeks' camp. 

"Let thy servant, " said Yussuf quietly; "I am well rested now. "

The result was that Lawrence, after a glance round to see thateverywhere it was dark and still, once more lay down to sleep, leavingMr Preston and the Turk talking in a low voice about their proceedingsthe next day. 

Then once more all was blank, but to the lad he did not seem to havebeen asleep a minute when he heard voices and started up, to see that itwas broad daylight, and that Mr Preston and Yussuf were in earnestconversation with Mr Burne, who was sitting up rubbing his eyes. 

"Been asleep!" he cried; "nonsense! I don't believe I have closed myeyes. "

"No, " said Mr Preston as Lawrence hurried up. "I do not suppose youdid. It was nature, and she laid you down comfortably on this softsandy bed. "

"But you astound me, " cried the old lawyer. "I can't believe it. "

"Quite true all the same, " said the professor; "but never mind now. "

"It is of no use to mind, my dear sir. We must make the best of it. "

"Of course, but you should have awakened me when you felt weary. "

"Yes, exactly; I meant to--I--dear me! I remember now. I thought Iwould lie down for a few moments to take off a drowsy feeling. I meantto get up again directly, strong and refreshed. Dear, dear, dear! I amvery sorry! So unbusiness-like of me! What time is it?"

The professor smiled. 

"About four, I think. "

"Ah, yes; it must be about four, " said the old lawyer looking about himand encountering the stern eyes of Yussuf, which were full of reproach. "Good job the Greeks did not come and disturb us. "

"They did not disturb you, then?" said the professor gravely. 

"No; not they--the scoundrels! They had too serious a lesson in theboat, and--"

He stopped short and looked in the direction of the spot where the threeGreek sailors had lain down to sleep the night before, and then heturned his gaze out to sea. 

"Why, where are they?" he exclaimed at last. 

"Where, indeed!" replied the professor. 

"You don't mean to say--you don't want to make me believe that they aregone!" cried Burne excitedly. 

"They are not anywhere near here on shore, " replied the professor; "andthe boat has sailed away. There is only one in sight, miles awayyonder. That may be it, but I am not sure. "

"Do you mean to say that those scoundrels have taken advantage of ourbeing asleep to get on board the boat and escape?" said the lawyerangrily. 

"That is the only point at which I can arrive, " said the professor. "Look around and judge for yourself. "

The old lawyer looked sharply about him and then walked slowly away. 

"A mistake--a mistake, " he muttered; "I ought never to have come uponsuch a trip. Not fit for it--not fit for it. Disgraceful--disgraceful!I never--never could have believed it of myself. "

He stopped and turned back. 

"Send away this man, " he said quickly. 

Yussuf turned and walked away without another word. 

"Preston, " exclaimed the old lawyer, "I don't know what to say in mydefence. I have nothing to say, only that I never felt anything sobitterly before. "

"Then say nothing, " replied Mr Preston coldly. "You were overcome bysleep, and no wonder. But it was a terrible risk to run. Fortunatelythese men were cowed by what had previously taken place, and they couldnot know but what we were keeping a good watch. "

"It is inexcusable, " cried Mr Burne. "I feel as if I could hardly lookyou in the face again. Left helpless here! For goodness' sake, Preston, tell me what we are to do. "

"Quietly consult together what is to be done, " was the reply. "There, man! pray, don't look at me in that imploring way. "

"But it is so inexcusable, " cried Mr Burne. 

"Wait a bit, " said the professor smiling; "my turn may come soon, and Ishall have to ask your pardon for doing wrong. There! perhaps it is forthe best. If we had retained the scoundrels they might have been toomuch for us and played us some far worse trick. "

Mr Burne was about to speak again, but the professor arrested him andsuggested a walk along the shore to the north-east; but it was finallydecided to partake first of an early breakfast, then to pack togetherwhat was left of the food and start at once upon a journey that theyhoped would soon lead them to a village or town. 

After a visit to the shore, where the deep blue water came softlyrippling upon the sand, they sat down to their frugal breakfast by thespring, carefully husbanding the supplies, and then with enoughprovision to keep them for about a couple of days, they started off, this provision being the only luggage they had to carry, what few thingsthey possessed having been annexed by the Greeks, who seized upon themby way of payment for the trip, as of course they would not have daredto make any claim after what had occurred; and besides, it was notlikely that the skipper would care to show himself at any portfrequented by Englishmen for some time to come. 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN. 

THE LAWYER'S APOLOGY. 

For some distance the way was along good firm sand, and they got overseveral miles before the heat became too much for Lawrence, who was gladto sit down under the shade of a low cliff facing the sea and nibble oneof the biscuits that had been pretty well soaked with sea-water, anddrink from a rivulet whose presence suggested the halt. 

When the heat of the day had somewhat abated the journey was continued;and, at last, when the night was beginning to fall and arrangements hadto be made for sleep, the outlook was very black, for they were in avery desert place, and, though Yussuf and the professor both climbedeminences from time to time, there was not a trace of human habitation, while their supply of food was growing very short. 

"Never mind, " said the professor cheerily. "Let's have a good night'srest. I don't think we need set a watch here, eh, Yussuf?"

"It is always better to do so, effendi, " said the Muslim, in his quietthoughtful manner; "there is a great ridge of rocks yonder in front, andwho knows what may be on the other side. "

"But no one has seen us come here; and if they had, we have not much tolose. "

"Except the Turkish gold the two excellencies have in the belts roundtheir waists, " said Yussuf quietly. 

Mr Preston started at this, but said nothing then. Later on he foundthat his thoughts had been shared upon the subject, for, as they satclose up to a projecting cliff, Mr Burne leaned towards him andwhispered:

"Did you tell the guide that you had a lot of money in your cash-belt?"

"No. Did you?"

"No. "

"It is very strange, " said the professor. 

"It is worse, " was the reply; "but, look here, for goodness' sake don'tgo making me uncomfortable by hinting that Yussuf has designs againstus. "

"I am not going to, " said the professor shortly. "I agree that it isstrange that he should know it, but I am going to place absolute faithin Yussuf. If I am deceived in the man so much the worse for me. "

"But he is an unspeakable Turk, Preston, and you are always reading whatthe Turks are. "

"I am always reading what their wretched government is. As a race Ibelieve the Turks are a particularly grave, gentlemanly race of men. "

"I am sure, " said Lawrence, "that Yussuf is doing all he can in ourinterest. "

"Tchah! stuff, boy! what do you know about human nature?" cried MrBurne angrily. "We are out here in the desert at this man's mercy. "

"But he fought for us and saved me from drowning. "

"Of course he did, boy; he is paid to do it. "

"Then why don't you trust him, sir?" said Lawrence, speaking out boldly. 

"Because very likely he is doing all this to save us for himself. Suppose he robs us and then runs away to Tadmor in the wilderness, orsome other outlandish place, what can we do? There are no policemenhere. "

"Hush, " said Mr Preston; "here he is. "

Yussuf came gravely stalking down from above where he had been taking afresh observation inland. 

"I can see nothing, effendi, " he said softly. "We must sleep and seewhat another day brings forth. "

"Yes, " said Mr Preston; "and we are all weary. But, Yussuf. "

"Effendi?"

"How did you know that my friend, here, and I carried belts containinggold?"

The Muslim looked from one to the other sharply, and it was plain thathe read the suspicion in their eyes, for his own flashed, and a sternaspect came over his countenance. 

It passed away directly and his face lit up with a smile. 

"Simply enough, excellencies, " he said. "Mr Burne, here, is alwaysfeeling his waist to find out whether it is quite safe, or lifting it upa little because it is heavy. "

"I? What? No such thing, sir--no such thing, " cried the old lawyerangrily. 

"Well, I have seen you do so a great many times, " said Mr Prestonlaughing. 

"And so have I, Mr Burne, " cried Lawrence, "often. "

"I deny it, gentlemen, I deny it, " he cried; and sitting up heinvoluntarily placed his hands just above his hips, and gave himself ahitch after the fashion of a sailor. 

The professor burst into a hearty laugh; Lawrence roared; and Yussuf'sface was so comically grave that Mr Burne could not resist theinfection, and laughed in turn. 

"There, " he exclaimed; "I suppose, I do without knowing it, and I am socautious, too. "

"But come, " said Mr Preston, turning to Yussuf, "you have not seen medo this, I think. "

"No, effendi, never; but when we were busy baling the water out of theboat for these dogs of Greeks to escape, your garments were wet andclung to you tightly, and the shape of the belt could be plainly seen. "

"Of course it could, " said the professor bluffly. "Why, Yussuf, Ibelieve now in the story about the dervish who was asked if he met thecamel, and told the owners all about it: the lame leg, the missingtooth, the load of rice on one side, the honey on the other, and allwithout seeing it. "

"Nonsense!" said Mr Burne testily, "how could he?"

"Why, my dear sir, you must have forgotten that old tale. By the lightimpression of one foot in the sand, by the herbage not being evenlycropped, and by the ants being busy with the fallen grain on one side, the flies, attracted by the honey, upon the other. "

"Bah!" exclaimed the old lawyer. "Eastern tales are all gammon. Idon't believe in the East at all. "

"Nor in people being cast ashore in desert places and having encounterswith Greek sailors. Nor in their having a faithful experiencedMussulman guide, who fought for them and strove his very best to getthem out of their troubles, eh, Burne? Well, I do, and I'm very tired. Good-night, Yussuf. You are going to sleep, I suppose?"

"No, effendi, " said the Turk. "I shall watch till the stars say it istwo hours past midnight, and then I shall awaken you. "

"Humph! Wrong again, " cried Mr Burne testily. "I always am wrong. What are you laughing at, sir?"

"At you, Mr Burne. I beg your pardon, I couldn't help it, " saidLawrence. 

"Oh, I'll forgive you, boy. I'm glad to see you can laugh like that, instead of being regularly knocked up with our troubles. I begin tobelieve that you never have been ill, and were shamming so as to get aholiday. "

"Do you, sir?" said Lawrence sadly. 

"No, my boy. Good-night. Good-night, Yussuf, " he added, and then heraised an echo by blowing his nose. 

"Good-night, excellency, " said the Turk, rather haughtily; and soonthere was nothing to be heard but the sighing of the night wind and thelow murmur of the rippling sea. 

There was little to see, too, in the darkness, but the figures of thereclining sleepers, and that of the grave sentinel, who sat upon a bigmass of stone, crouched in a heap and looking as if he were part of therock, save when he changed his position a little to refill his pipe. 

The night passed without any alarm. The professor was awakened abouttwo and took Yussuf's place, and soon after daybreak the others wereroused, and the residue of the provisions was opened out. 

"Be easier to carry when eaten, " said Mr Preston laughing. 

He looked serious directly, for there was a peculiarly sombre frown uponYussuf's brow, which suggested that he was thinking over Mr Burne'ssuspicions of the previous evening, and his rather unpleasant way. 

"Look here, Burne, " the professor whispered, as they sat together on thesand eating their spare meal, "I think, if I were you, I would make abit of an apology to Yussuf. He is really a gentleman at heart, and hasbeen accustomed to mix a great deal with Englishmen. He is a good dealhurt by our suspicions, and it is a pity for there to be any disunion inour little camp. "

"Camp, indeed!" cried the old man testily; "pretty sort of a camp, without a tent in it. I shall be racked with rheumatism in all my oldbones. I know I shall, after this wild-goose chase. "

"Let's hope not, " said the professor; "but you will make some advancesto him, will you not?"

"You mind your own affairs, sir. Don't you teach me. My back'shorrible this morning. Can't you wait a bit. I was going to makeamends if you had left me alone. "

"That's right, " said the professor cheerily. "I want him to have a goodopinion of Englishmen. "

Lawrence watched eagerly for Mr Burne's apology, but he did not speaktill just as they were going to start, when he stepped aside behind arock for a few minutes, and then came out again and walked up to Yussufwith something coiled up in his hand. 

"Look here, Yussuf, " he said. "You're a stronger man than I am, andused to the country. I wish you would buckle this round your waist--outof sight, of course. "

As he spoke he held out his heavy cash-belt, which was thoroughly wellpadded with gold coin, and then threw it over the Turk's arm. 

Yussuf looked at him intently, and a complete change came over the man'sface as he shook his head and held the belt out for Mr Burne to takeagain. 

"No, excellency, " he said, "I understand you. It is to show me that youtrust me, but you doubt me still. "

"No, I do not, " cried Mr Burne. "Nothing of the sort. You think I do, because I said ugly things yesterday. But that was my back. "

"Your excellency's back?"

"Yes, my man; my back. It ached horribly. There, I do trust you. Ishould be a brute if I did not. "

"I'll take your excellency's word, then, " said Yussuf gravely. "I willnot carry the belt. "

"Nonsense, man, do. There, it was to make you believe in me; but allthe same it does tire me terribly, and it frets me, just where I feelmost tender from my fall. It would relieve me a great deal, and itwould be safer with you than with me. Come, there's a good fellow;carry it for me. I beg you will. "

The Turk shook his head, and stood holding out the belt, turning hiseyes directly after to Mr Preston and then upon Lawrence. 

"Come, " continued Mr Burne, "you surely do not bear malice because atired man who was in great pain said a few hasty words. The belt hasreally fretted and chafed me. I am ready to trust in your sincerity;will you not trust in mine?"

Yussuf's countenance lit up, and he caught Mr Burne's hand in his, andraised it to his lips hastily, after which he opened his loose robe andcarefully buckled the money-belt within his inner garment. 

"That's the way, " cried Mr Burne cheerily; and he looked happier andmore relieved himself; "and look here, Yussuf, I'm a curious suspicioussort of fellow, who has had dealings with strange people all his life. I believe in you, I do indeed, and whenever you find me sayingunpleasant things, you'll know my back's bad, and that I don't mean it. And now, for goodness' sake, let's get to some civilised place where wecan have a cup of coffee and a glass of wine. Preston, old fellow, I'dgive a sovereign now for a good well-cooked mutton-chop--I mean foursovereigns for four--one a-piece. I'm not a greedy man. "

Lawrence went forward to Yussuf's side, and these two led the way, alongby the purple sea, which was now flashing in the morning sun, and thedelicious air made the travellers feel inspirited, and ready to forgetall discomforts as they tramped on in search of a village, while, beforethey had gone far, Mr Burne turned his dry face to the professor andsaid:

"Well, did that do?"

"My dear Burne, " cried the professor, "I am just beginning to know you. It was admirable. "

"Humph!" ejaculated the old lawyer, who then blew a sounding blast uponhis nose. "I am beginning to think that a neater form of apology to aman--a foreign heretic sort of a man--was never offered. "

"It could not have been better. What do you think, Lawrence?" he addedas the latter halted to let his elders catch up, Yussuf going on alone. 

"I don't know what you were talking about, " he replied. 

"Mr Burne's apology. I say it was magnificent. "

"So do I, " exclaimed Lawrence. "Capital. "

"Humph! Think so? Well, I suppose it was all right, " said Mr Burne. "But I say, " he whispered, gazing after Yussuf who was striding awayfifty yards ahead and leaving them behind, "do you really think thatmoney will be all right?"

"I say, Mr Burne, " cried Lawrence laughing; "is your back beginning toache already?"

The old lawyer stopped short, and turned upon the lad with a comicallook, half mirth, half anger in his countenance. 

"You impudent young dog, " he cried. "I knew you were shamming, and notill at all. My back, indeed! Well, yes. Come along. I suppose it wasbeginning to ache. "

CHAPTER SIXTEEN. 

THE STARTING-POINT. 

Mr Burne showed no more distrust, though Yussuf was striding awayfaster and faster, at a rate that Lawrence's strength forbade him toattempt to emulate; but the reason soon became evident. He was makingfor an elevation about a mile away, and upon reaching it he toiled up tothe top, and as soon as he had done so he turned and took off his fezand began to wave it in the air. 

"He has found out something, " said the professor. 

"If it is a hotel where we can get a good breakfast he shall have myadvice for nothing any time he likes to come and ask it, " said MrBurne, rubbing his hands. 

"In London?" said the professor. 

"Anywhere, sir. There, that will do. Don't swing your arms about likethat, " he continued, addressing the guide, who was of course far out ofhearing. "Anyone would think that because he was right on the top of ahill he had caught the wind-mill complaint. "

The three travellers were almost as much excited as Yussuf, and hurriedon, Lawrence forgetting his weakness in the interest of the moment, sothat it was not long before they reached the top--hot, breathless, andpanting with exertion. 

Their guide pointed to what appeared to be a group of huts a long wayoff. 

"Is that all?" grumbled the old lawyer. "I thought you had found aplace where we could have a comfortable meal. "

"There will be bread, and fruit, and a boat, excellency, " said Yussufquietly; "and these are what you want, are they not?"

"I suppose so, " replied Mr Burne, gazing forward at what now appearedto be a cluster of small houses by the sea-shore, backed by a densegrove of trees, while in front, and about a quarter of a mile from thesands, lay three small boats. "It is not a desert place then, " hegrumbled, as they all went on together. "How far is it to that clusterof hovels?"

"About two miles, excellency. "

"About two miles, and before breakfast, " muttered the old fellow sourly;but he drew a long breath as if he were trying to master hisdisinclination, and then turning to Lawrence with a grim smile he cried, "Now, look here, cripple against invalid, I'll race you; fair walking, and Mr Preston to be umpire. One--two--three--off. "

It was a fair walk of about an hour before they entered the cluster ofhuts, each surrounded by a good-sized fruit garden, the people standingoutside and staring hard at the strange visitors who came along theshore, one of whom plumped himself upon the edge of a boat that wasdrawn up on the sands, another throwing himself down, hot and pantingwith exertion, while the two who were left a little way behind strode upmore leisurely, one of them to ask for refreshment and a resting-placeout of the sun. 

"There is no mistake about it, Lawrence, " cried the professor eagerly, "you couldn't have done that in England. "

Lawrence laughed. 

"But I am completely tired out, " he exclaimed, wiping his face. "Icould not have gone any further. "

"Neither could I, " groaned Mr Burne. "Oh, my back, my back! Who won, Preston?"

"A dead heat, decidedly, " said the professor laughing; but he waswatching Lawrence the while very attentively, and asking himself whetherhe was letting the lad over-exert himself. 

One thing, however, was plain enough, and that was that the sick lad hadbeen allowed to droop and mope in his ailment. The serious disease wasthere, of course, but he had been nursed up and coddled to a terribleextent, and this had made him far worse than he would have been had heled an active country life, or been induced to exert himself a littleinstead of lying in bed or upon a couch day after day. 

The people seemed disposed to resent the coming of the strangers atfirst, and declined to supply them with either food or a resting-place, till Yussuf drew out some money, and assured them that they would bepaid for everything that was eaten. Then they grew more civil, andYussuf explained to his employers that the reason for the people'schurlishness was, that they were often obliged to supply food or work bysome tyrannical government officer or another, and the only payment theyhad was in the form of blows if they complained. 

The payment after they had supplied a meal of curd and milk with breadand fruit completely altered their demeanour, and upon its beingintimated that a boat was required to take their visitors over toAnsina, quite a dispute arose between the owners of two as to whichshould have the honour and profit; but all was at length settledamicably by Yussuf, and that evening, fairly provisioned by the combinedaid of the tiny village, the best of the boats hoisted its sails, andthe shores of Cyprus began to look dim as the night fell, and thetravellers were once more on their way. 

The winds were so light and contrary that it was not until the eveningof the third day that they were well in sight of the country that was tobe the scene of their journeyings for many months to come; and then, asthey neared Ansina, it was to see a scattered town that seemed as if ofmarble beyond the purple sea, while beyond the town lay to right andleft a fairy-like realm of green and gold, beyond which again lay rangeupon range of amethystine mountains, above which in turn were peaks ofdazzling white, save where the evening sun was gilding salient points ofa pure pale gold. 

The run had been very pleasant in spite of the cramped accommodation, for the little crew were a kindly simple people, whose countenancesinvited trust, and though the fare on board had been scant, yet it waswholesome and good, as the rest the travellers had found was grateful. 

So satisfactory was this part of the trip that Mr Burne forgot abouthis back, and as he stood gazing at the glorious panorama, indulging inan occasional pinch of snuff, he suddenly whisked out his handkerchiefand blew a clarion blast which made the boatmen start. 

"Hah!" he exclaimed suddenly; "this will do. I tell you what it is, Preston; when I get back I shall start a company for the reclamation ofthis country. It must be taken from the Turks, and we must have a newEnglish colony here. "

"The first Roman who saw the place must have felt something like you doabout his native land, " said the professor. 

"Oh, the Romans had a colony here, had they?"

"Yes; and the Greeks before them. "

"Humph!" ejaculated the old lawyer, as he let his eyes wander from spotto spot glowing in the sinking sun, and growing more beautiful as theyadvanced. "Well, I always had, as a boy, a most decided objection tothe Greeks and Romans, and I used to wish that, when they died out, their tongues had been buried with them instead of being left behind topester schoolboys; but now I am beginning to respect them, for they musthave known what they were about to settle in such a land as this. Lovely, eh, Lawrence?"

"Grand!" was the reply uttered in enraptured tones; "but don't talk tome, please, I feel as if I could do nothing else but look. "

The professor smiled and joined him in drinking in the beauty of thescene, till the little felucca sailed in under the shelter of a largestone wall that formed part of the ancient port. Here they foundthemselves face to face with the handiwork of one of the great nationsof antiquity, this having been a city of the Greeks, before the Romansplanted their conquering feet here, to die away leaving their brokencolumns, ruined temples, and traces of their circus and aqueducts, amongwhich the mingled race of Turks and present-day Greeks had raised theshabby village, more than town, that clustered about the port. 

"Safe ashore at last, " said the professor as he stepped on to a largeblock of squared stone in which was secured with lead an ancient ring. "Now, Lawrence, our travels are to begin. How do you feel? ready forplenty of adventure?"

"Yes, quite, " was the reply. 

"Then, first of all, for a comfortable resting-place. To-morrow we willsee the resident, and then make preparations for our start. "

"Humph!" ejaculated Mr Burne; and he blew his nose in a way never heardin Asia Minor before. 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. 

PREPARATIONS FOR A JOURNEY. 

Lawrence Grange left England as weak and helpless in mind as he was inbody; but, in the brief period that had elapsed, his mind had rapidlyrecovered its balance, and, leaving his body behind, had strengthened sothat, eager and bright, and urged on by the glorious novelty of thethings he saw, his spirit was now always setting his body tasks that itcould not perform. 

"I'm sure I am getting worse, " he said one morning, after returning fromhaving a delicious bathe down by the ruins of the old port. "I neverfelt so weak as this in England. "

The professor burst into a hearty fit of laughter, in which the oldlawyer joined, and then took snuff and snapped his fingers till both hiscompanions sneezed. 

"I say, " cried Lawrence, "isn't it cruel of you two, laughing at a poorfellow for what he cannot help. "

He looked so piteously at them that they both grew serious directly. 

"Why, my dear boy, " cried Mr Preston, "can you not see that you keep onovertasking yourself? Growing worse! Now, be reasonable; you had to becarried down to the fly in London; the porters carried you to thefirst-class carriage in which you went down by rail, and you werecarried to the steamer. "

"Yes, " said Lawrence sadly; "that is true, but I did not feel so weak asthis. "

"Get out, you young cock-goose!" cried Mr Burne. "Why, you have beenbathing, and you haven't had your breakfast yet. "

"And you are mistaking fatigue for weakness, " said the professor. 

"Of course, " cried Mr Burne. "Why, look here. You were out nearly allday yesterday with us or with Yussuf looking at ruins, going over theplace, and seeing about the horses, and now, as soon as you woke thismorning, you were off with Preston here to kick and splash about in thewater. Weak? what nonsense! Oh, here's Yussuf. Here, hi! you grandTurk, what do you say about this boy? He thinks he is not so well. "

"The young effendi?" cried Yussuf. "Oh! I have been out this morningto see some other horses, excellencies, that are far better than any wehave yet seen. They are rough, sturdy little fellows from themountains, and you ought to buy these. "

"Buy or hire?" said the professor. 

"Buy, excellency. You will feed and treat them well, and at the endthey will be worth as much if not more than you gave for them. Besides, if you hire horses, they will be inferior, and you will be alwayschanging and riding fresh beasts. "

"Yes, of course, " said the old lawyer; "but there is no risk. "

"Your excellency will pardon me, there will be more risks. We shalltraverse many dangerous mountain paths, and a man should know his horseand his horse know him. They should be good friends, and take care ofeach other. A Turkish horse loves the hand that feeds him, the masterthat rides upon his back. "

"I am sure you are right, Yussuf, " said the professor. "We will go byyour advice and buy the horses. "

"Here, hold hard!" cried Mr Burne. "Look here. Do you mean to tell methat I am expected to ride a horse along a dangerous mountain road? Imean a shelf over a precipice. "

"Certainly, your excellency, the roads are very bad. "

"You do not feel nervous about that, do you, Burne?" said the professor. 

"Oh, dear me, no, not at all, " cried the old lawyer sarcastically. "Goon. I've had a pretty good hardening already, what with knocking on thehead, drowning, shipwrecking, starving, and walking off my legs. "

"But, if you really object to our programme, we will try some easierroute, " said the professor. 

"Oh, by no means, sir, by no means. I have only one thing to say. Isee you have made up your mind to kill me, and I only make one proviso, and that is, that you shall take me back to England to bury me decently. I will not--I distinctly say it--I will not stay here. "

"Your excellency shall come to no harm, " said Yussuf, "if I can preventit. With care and good horses there is very little risk. "

"How soon shall we go to see the horses?" cried Lawrence eagerly. 

"When you have been lying up for a month, " replied Mr Burne gruffly. "You are too weak, and going back too much to venture out any more. "

"Till you have had a good breakfast, " said the professor, laughing as hesaw the lad's look of keen disappointment; and they sat down at once toa capital meal. 

For they had been a week in Ansina, and were comfortably lodged in thehouse of a Turk whom Yussuf had recommended, and who, in a grave way, attended carefully to their wants. The luggage sent on by steamer hadarrived safely, and, with the exception of the few things lost in thefelucca, they were very little the worse for their mishap. 

So far they had been delayed by the difficulty of obtaining horses, butnow the opportunity had come for obtaining what was necessary, walkingbeing out of the question, and the only means of traversing the ruggedcountry, that was to be the scene of their ramblings, was by the help ofa sure-footed horse. 

Lawrence forgot all about his weakness as soon as breakfast was over, and started off with his companions to see the animals that were forsale. 

They were at an outlying place a couple of miles away from theirlodgings, and the walk in the delicious autumn air was most enjoyable. In the distance was the mysterious soft blue range of mountains thatthey were to penetrate for some six weeks, before the season grew tooadvanced, and to Lawrence it was a perfect wonderland that was to provefull of sights that would astound, adventures that would thrill; and, could he have had his way, he would have set off at once, and withoutall the tedious preparations that Yussuf deemed necessary. 

The first mile of their way was uninteresting. Then they entered alittle valley with precipitous sides, their path running by the side ofa beautiful little stream, which they had to cross again and again; buttheir progress was not rapid, for Mr Burne always stopped to examinethe pools and talk about how fond he had been of fishing when he was aboy. 

Farther on they kept coming to little houses pleasantly situated ingardens, very much as might be seen in the suburbs of an English town, for these were the country houses of the wealthy Turks of the place, whocame and dwelt here in the hot times of the summer. 

There was a great similarity about these places. Houses and walls werebuilt of fine, large, well-squared blocks of stone and marble, withevery here and there a trace of carving visible--all showing that theTurk's quarry was the ruined Roman city, which offered an almostinexhaustible supply. 

These little estates were either just above the river, perched on oneside, or so arranged that the stream ran right through the grounds, rippling amongst velvety grass lawns, overshadowed by great walnuts, with mulberry and plum trees in abundance. 

"Hi, stop a moment, " cried Mr Burne, as they reached one beautifulclump of trees, quite a grove, whose leaves were waving in the softmountain-breeze. 

"What have you found?" said the professor, as Lawrence hurried up. 

"That, sir, that, " cried Mr Burne. "See these trees. "

"Yes, " said the professor, "a magnificent clump of planes--what a hugesize!"

"Exactly, " said the old lawyer. "Now, do you see what that proves?"

"What--the presence of those trees?"

"Yes, sir, " said the old lawyer dogmatically. "They show, sir, that theTurk is a much-abused man. People say that he never advances, but yousee he does. "

"How?" said the professor, "by being too lazy to quarry stone or marblein these mountains, where they abound, and building his house out of theedifices raised by better men?"

"No, sir; by following our example, importing from us, and plantingwalnut-trees and these magnificent planes all about his place. Look atthese! Why, I could almost fancy myself in Gray's Inn Gardens. "

"My dear Burne, are you serious?"

"Serious, sir? Never more so in my life. They are beautiful. "

"Yes, they are very beautiful, " said the professor drily. "But I alwaysthought that these trees were the natives of this country, and thatinstead of the Turks imitating us, we had seen the beauty of thesetrees, and transplanted some of them when young to our own land. "

"Absurd!" said the old lawyer dictatorially, and he was about to saymore when Yussuf stopped at a rough kind of inclosure, where a Turk wasseated upon the grass beneath a shady tree smoking thoughtfully, andapparently paying no heed to the new-comers. 

"The horses are here, " he said; and upon being spoken to, the Turk rose, laid aside his pipe, and bowed. 

It was not a long business, for Yussuf and the owner of the horses werecompatriots, but Lawrence stared at the animals in dismay when hefollowed his companions into the inclosure. He had pictured to himselfso many lovely flowing-maned creatures of Arab descent, large-eyed, wideof nostril, and with arched necks, and tails that swept the ground. Heexpected to see them toss up their heads and snort, and dash off wildly, but on the contrary the dozen horses that were in the inclosure wentquietly on with their grazing in the most business-like manner, and whena boy was sent to drive them up, they proved to be shaggy, heavy-headed, rather dejected-looking animals, with not an attractive point aboutthem. 

"Surely you will not buy any of these, Preston, " said Mr Burne. "I donot understand horses, but those seem to be a very shabby lot. "

"They are young, effendi, healthy and strong, " said Yussuf gravely. "They are accustomed to the mountains, and that is what we require. Large, handsome horses, such as you see in the desert or at Istamboul, would be useless here. "

"There, I am not going to doubt your knowing best, " said Mr Burnequietly; and the bargain was made, four being selected for riding, andtwo that were heavier and stronger for baggage animals. 

Arrangements were made for the horses to be driven before them down toAnsina, and as soon as the six purchased were driven out of theinclosure their companions trotted up, thrust their heads over a bar, and whinnied a farewell, while the others seemed to be in high glee atthe change. They threw up their heads and snorted; and one that was ofa cream colour, and the smallest of the lot, began to display aplayfulness that upset all the rest. The way he displayed his humourwas by stretching out his neck, baring his teeth, and running at andbiting his companions in turn--a trick which necessitated a good deal ofagility, for the other horses resented the attacks by presenting theirheels to their playful companion for inspection--a proceeding of whichhe did not at all approve. 

All went well, however, the animals were safely stowed away in thestable prepared for their use, and each was soon busy at work grindingup the barley served out for his particular benefit, oats being a luxurythey were not called upon to enjoy. 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. 

MR. BURNE BLOWS HIS NOSE. 

"At last!" cried Lawrence, as they set off for their first incursion. Two more days had been occupied in purchasing stores, saddlery, andother necessaries for their trip, and, as the lad said, at last theywere off. 

The start of the party excited no surprise in the little town. It wasnothing to the people there to see four well-armed travellers set off, followed by a sturdy peasant, who had charge of the two heavily-ladenpack-horses, for, in addition to the personal luggage and provisions ofthe travellers, with their spare ammunition, it was absolutely necessaryto take a supply of barley sufficient to give the horses a good feed, ortwo, in case of being stranded in any spot where grain was scarce. 

The heat was very great as they rode on over the plain, and Mr Burne'spocket-handkerchief was always busy either to help him sound an alarm, to wipe the perspiration from his brow, or to whisk away the flies fromhimself and horse. 

"It's enough to make a man wish he had a bushy tail, " he said, after anexasperated dash at a little cloud of insects. "Peugh! what a number ofnuisances there are in the land!"

But in a short time, enjoying the beautiful prospects spread around, they rode into a wooded valley, where the trees hung low, and, as theypassed under the branches, the trouble from the virulent and hungryflies grew less. 

The ascent was gradual, and after a few miles the woodland part ceased, and they found themselves upon a plain once more, but from the state ofthe atmosphere it was evidently far more elevated than that where thetown lay. Here for miles and miles they rode through clover and wildflowers that lay as thick as the buttercups in an English meadow. Butin addition to patches of golden hue there were tracts of mauve andscarlet and crimson and blue, till the eyes seemed to ache with theprofusion of colour. 

So far the ride had been most unadventurous. Not a house had been seenafter they had quitted the outskirts of the town, nothing but wasteland, if that could be called waste where the richest of grasses andclovers with endless wild flowers abounded. 

At mid-day a halt was made beneath a tremendous walnut-tree growing neara spring which trickled from the side of a hill; and now the horses wereallowed to graze in the abundant clover, while the little party madetheir meal and rested till the heat of the day was past. 

Here Yussuf pointed out their resting-place for the night--a spot thatlay amid the mountains on their right, apparently not far off; but theMuslim explained that it would be a long journey, and that they must notexpect to reach it before dark. 

After a couple of hours the horses were loaded again, and sent on firstwith their driver, while the travellers followed more leisurely alongthe faint track for it could hardly be called a road. The second plainwas soon left behind, and their way lay among the hills, valley aftervalley winding in and out; and as fast as one eminence was skirtedothers appearing, each more elevated than the last, while the scenerygrew wilder and more grand. 

The little horses were behaving very well, trudging along sturdily withtheir riders, and every hour proving more and more the value of Yussuf'schoice. There was no restiveness or skittish behaviour, save that onceor twice the little cream-coloured fellow which Lawrence had selectedfor himself and christened Ali Baba had shown a disposition to bite oneof his companions. He soon gave up, though, and walked or trottedsteadily on in the file, Yussuf leading, the professor coming next, thenLawrence, and Mr Burne last. 

They stopped at various points of the rising road to study the grandpatches of cedars, clumps of planes low down in the valleys, and theslopes of pines, while in the groves the thrushes sang, and theblackbirds piped as familiarly as if it was some spot in Devonshireinstead of Asia Minor. Then a diversion was made here and there toexamine some spring or the edge of a ravine where a stream ran. Therewas plenty of time for this, as the two baggage-horses had to bestudied, and they were soon overtaken after one of these rides. 

But at last a visit to a few stones on a hillside, which had evidentlybeen a watch-tower in some old period of this country's history, took upso much time that the man with the baggage was a good hour's journeyahead; and as they reached the track once more Yussuf turned to ask theprofessor whether he thought the invalid could bear the motion if he ledthe way at a trot. 

The professor turned to ask Lawrence, who replied that he believed hecould, and then something happened. 

The professor had hardly spoken and obtained his reply before Mr Burne, who had been refreshing himself with a pinch of snuff, whisked out hishandkerchief according to his custom. 

They were now going along a valley which ran between too highish wallsof rock, dotted here and there with trees--just the sort of place, infact, where anyone would be disposed to shout aloud to try if there wasan echo; but the idea had not occurred to either of the travellers, whose thoughts were bent upon overtaking the baggage animals with theirstores, when quite unexpectedly Mr Burne applied his handkerchief tohis face and blew his nose. 

It was not one of his finest blasts, there was less thunder in it, andmore high-pitched horn-like music, but the effect was electrical. 

There was an echo in that valley, and this echo took up the sound, repeated it, and seemed to send it on to a signalling station higher up, where it was caught and sent on again, and then again and again, eachrepetition growing weaker and softer than the last. 

But only one of these echoes was heard by the travellers, for, as aforesaid, the effect was electrical. 

The moment that blast was blown behind him, Ali Baba, Lawrence'scream-coloured horse, threw up his head, then lowered it, and lifted hisheels, sending his rider nearly out of his saddle, uttered a peculiarsqueal, and set off at a gallop. 

The squeal and the noise of the hoofs acted like magic upon the otherthree horses, and away they went, all four as hard as they could go atfull gallop, utterly regardless of the pulling and tugging that went onat their bits. 

This wild stampede went on along the valley for quite a quarter of anhour before Yussuf was able to check his steed's headlong career; and itwas none too soon, for the smooth track along the valley was rapidlygiving way to a steep descent strewed with blocks of limestone, and tohave attempted to gallop down there must have resulted in a seriousfall. 

As it was, Yussuf was only a few yards from a great mass of rock whenhis hard-mouthed steed was checked; and as the squeal of one had beensufficient to start the others, who had all their early lives beenaccustomed to run together in a drove, so the stopping of one had theeffect of checking the rest, and they stood together shaking their earsand pawing the ground. 

As soon as he could get his breath, Lawrence began to laugh, and MrPreston followed his lead, while the grave Muslim could not forbear asmile at Mr Burne. This worthy's straw hat had been flying behind, hanging from his neck by a lanyard, while he stood up in his stirrups, craned his neck forward, and held his pocket-handkerchief whip fashion, though it more resembled an orange streak of light as it streamedbehind; while now, as soon as the horse had stopped, he climbed out ofthe saddle, walked two or three steps, and then sat down and stared asif he had been startled out of his senses. 

"Not hurt, I hope, Burne, " said the professor kindly. 

"Hurt, sir--hurt? Why, that brute must be mad. He literally flew withme, and I might as well have pulled at Saint Paul's as try to stop him. Good gracious me! I'm shaken into a jelly. "

"Mine was just as hard-mouthed, " said the professor. 

"Hard-mouthed? say iron-mouthed while you are about it. And look here, Lawrence, don't you make your pony play such tricks again. "

"I did nothing, sir, " expostulated Lawrence. 

"Nonsense, sir! don't tell me. I saw you tickle him with your handbehind the saddle. "

"But, Mr Burne--"

"Don't interrupt and contradict, sir. I distinctly saw you do it, andthen the nasty brute kicked up his heels, and squealed, and frightenedthe others. "

"But, Mr Burne--"

"Don't prevaricate, sir, I saw you, and when that brute squealed out youcould hear the noise go echoing all down the valley. "

In the most innocent manner--having his handkerchief out of his pocket--the old lawyer applied it to his nose and gave another blast, the resultbeing that the horses nearly went off again; but Yussuf caught MrBurne's steed, and the professor and Lawrence managed to hold theirs in, but not without difficulty. 

"What! were you doing it again?" cried Mr Burne angrily. 

"My dear Burne--no, no; pray, don't do that, " cried the professor. "Don't you see that it was you who startled the animals off?"

"I startle them? I? What nonsense!"

"But indeed you did, when you blew your nose so loudly. "

"Blew my nose so loudly! Did I blow my nose so loudly?"

"Did you? why it was you who raised that echo. "

"I? Raised that echo? My dear sir, are you dreaming?"

"Dreaming? No! A ride like that upon a rough Turkish horse does notconduce to dreaming. My dear Burne, did you not know that you made thatnoise?"

"Noise? What, when I blew my nose, or when I took snuff?"

Lawrence could not contain himself, but burst into another tremendousfit of laughter, while, when the old lawyer looked up at him angrily, and then glanced at Yussuf, it was to see that the latter had turned hisface away, and was apparently busily rearranging the bridle of hishorse. 

"But I say, Preston, " said the old lawyer then, "do you really mean tosay that I made enough noise to frighten the horses? I thought it wasLawrence there tickling that biting beast of his. "

"But I did not tickle him, Mr Burne, " protested Lawrence. 

"Bless my heart, it's very strange! What do you say, Preston?--youdon't answer me. It is very strange. "

"Strange indeed that you do not recognise the fact that the tremendousnoise you made in your pocket-handkerchief started the horses. "

The old gentleman looked round; then at the horses; then in hishandkerchief; and back at the horses again. 

"I--er--I--er--I really cannot believe it possible, Preston; I blow mynose so softly, " he said quite seriously. "Would you--there--don'tthink I slight your word--but--er--would you mind--I'm afraid, you see, that you are mistaken--would you mind my trying the horses?"

"By no means, " said the professor smiling. 

"I will then, " said the old gentleman eagerly; and going up to thehorses, yellow handkerchief in hand held loosely as if he were about touse it, he slowly advanced it to each animal's nose. 

They neither of them winced, Lawrence's cream colour going so far as toreach out and try to take hold of it with his lips, evidently under theimpression that it was some delicate kind of Turkish dried hay. 

"There, " said Mr Burne triumphantly; "you see! They are not frightenedat the handkerchief. "

"Walk behind, " said the professor, "and blow your nose--blow gently. "

The old gentleman hesitated for a moment, and then blew as wassuggested, not so loudly as before, but a fairly sonorous blow. 

The horses all made a plunge, and had to be held in and patted beforethey could be calmed down again. 

"What ridiculous brutes!" exclaimed Mr Burne contemptuously. "Howabsurd!"

"You are satisfied, then?" said the professor. 

"I cannot help being, " replied Mr Burne. "Bless my heart! It isridiculous. "

"I am growing anxious, your excellencies, " said Yussuf interrupting. "The time is getting on, and I want to overtake the baggage-horses. Will you please to mount, sir?"

"Bless me, Yussuf, " cried Mr Burne testily; "anyone would think thatthis was your excursion and not ours. "

"Your pardon, effendi, but it will be bad if the night overtakes us andwe have not found our baggage. Perhaps we may have to sleep at a khanwhere there is no food. "

"When we have plenty with the baggage. To be sure. But must I mountthat animal again? I am shaken to pieces. There, hold his head. "

The old gentleman uttered a sigh, but he placed his foot in the stirrupand mounted slowly, not easily, for the horse was nervous now, andseemed as if it half suspected his rider of being the cause of thatstartling noise. 

CHAPTER NINETEEN. 

ADVENTURES IN THE HILLS. 

"All the result of coming among savages, " grumbled Mr Burne. "Anyonewould think that the Turks had never learned the use of thepocket-handkerchief. "

"I do not suppose many of them have arrived at your pitch ofaccomplishment, " said the professor, laughing, as they rode on along thefaint track in and out of the loveliest valleys, where nature wasconstantly tempting them to stop and gaze at some fresh beauty. Butthere was every prospect of darkness overtaking them before they reachedthe little mountain village where they were to rest for the night; andas the time went on the beauties of nature were forgotten in theall-powerful desire to overtake the driver with the two baggage-horses, laden with that which was extremely precious to so many hungrytravellers, and at every turn their eyes were strained in front to lookupon the welcome sight. 

"Not so much as a tail, " muttered Mr Burne. "I say, " he said aloud, "what's become of that baggage?"

Yussuf was understood to say that the man must have made haste, and thatthey would find him at the village. 

But if that was what the Muslim had said, he was wrong. For when in thedarkness, after what had become quite a dangerous finish to theirjourney along the edge of a shelf of rock, where, far below, the rushingand gurgling of a torrent could be heard, they reached the cluster ofhouses and the miserable khan, one thing was evident, and that was thatthe baggage had not arrived. 

"What is to be done, Yussuf?" said the professor. "Must we go back andsearch for it?"

"We could do nothing in the dark, effendi, " was the reply. "The path issafe enough in daylight; by night the risk is too great. "

"But he may come yet, " exclaimed Mr Burne. 

Yussuf only shook his head, and said that they must wait. 

But he did not waste time, for he sought out the head-man of the villageto ask for a resting-place for his employers, with a supply of the bestfood the village could afford, and barley for the horses. 

The man surlily replied that they had not enough food for themselves, and that the barley had all gone to pay the taxes. They must gosomewhere else. 

It was now that the weary and hungry travellers found out the value ofYussuf. 

For he came to the professor, as they sat together on their tiredhorses, and held out his hand. 

"Give me the firman, excellency, " he said. "These miserable people havebeen robbed and plundered by travellers who ask their hospitality, tillthey are suspicious of all strangers. Let me show the head-man thesultan's command before I use force. "

The professor handed the document, and Yussuf walked straight to wherethe head-man was standing aloof, caught him by the shoulder and pushedhim inside his house, where he made him read the order. 

The effect was magical. The man became obsequious directly; the horseswere led to a rough kind of stable; barley was found for them, a sturdyfellow removed bridles and saddles, and carried them into a good-sizedvery bare-looking room in the house, which he informed them was to betheir chamber for the night. 

Here a smoky lamp was soon lit; rugs were brought in, and before long arough meal of bread, and eggs and fruit was set before them, followed bysome coffee, which, if not particularly good, was warm and refreshing inthe coolness of the mountain air. 

The lamp burned low, and they were glad to extinguish it at last, andthen lie down upon the rugs to sleep. 

It seemed strange and weird there in the darkness of that room. Only afew hours before, they were in the heated plain; now by the gradual riseof the road they were high up where the mountain-breeze sighed among thecedars, and blew in through the unglazed window. 

There was a sense of insecurity in being there amongst unfriendlystrangers, and Lawrence realised the necessity for going about armed, and letting the people see that travellers carried weapons ready foruse. 

Twice over that day they had passed shepherds who bore over theirshoulders what, at a distance, were taken for crooks, but which provedon nearer approach to be long guns, while each man had a formidableknife in his sash. 

But, well-armed though they were, Lawrence could not trust himself tosleep. He was horribly weary, and ached all over with his long ride, but he could not rest. There was that open window close to the ground, and it seemed to him to offer great facilities for a bloodthirsty man tocreep in and rob and murder, if he chose, before the sleepers could movein their own defence. 

It was a window that looked like a square patch of transparentblackness, with a point or two of light in the far distance that he knewwere stars. That was the danger, and he lay and watched it, listeningto the breathing of his friends. 

The door gave him no concern, for Yussuf had stretched himself across itafter the fashion of a watchdog, and he too seemed to sleep. 

How time went Lawrence could not tell, but he could not even doze, andthe time seemed terribly long. His weariness increased, and, inaddition, he began to feel feverish, and his skin itched and tingled asif every now and then an exquisitely fine needle had punctured it. 

The restlessness and irritation ceased not for a moment, and he realisednow that he must have caught same disease peculiar to the country. Afever, of course, but he knew enough of the laws of such complaints, from his long life of sickness, to feel that this was not a regularfever, for he perspired too freely, and his head was cool. 

He tossed from side to side, but there was no rest, and when at last thewindow faded from his sight, and he became insensible to what was goingon around him, he was still conscious of that peculiar irritation, thatprickled and itched and stung and burned, till he dreamed that he wastravelling through a stinging-nettle wood that led up to a squarewindow, through which a fierce-looking Turk armed with pistols anddagger crept to come and rob him. 

It was all dreadfully real, and, in the midst of his fear and agony, hecould not help feeling that he was foolish to wish that the GuilfordStreet police-sergeant, whom he had so often seen stop by one particularlamp-post at the corner to speak to one of his men, would come now, forhe had a sensation that this must be quite out of his beat. 

And all the time the fierce-looking Turk was coming nearer, and at lastseized him, and spoke in a low whisper. 

He saw all this mentally, for his eyes were closed; but, as he openedthem and gazed upwards, a broad band of pale light came through thesquare window, falling right on the stern face of the Turk as he bentover him just as he had fancied in his sleep. 

For the moment he was about to speak. Then he calmed down and uttered asigh as he realised the truth. 

"Is that you, Yussuf?" he said. 

"Yes, " was the reply. "It is morning, and I thought you might like tosee the sun rise from the mountain here. "

"Yes, I should, " said Lawrence, uttering another sigh full of relief;"but I am not well. I itch and burn--my neck, my face, my arms. "

"Yes, " said Yussuf sadly, as if speaking of a trouble that wasinevitable. 

"Is it a fever coming on?"

"Fever?" said Yussuf smiling; "oh, no! the place swarms with nastylittle insects. These rugs are full. "

"Ugh!" ejaculated Lawrence, jumping up and giving himself a rub and ashake. "How horrid, to be sure!"

Yussuf would not let him go far from the house, merely led him to a spotwhere the view was clear, and then let him gaze for a few minutes as thegreat orange globe rolled up and gilded the mists that lay in thehollows among the hills. Then he returned to the house and prepared thescanty breakfast, of which they partook before going off in search ofthe missing baggage-horses and their load. 

Three hours were consumed in seeking out the spot where the man who hadcharge of the two animals had gone from his right path. It was verynatural for him to have done so, for the road forked here, and hepursued that which seemed the most beaten way. Down here he hadjourneyed for hours, and when at last he had come to the conclusion thathe had gone wrong, instead of turning back he had calmly accepted hisfate, unloaded the animals, made himself a fire out of the abundant woodthat lay around, and there he waited patiently until he was found. 

It was a hindrance so soon after their starting; but Yussuf seemed toset so good an example of patience and forbearance that the professorfollowed it, and Mr Burne was compelled to accept the position. 

"We shall have plenty of such drawbacks, " Mr Preston said; "and we mustrecollect that we are not in the land of time-tables and expresstrains. "

"We seem to be in the land of no tables at all, not even chairs, "grumbled Mr Burne; "but there, I don't complain. Go on just as youplease. I'll keep all my complaints till I get back, and then put themin a big book. "

A week of steady slow travelling ensued, during which time they werecontinually journeying in and out among the mountains, following roughtracks, or roads as they were called, whose course had been suggested bythat of the streams that wandered between the hills. Often enough theway was the dried-up bed of some torrent, amidst whose boulders thepatient little Turkish horses picked their way in the most sure-footedmanner. 

It was along such a track as this that they were going in single fileone day, for some particular reason that was apparently known only tothe professor and Yussuf. They seemed to be deep down in the earth, forthe rift along which they travelled was not above twenty feet wide, andon the one side the rock rose up nearly three thousand feet almostperpendicularly, while, on the other, where it was not perpendicular, itappeared to overhang. 

Now and then it opened out a little more. Then it contracted, andseemed as if ere long the sides of the ravine would touch; but alwayswhen it came to this, it opened out directly after. 

The heat was intense, for there was not a breath of wind. The gully wasperfectly dry, and wherever there was a patch of greenery, it was fifty, a hundred, perhaps a thousand feet above their heads. 

"How much farther is it to the village where we shall stop for thenight?" said the old lawyer, pausing to mop his forehead. 

"There is no village that we shall stop at, effendi, " said Yussufquietly. "We go on a little more, and then we shall have reached theremains that Mr Preston wishes to see. "

"Bless my heart!" panted the old gentleman. "You are killing that boy. "

"I am quite well, " said Lawrence smiling, "only hot and thirsty. I wantto see the ruins. "

"Oh, go on, " cried Mr Burne. "Don't stop for me. "

Just then they were proceeding along a more open and sunny part when theprofessor's horse in front suddenly shied, swerved round, and dartedback, throwing his rider pretty heavily. 

"Mind, sir! Take care!" shouted Yussuf. 

"What's the good of telling a man to take care when he is down?" criedMr Burne angrily; and he tried to urge his horse forward, but itrefused to stir, while Lawrence's had behaved in precisely the samemanner, and stood shivering and snorting. 

"Your gun, sir, quickly!" exclaimed Yussuf. 

"What is it? Robbers?" cried Mr Burne excitedly as he handed the guidehis double-barrelled fowling-piece. 

"No, sir; one of the evil beasts which haunt these valleys and slopes. Is the gun loaded, sir?"

"Loaded? No, man. Do you suppose I want to shoot somebody?"

"Quick, sir! The charges!" whispered Yussuf; and when, after muchfumbling, Mr Burne had forced his hand into his cartridge-bag, Yussufwas closing the breech of the gun, having loaded it with a couple ofcartridges handed by Lawrence, who had rapidly dismounted and drawn hissword. 

It was evident that Mr Preston was stunned by the fall, for he laymotionless on one side of the ravine among the stones. 

"No, no, stop!" cried Yussuf as Lawrence was making his way towards theprofessor. 

The lad involuntarily obeyed, and waited breathless to see what wouldfollow, as Yussuf advanced cautiously, gun in hand, his dark eyesrolling from side to side in search of the danger. 

For some minutes he could see nothing. Then, all at once, they saw himraise the gun to his shoulder, take a quick aim and fire, when thehorses started, and would have dashed off back, but for the fact thatthey were arrested by the way being blocked by the baggage animals andMr Burne. 

As the gun was fired its report was magnified a hundredfold, and wentrolling along in a series of peals like thunder, while the faint bluesmoke rose over where Yussuf stood leaning forward and gazing at somebroken stones. 

Then all at once he raised the gun again as if to fire, but lowered itwith a smile, and walked forward to spurn something with his foot, andupon Lawrence reaching him it was to find him turning over ablack-looking serpent of about six feet long, with a short thin tail, the body of the reptile being very thick in proportion to its length. Upon turning it over the Muslim pointed out that it had a peculiarreddish throat, and he declared it to be of a very poisonous kind. 

"How do you know it to be poisonous?" said Mr Preston, who had, unseenby them, risen from where he had been thrown. 

"Oh, Mr Preston, are you much hurt?" cried Lawrence. 

"I must say I am hurt, " said the professor smiling. "A heavy man likeme cannot fall from his horse and strike his head against the stoneswithout suffering. But there, it is nothing serious. How do you knowthat is a poisonous snake, Yussuf?"

"I have been told of people being bitten by them, effendi, and some havedied; but I should have said that it was dangerous as soon as I saw thehorse shrink from it. Animals do not generally show such horror unlessthey know that there is danger. "

"I don't think you are right about the horses, " said the professorquietly, "for they are terrible cowards in their way; but I think youare right about the snake. Serpents that are formed like this, with thethick, sluggish-looking shape, and that peculiar short tail, are mostlyvenomous. Well, this one will do no more mischief, Burne. "

"No. Nasty brute!" said the old lawyer, gazing down at the reptileafter coaxing his horse forward. "What are you going to do, Yussuf?"

"Make sure that it will not bite any of the faithful, " said the guideslowly; and drawing his knife he thrust the reptile into a convenientposition, and, after cutting off its head, tossed the still writhingbody to the side of the ravine. 

This incident at an end, they all mounted again and rode on, Yussuf inthe middle, and Lawrence and Mr Preston, who declared himself better, on either hand, till, at the end of about an hour, the latter saidquickly:

"Do you think you are right, Yussuf? These ravines are so much alike. Surely you must have made a mistake. "

"If I am right, " replied Yussuf, pointing forward, "there is a spring ofclear water gushing out at the foot of that steep rock. "

"And there is none, I think, " said the professor, "or it would berunning this way. "

"If it did not run another, effendi, " said Yussuf grimly. "Yes: I amright. There is the opening of the little valley down which the streamruns, and the ruined rock-dwellings are just beyond. "

If there had been any doubt as to their guide's knowledge it would havebeen set aside by the horses, for Mr Burne suddenly uttered a warningshout, and, looking back, they saw the two baggage animals coming alongat a sharp pace, which was immediately participated in by the rest ofthe horses, all trotting forward as fast as the nature of the groundwould allow to get to a patch of green that showed at the foot of agreat rock; and upon reaching it, there, as Yussuf had said, was acopious stream, which came spouting out from a crevice in the rock, clear, cool, and delicious, for the refreshment of all. 

The horses and baggage were left here in charge of the driver, and, following Yussuf, the little party were soon after at the foot of a veryrugged precipice, the guide pointing upwards, and exclaiming:

"Behold, effendi, it is as I said. "

For a few moments they all gazed upwards, seeing nothing but whatappeared to be the rugged face of the cliff; but soon the eye began tomake out a kind of order here and there, and that rugged ranges ofstones had been built up on shelves of the rock, with windows and doors, but as far as could be made out these rock-dwellings had been roofless;and were more like fortifications than anything else, the professorsaid. 

"Yes, effendi, " said Yussuf gravely, "strongholds, but dwelling-placesas well. People had to live in spots where they would be safe in thosedays. Are you going to climb up?"

"Certainly, " was the reply. 

"That is well, for up beyond there is a way to an old temple, and anumber of caves where people must have been living. "

"But where is the road up?" said Lawrence. 

"Along that rough ledge, " replied Yussuf. "I will go first. Would itnot be better if the young effendi stayed below? The height is great, the road dangerous; and not only is it hot, but there are many serpentsup among the ledges of the rock. "

"What do you say, Lawrence?" said the professor. 

"He is going to stop down with me, " said Mr Burne shortly. 

"No, sir; I am going up, " replied Lawrence. "I may never be able to seesuch wonders as these again. "

"But, my dear boy, if you climb up here, I must go too, " cried MrBurne. 

"Come along, then, sir, " cried Lawrence laughing; "the place looks sointeresting I would not miss going up for the world. "

"Humph! I know I shall be broken before I've done, " muttered Mr Burne, taking out his handkerchief for a good blow; but glancing back in thedirection where they had left the horses, he altered his mind, as if hedreaded the consequences, and replacing the silken square, he uttered alow sigh, and prepared to climb. 

CHAPTER TWENTY. 

THE ANCIENT DWELLINGS. 

"Look here; stop a minute, " said Mr Burne; "if we've got to climb upthat break-neck place, hadn't we better leave these guns and things atthe bottom, so as to have our hands clear?"

"No--no--no, " exclaimed Yussuf impatiently; "a man in this countryshould never leave his weapons out of his reach. "

"Bah! what nonsense, sir! Anyone would think we were at sea again, orin a country where there are no laws. "

"There are plenty of laws, Burne, " said the professor, "but we aregetting out of their reach. "

"Highwaymen and footpads about, I suppose?" said the old lawyermockingly. "My dear sir, don't put such romantic notions into the boy'shead. This is not Hounslow Heath. I suppose you will want to make mebelieve next that there are bands of robbers close at hand, with acaptain whose belt is stuck full of pistols--eh, Yussuf?"

"Oh, yes, sir, " said their guide quietly. "I should not be surprised. There are plenty of brigands in the mountains. "

"Rubbish, sir; stuff, sir; nonsense, sir!"

"It is true, sir, " replied Yussuf sturdily. 

"Then what do you mean, sir, if it is true, by bringing us into such aplace as this?"

Yussuf stared at him wonderingly; and Lawrence burst into a hearty fitof laughter. 

"Come, come, Burne, " cried the professor; "if anyone is to blame, it isI. Of course, this country is in a very lawless state, but all we haveto do is to preserve a bold front. Come along; we are wasting time. "

Yussuf smiled and nodded, and led the way up over the crumbling stones, climbing and pointing out the easiest paths, till they were at the firstledge, and were able to inspect the first group of cliff-dwellings, which proved to be strongly built roofless places, evidently of vastantiquity, and everywhere suggesting that the people who had dwelt inthem had been those who lived in very troublous times, when one of thefirst things to think about in a home was safety, for enemies must haveabounded on every side. 

For about a couple of hours the professor examined, and climbed, andturned over stones, finding here and there rough fragments of pottery, while Mr Burne settled himself down in a shady corner and had a nap. 

Yussuf was indefatigable, moving fragments of rock and trying tocontrive ways off the giddy slope to another group of the strange oldedifices, to which in due time, and not without some risk, the professorand Lawrence climbed. But there was nothing more to reward them thanthey had found below, only that the wisdom of the choice of the oldoccupants was evident, for just as the professor had come to theconclusion that the people who made these their strongholds must havebeen at the mercy of the enemies who seized upon the spring down belowin the ravine, they came upon proof that there was plenty of foresightexercised, and that these ancient inhabitants had arranged so as not tobe forced to surrender from thirst. 

It was Lawrence who made the discovery, for having climbed a littlehigher up the cliff face to a fresh ledge, he called to the professor tofollow, and upon his reaching the spot, a great niche right in thecliff, deep and completely hidden, there were the remains of aroughly-made tank or reservoir, formed by simply building a low wall ofstones and cement across the mouth, when it was evident that the waterthat came down from above in rainy weather would be caught and preservedfor use. 

It was all intensely interesting to everyone but Mr Burne, who couldnot get up any enthusiasm on the subject of whom these people were, andexcused himself from climbing higher on account of his back. 

They descended at length, and Mr Burne sighed with satisfaction; butYussuf had more wonders of the past to show the travellers, pointing outa narrow path that ran diagonally up the side of the gully, and assuringthe party that if they only made up their minds to ascend bravely therewas no danger. 

Again it was suggested that Mr Burne should sit down and wait; but theonly effect of this was to make him obstinate; and he started forwardand followed Yussuf up the steep path. 

It was decidedly dangerous in places where the stones had crumbled away, and a slip must have resulted in a terrible fall; but all got well overthe perilous parts, and at last they climbed to a platform on the sideof the huge rocky mass, where the low crumbling walls showed where akind of temple had once stood. Here they had an opportunity of gazingdown into a valley that was one mass of glorious verdure, through whichdashed a torrent, whose waters flashed and glittered where the sunbeamspierced the overhanging trees, and made the scene one of the mostbeautiful they had seen. 

There were more wonders yet, for the face of the rock was honey-combedwith caverns which ran in a great distance, forming passages andchambers connected one with the other. 

These had evidently been inhabited, for there were marks of toolsshowing how they had been enlarged, and curious well-like arrangementswhich suggested tanks; but Yussuf assured the travellers that theseholes in the natural rock were used as stores for grain, this being themanner in which it was stored or buried to the present day. 

"There, " cried Mr Burne, as they came out of the last cave, and stoodonce more upon the platform of rock by the ruins, and had a gloriouspanorama of the defile below--"there, I've been as patient as can bewith you, but now it's my turn. What I say is, that we must go back tocamp at once, and have a rest and a good lunch. "

"Agreed, " said Mr Preston. "You have been patient. What is it, Yussuf?" he cried suddenly, as he saw the guide gazing intently down atsomething about half a mile away, far along the winding defile. 

"Travellers, " said Yussuf; and in that wild, almost uninhabited region, the appearance of fellow-creatures excited curiosity. 

They were only seen for a few minutes before the party of mounted andunmounted men with their baggage were seen to curve round a bold mass ofrock, and disappear into a narrow valley that turned off almost at rightangles to that by which they had come. 

The descent proved more difficult than the ascent, and Mr Burne madeseveral attempts to plunge down or slide amongst the debris instead oftrusting to his feet; but these accidents were foreseen, and checked byYussuf, who went in front, and at the first sound of a slip threwhimself down and clung to the rock, making himself a check or drag uponthe old lawyer's progress. 

They reached the bottom at last safely, but heated and weary with thelong and arduous descent. 

Once on tolerably level ground in the bottom of the defile, however, their progress was easy, and, with the anticipation of long heartydrinks at the clear spring, and a good meal from the store on thepack-horses' backs, they strode on bravely in spite of the heat. Thetrack up to the cliff-dwellings was passed; but now that they wereweary, the way seemed to be twice as far as when they were going in themorning, and the defile looked so different upon the return journey thatat last Lawrence asked with a wistful look whether they had missed thespring. 

Yussuf smiled and replied that it was below, and not far distant now, and a few minutes later they turned an angle in the defile, and came infull view of the patch of verdure that marked its presence in thesterile stony gorge. 

"Hah!" ejaculated Mr Burne, "it makes one know the value of water, travelling in a land like this. Only fancy how clear and cold andrefreshing it will be. "

He nodded and smiled, for it was his custom after having been in any wayunamiable to try and make up for it by pleasant remarks and jocularity. 

"Yes, " said Mr Preston; "it does indeed. This mountain air, too, givesone an appetite--eh, Lawrence?"

"Is that curious feeling one has appetite?" said the lad. "I fanciedthat I was not well. "

"But you feel as if you could eat?"

"Oh, yes; a great deal, " cried the boy, "and I shall be glad to begin. "

"Then it is hunger, " said the professor laughing. "Eh, what?"

This last was in answer to some words uttered loudly by Yussuf, who hadwalked swiftly on, and entered the little depression where they had leftthe man with the horses. 

"Gone, excellency, gone!" he cried excitedly, for the place was empty;the six horses and the man were not visible. 

The little party stood gazing wonderingly at each other. 

The water was there, gushing with great force from beneath the toweringmass of rock; but their supply of food, their means of progression, theman whom they had engaged--where were they?

Yussuf stood with his hands clenched, and his brow contracted, gazingdown at the ground. 

Mr Preston looked down the valley in the direction by which they hadcome that morning. 

Mr Burne took out his box, partook of a large pinch of snuff, and blewhis nose violently. 

Lawrence walked to the spring, stooped down, and began drinking, dippingup a little water at a time in the hollow of his hand. 

Then there was a few moments' silence, and the professor spoke. 

"It is very vexatious, just when we were so hungry, but it is plainenough. Something has startled the horses. Your Ali Baba, Lawrence, has been biting them, and they have all gone off back, and Hamed hasfollowed to catch them. There, let's have a draught of spring water andtrudge back. "

"Humph! yes, " said Mr Burne hopefully. "We may meet them coming backbefore long. "

They each drank and rose refreshed. 

"Come, Yussuf, " said the professor. "This way. "

"No, effendi, " he exclaimed sharply; "not that way, but this. "

"What do you mean?" cried Mr Preston, for the guide pointed up theravine instead of down. 

"The horses have not been frightened, but have been stolen--carriedoff. "

"Nonsense, man!" cried Mr Burne. 

"See!" said Yussuf, pointing to the soil moistened by the stream thatran from the source, "the horses have gone along this little valley bythe side of the stream--here are their hoof-marks--and come out againhigher up beyond this ridge of the mountain. Yes: I know. The valleysjoin again there beyond where we were to-day, and I ought to have knownit, " he cried, stamping his foot. 

"Known? Known what, man?" cried Mr Burne angrily. 

"That those men, who I said were travellers, were the robbers, who haveseized our horses, and carried everything off into the hills. "

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. 

A SKIRMISH. 

"This is a pretty state of affairs, " cried Mr Burne, opening andshutting his snuff-box to make it snap. "Now, what's to be done?"

"Tramp to the nearest village, I suppose, and buy more, " replied theprofessor coolly, "We must expect reverses. This is one. "

"Hang your reverses, man! I don't expect and I will not have them, if Ican help it--serves us right for not watching over our baggage. "

"Well, Yussuf, I suppose you are right, " said the professor. 

"Yes, effendi. What is to be done?"

"What I say. "

"Yes; what you say, " replied the Turk frowning; "and he is so young. Weare only three. "

"What are you thinking, Yussuf?"

"That it makes my blood boil, effendi, to be robbed; and I feel that weought to follow and punish the dogs. They are cowards, and would fly. A robber always shrinks from the man who faces him boldly. "

"And you would follow them, Yussuf?"

"If your excellency would, " he said eagerly. 

The grave quiet professor's face flushed, his eyes brightened, and for afew moments he felt as if his youthful days had come back, when he wasone of the leaders in his college in athletics, and had more than oncebeen in a town-and-gown row. All this before he had settled down intothe heavy serious absent-minded student. There was now a curioustingling in his nerves, and he felt ready to agree to anything thatwould result in the punishment of the cowardly thieves who had left themin such a predicament; but just then his eyes fell upon Lawrence'sslight delicate figure, and from that they ranged to the face of MrBurne, and he was the grave professor again. 

"Why, Preston, " said the old lawyer, "you looked as if you meantfighting. "

"But I do not, " he replied. "Discretion is the better part of valour, they say. " Then, turning to Yussuf--"What is the nearest place to wherewe are now?"

Yussuf's face changed. There was a look of disappointment in it for afew moments, but he turned grave and calm as usual, as he said:

"There is a village right up the valley, excellency. It is partly inthe way taken by the robbers, but they will be far distant by now. Theyare riding and we are afoot. "

"But is it far?"

"Half the distance that it would be were we to return to the place weleft this morning. "

"Forward, then. Come, Lawrence, you must walk as far as you can, andthen I will stay with you, and we will send the others forward forhelp. "

"I do not feel so tired now, " said the lad. "I am ready. "

Yussuf took the lead again and they set off, walking steadily onstraight past the cliff-dwellings, and the ruins by the cave, till theyreached the spot in the beautifully-wooded vale where, from far above, they had seen the horsemen pass, little thinking at the time that theywere bearing off their strong helps to a journey through the mountains, and all the food. 

Here the beaten track curved off to the left, and the traces left by thehorses were plain enough to see, for there was a little patch of marshyground made by a little spring here, and this they had passed, Yussufeagerly scanning them, and making out that somewhere about twelve horseshad crossed here, and there were also the footprints of five or six men. 

"If we go this way we may overtake the scoundrels, " said the old lawyer, "but it will not do. Yussuf, I am a man of peace, and I should prove tobe a very poor creature in another fight. I had quite enough to last methe rest of my life on board that boat. Here, let's rest a few hours. "

"No, excellency; we must go on, even if it is slowly. This part of thevalley is marshy, and there are fevers caught here. I have been alonghere twice, and there is a narrow track over that shoulder of themountain that we can easily follow afoot, though we could not takehorses. It is far shorter, too. Can the young effendi walk so far?"

Lawrence declared that he could, for the mountain air gave him strength. So they left the beaten track, to continue along a narrow water-coursefor a couple of miles, and then rapidly ascend the side of one of thevast masses of cliff, the path being literally a shelf in places notmore than a foot wide, with the mountain on their left rising up like awall, and on their right the rock sank right down to the stream, whichgurgled among the masses of stone which had fallen from above, a coupleof hundred feet below them and quite out of sight. 

"'Pon my word, Yussuf, this is a pretty sort of a place!" panted MrBurne. "Hang it, man! It is dangerous. "

"There is no danger, effendi, if you do not think of danger. "

"But I do think of danger, sir. Why, bless my heart, sir, there isn'troom for a man to turn round and comfortably blow his nose. "

"There is plenty of room for the feet, effendi, " replied Yussuf; "thepath is level, and if you will think of the beautiful rocks, and hills, and listen to the birds singing below there, where the stream isfoaming, and the bushes grow amongst the rocks, there is no danger. "

"But I can't think about the beauty of all these things, Yussuf, my man, and I can only think I am going to turn giddy, and that my feet areabout to slip. "

"Why should you, effendi?" replied the Turk gravely. "Is it not givento man to be calm and confident, and to walk bravely on, in such placesas this? He can train himself to go through what is dangerous to thetimid without risk. Look at the young effendi!" he added in a whisper;"he sees no danger upon the path. "

"Upon my word! Really! Bless my heart! I say, Preston, do you hearhow this fellow is talking to me?"

"Yes, I hear, " replied the professor. "He is quite right. "

"Quite right!"

"Certainly. I have several times over felt nervous, both in our climbthis morning, and since we have been up here; but I feel now as if Ihave mastered my timidity, and I do not mind the path half so much as Idid. "

"Then I've got your share and my own, and--now, just look at that boy. It is absurd. "

"What is absurd?" said the professor quietly. 

"Why, to see him walking on like that. Ill! Invalid! He is animpostor. "

The professor smiled. 

"I say, is it safe to let him go on like that?"

"So long as he feels no fear. See how confident he is!" said MrPreston. 

Just then Lawrence stopped for the others to overtake him. 

"Have you noticed what beautiful white stone this is, Mr Preston?" hesaid. 

He pointed down at the path they were on, for every here and there therock was worn smooth and shiny by the action of the air and water, perhaps, too, by the footsteps of men for thousands of years, and wasalmost as white as snow. 

"Yes, " said the professor, "I have been making a mental note of it, andwishing I had a geologist's hammer. You know what it is, I suppose?"

"White stone, of course, " said Mr Burne. 

"Fine white marble, " said the professor. 

"Nonsense, sir! What! in quantities like this?"

"To be sure. "

"But it would be worth a large fortune in London. "

"Exactly, and it is worth next to nothing here, because it could not begot down to the sea-shore, and the carriage would be enormous. "

"What a pity!" exclaimed the old lawyer. "Dear me! Fine white marble!So it is. What a company one might get up. The Asia Minor Major MarbleQuarry Company--eh, Preston?"

"Yes, in hundred-pound shares that would be worth nothing. "

"Humph! I suppose not. Well, never mind. I'd rather have a chickenpie and a loaf of bread now than all the marble in the universe. Let'sget on. "

Their progress was slow, for in spite of all that Yussuf had said theyhad to exercise a great deal of care, especially as the narrow trackrose higher and higher, till they were at a dizzy height above thelittle stream, whose source they passed just as the sun was getting low;and then their way lay between two steep cliffs; and next round a sunnyslope that was dotted with huge walnut-trees, the soil being; evidentlydeep and moist consequent upon a spring that crossed their path. 

The trees were of great girth, but not lofty, and a peculiarity aboutthem was that they were ill-grown, and gnarled and knotted in a way thatmade them seem as if they were diseased. For every now and then one ofthem displayed a huge lump or boss, such as is sometimes seen upon elmsat home. 

"There's another little fortune there, Burne, " said the professorquietly. 

"Nonsense, sir! There isn't a tree in the lot out of which you couldcut a good board. Might do for gun-stocks. "

"My dear Burne, " said the professor, "don't you know that these largeugly bosses go to Europe to be steamed till they are soft, and thenshaved off into leaves as thin almost as coarse brown paper, and thenused and polished for all our handsome pianofortes?"

"No, " said Mr Burne shortly, "I didn't know it, and I didn't want toknow it. I'm starving, and my back is getting bad again. Here, Yussuf, how much farther is it?"

"Two hours' journey, excellency; but as soon as we reach that gap in therocks we come to a road that leads directly to the village, and thewalking will be easier. "

"Hadn't we better try and shoot a bird or an animal, and make a fireunder those trees, and see if we can find some walnuts? I must eatsomething. I cannot devour snuff!"

The professor smiled. 

"There is nothing to shoot, " he said; "and as to the walnuts, they arevery nice after dinner with wine, but for a meal--"

"Here, Lawrence, you are tired out, my boy, " cried Mr Burneinterrupting. 

"Yes, I am very tired, " said Lawrence, "but I can go on. "

"It is dreary work to rest without food, " said Yussuf, "but it might bebetter to get on to the spring yonder, and pick out a sheltered placeamong the rocks, where we could lie down and sleep for a few hours, tillthe moon rises, and then continue our journey. "

"That's the plan, Yussuf; agreed _nem con_, " cried Mr Burne. 

"Perhaps it will be best, " said Mr Preston, and they journeyed on foranother half hour, till they reached the gap which their guide hadpointed out, one which proved to be the embouchure of another ravine, along the bottom of which meandered a rough road that had probably neverbeen repaired since the Romans ruled the land. 

"Let us go a little way in, " said Yussuf; "we shall then be shelteredfrom the wind. It will blow coldly when the sun has set. "

He led the way into a wild and awful-looking chasm, for the shadows weregrowing deeper, and to the weary and hungry travellers the place had astrangely forbidding look, suggestive of hidden dangers. But for thecalm and confident way in which Yussuf marched forward, the others wouldhave hesitated to plunge into a gorge of so weird a character, until thesun had lightened its gloomy depths. 

"I think this will do, " said Yussuf, as they turned an angle about acouple of hundred yards from the entrance. "I will climb up here first. These rocks look cave-like and offer shelter. Hist!"

He held up his hand, for a trampling sound seemed to come from the faceof the rocks a couple of hundred feet above them, and all involuntarilyturned to gaze up at a spot where the shadows were blackest. 

All except Yussuf, who gazed straight onward into the ravine. 

It was strange. There was quite a precipice up there, and it wasimpossible for people to be walking. What was more strange, there wasthe trampling of horses' feet, and then it struck the professor thatthey were listening to the echoes of the sounds made by a party somedistance in. 

"How lucky!" said Mr Burne. "People coming. We shall get something toeat. "

"Hush, effendi!" said Yussuf sternly. "These may not be friends. "

"What?" exclaimed Mr Burne, cocking his gun. 

"Yes; that is right, excellencies; look to your arms. If they arefriends there is no harm done. They will respect us the more. If theyare enemies, we must be prepared. "

"Stop!" said Mr Preston, glancing at Lawrence. "We must hide or run. "

"There is time for neither, effendi, " said Yussuf, taking out hisrevolver. "They will be upon us in a minute, and to run would be todraw their fire upon us. "

"Run!" exclaimed Mr Burne; "no, sir. As I'm an Englishman I won't run. If it was Napoleon Bonaparte and his army coming, and these were theAlps, I would not run now, hungry as I am, and I certainly will not gofor a set of Turkish ragamuffins or Greeks. "

"Then, stand firm here, excellencies, behind these stones. They aremounted; we are afoot. "

The little party had hardly taken their places in the shadow cast by arock, when a group of horse and footmen came into sight. They wereabout fourteen or fifteen in number apparently, some mounted, someafoot, and low down in that deep gorge the darkness was coming on sofast that it was only possible to see that they were roughly clad andcarried guns. 

They came on at a steady walk, talking loudly, their horses' hoofsringing on the stony road, and quite unconscious of anyone being closebeside the path they were taking till they were within some forty yards, when a man who was in front suddenly caught sight of the group behindthe rocks, checked his horse, uttered a warning cry, and the next momentample proof was given that they were either enemies or timid travellers, who took the party by the rocks for deadly foes. 

For all at once the gloomy gorge was lit by the flashes of pretty well adozen muskets, the rocks echoed the scattered volley, and magnified itfifty-fold, and then, with a yell, the company came galloping down, torush past and reach the open slope beyond. 

How it all happened neither Mr Burne nor the professor could fully haveexplained. It must have been the effect of Yussuf's example, for, asthe bullets flew harmlessly over the party's head, he replied with shotafter shot from his revolver, discharging it at the attacking group. Ashe fired his second shot, Mr Burne's fowling-piece went off, bothbarrels almost together, and the professor and Lawrence both fired asthe group reached them, and after them, as it passed and went thunderingby and down the slope out beyond the entrance to the gorge. 

"Load again quickly, " cried the professor; "they may return. There isone poor wretch down. "

His command was obeyed, empty cartridges thrown out and fresh onesinserted; but the trampling of horses' hoofs was continued, andgradually grew more faint, as the little party descended from theirimprovised fort. They ran down, for something curious had occurred. 

As the band of horsemen charged, their company seemed to divide in two, and the cause appeared to be this:

One of the mounted men was seen to fall from his saddle and hang by thestirrup, when his horse, instead of galloping on, stopped short, andfive other horses that were seen to be riderless stopped, after goingfifty yards, and cantered back to their companion and huddled round him. 

"Why, there's Ali Baba!" cried Lawrence excitedly, as he ran down andcaught his little steed by the bridle. 

"And the pack-horses!" cried Mr Burne quite as excitedly, as hefollowed. 

"Enemies, not friends, effendi, " said Yussuf quickly. 

For all had seen at once now that they had recovered their lost horses, it being evident that the travellers, by taking the short cut, had gotahead of the marauding band, for such they seemed to be; and they hadpossibly made the task the easier by halting somewhere on the way to lettheir horses feed. 

But there was another cause for the horses keeping together, and notfollowing those of the strangers in their headlong flight, for, oncoming up, the reason for the first one stopping was perfectly plain. Hamed, the pack-horse driver, had been made prisoner, and, poor fellow!secured by having his ankles bound together by a rope which passedbeneath the horse's girths. When the charge had been made he hadslipped sidewise, being unable to keep his seat, and gone down beneathhis horse, with the result that the docile, well-trained animal stoppedat once, and then its comrades had halted and cantered back. 

"Is he much hurt, Preston?" said Mr Burne eagerly, as the professorsupported the poor fellow, while Yussuf drew out his dagger and cut therope. 

"I cannot say yet. Keep your eyes on the mouth of the gorge, and fireat once if the scoundrels show again. "

"They will not show again, effendi, " said Yussuf. "They are too muchscared. That's better. The horses will stand. They know us now. Takehold of your bridle, Mr Lawrence, and the others will be sure to stay. "

Lawrence obeyed, and rested his piece on the horse's back, standingbeside him and watching the mouth of the defile, while the otherscarried the injured man to the side and laid him down, the professortaking out his flask which was filled with spirit. 

"Yes, " said Yussuf, acquiescing. "It is not a drink for a truebeliever, but it is a wonderful medicine, effendi. "

So it proved, for soon after a little had been poured down Hamed'sthroat the poor fellow opened his eyes and smiled. 

"It is your excellencies!" he said in his native tongue; and upon Yussufquestioning him, he told them faintly that he was not much hurt, only alittle stunned. That he was seated by the fount, with his horsesgrazing, when the band of armed men rode up, and one of them struck himover the head with the barrel of his musket, and when he recoveredsomewhat he found himself a prisoner, with his legs tied as he wasfound, and the horses led and driven down a narrow defile, out of whichthey had made their way into a forest of shady trees. Later on they hadmade a halt for a couple of hours, and then continued their journey, which was brought to an end, as far as he was concerned, by his fallingbeneath his horse. 

"What is to be done now?" said the professor. 

"Eat, " exclaimed Mr Burne, "even if we have to fight directly afterdinner. "

"The effendi is right, " said Yussuf smiling. "If we go on, we may fallinto a trap. If we go back a little way here till we find a suitablespot, the enemy will not dare to come and attack us in the dark. Canyou walk, Hamed?"

The poor fellow tried to rise, but his ankles were perfectly numbed, andthere was nothing for it but to help him up on one of the horses, and goback farther into the gloomy ravine, which was perfectly black by thetime they had found a likely place for their bivouac, where the horseswould be safe as well, and this done, one of the packs was taken downfrom its bearer and a hearty meal made by all, Yussuf eating as he keptguard with Lawrence's gun, while Hamed was well enough to play his partfeebly, as the horses rejoiced in a good feed of barley apiece. 

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. 

THE USE OF A STRAW HAT. 

"There, " said Mr Burne, as he lit a cigar, and sat with his back to astone; "if anybody in Fleet Street, or at my club, had told me I couldhave such an adventure as this, I should have said--" Here he paused. 

"What, Mr Burne?" asked Lawrence after a time. 

"Tarradiddle!" replied the old gentleman shortly, and he took out hishandkerchief to blow his nose, but promptly suppressed the act, andsaid:

"No; wait till we get somewhere that is likely to be safe. "

That word "safe" occurred to everybody in the silence of that dark andsolemn gorge, whose sombre aspect was enough to daunt the mostcourageous; but somehow that night, in spite of the riskiness of theirposition, no one felt much alarmed. 

There were several things which combined to make them feel cheerful. One was the company, for the knowledge of being there with a trustycompanion on either side was encouraging. 

Then there was the calm confidence given by the knowledge that theirenemies had run from them like a flock of sheep before a dog. 

Lastly, there were the satisfactory sensations produced by the recoveryof their horses and belongings, and consequent enjoyment of a good meal. 

Taken altogether, then, after proper arrangements had been made tosecure the horses, and for a watch being kept, no scruple was felt aboutlying down to sleep, everyone with his weapons ready for use in case ofan attack, which after all was not greatly feared. 

Lawrence wanted to take his turn at keeping guard, but the professorforbade it. 

"No, " he said; "you have done your day's work. Sleep and grow strong. You will help us best by getting vigorous;" and hence it was that thelad lay down in the solemn stillness of the vast place, gazing up at thestars, which seemed dazzlingly bright in the dark sky, and then itseemed to him that he closed his eyes for a moment, and opened themagain to see the mountain slopes bathed in sunshine, while the birdswere twittering and piping, and the black desolate gorge of the previousnight was a scene of loveliness such as he could not have imaginedpossible there. 

"Shows the value of the sun, Lawrence, " said the professor laughing;"and what a fine thing it would be if some of our cleverexperimentalists could contrive to bottle and condense enough sunshineto last us all through the winters. "

Just then Yussuf came up through the dewy grasses and flowers withLawrence's gun over his shoulder. 

"Well, " said the professor, "what next--a good breakfast, and thenstart?"

"Yes, effendi, " said the Turk, "but the other way. "

"Other way?"

"Yes, effendi; the band of rascals are lying in ambush for us about amile distant. "

"Are you sure?"

Yussuf smiled. 

"I went out at the mouth of the ravine to observe, " he said; "and Icould see nothing till, all at once, I saw a flash of light. "

"Well?"

"Such a flash could only be reflected from a sword or gun. "

"From water--a piece of glass--or crystal. "

"No, excellency. There is no water up on the mountain slope. Pieces ofglass are not seen there, and a crystal must be cut and polished to sendforth such rays. The enemy are waiting for us in a depression, outthere beyond the mouth of the plain, and we must go back the other way. "

"Of course. It will be safer. But after a time they will follow us. "

"I think I can stop that, effendi, " said their guide smiling; and whilethe horses were being loaded, and everything was being got ready for astart, Yussuf took out his knife, and selecting from among the bushes agood straight stick, he cut and trimmed it carefully till it was aboutthe length of a gun. 

This done, he climbed up the ridge that screened them from the mouth ofthe gorge, and, selecting a spot from whence a good view of the slopingplain beyond could be obtained, he walked up and down for a few minutes. 

After this he beckoned to the professor and the others to join him; andas soon as they were there he drew their attention to a clump of bushes, as they seemed, but which must have been trees, a couple of miles away, though in that wondrously clear mountain air the distance did not seemto be a quarter. 

Mr Burne was nearest to the guide, in his straw hat, which he hadretained in safety so far through having it secured by a lanyard, but itwas growing very shabby, and was much out of shape from its soaking inthe sea. 

The professor noticed that Yussuf--who was conspicuous in his red fezskull-cap, about which was rolled a good deal of muslin in the form of aturban or puggree--kept walking up and down on the edge of the ridge, and pointing out to Mr Burne the beauty of the prospect, with thedistant ranges of snow-topped mountains, and the old lawyer kept onnodding his satisfaction. 

"Yes. Very fine--very fine, " he said; "but I want my breakfast. "

"There!" exclaimed Mr Preston suddenly. "I saw it yonder. "

"The flash of light, effendi?" said Yussuf quietly. 

"Yes. And there again. "

"I saw it then, " said Lawrence quickly; and no one doubted now thattheir guide was right. 

After staying there for about a quarter of an hour Yussuf suggested thatas the horses were ready, breakfast should be hastily eaten and theyshould start. Consequently all went down, a hearty meal was made, Yussuf taking his walking to and from the ridge to guard againstsurprise, and then he approached Mr Burne to request him to give up hisstraw hat. 

"My straw hat!" exclaimed the old gentleman in astonishment. 

"Yes, effendi, " replied Yussuf. "I propose to fasten it, after wearingit for a few minutes and walking up and down, on one of the littlebushes at the top of the ridge, and to stick this little pole out by itsside. "

"What! to look like a man on guard?" cried Lawrence eagerly. 

"Yes, " replied Yussuf. "It will keep the enemy where they are watchingit for half the day, even if it does not keep them till evening beforethey find out their mistake. "

"Then, stick your turban there, " said Mr Burne shortly. 

"I would, effendi, if it would do as well, but it would not be sostriking, nor so likely to keep them away. They might suspect it to bea trick; but they would never think that an English effendi would leavehis hat in a place like that. "

"And quite right, too, " said the old lawyer with a snort. "No; I shallnot expose my brains to the risk of sunstroke, sir. Bah! Pish! Pooh!Absurd!"

There was a shiver among the horses, and a disposition to start offagain, for Mr Burne blew another of his sonorous blasts; but the momenthe whisked out his yellow silk flag, the others, as if by instinct, seized the horses' bridles and checked them in time. 

"Pah! Bless my heart!" ejaculated the old gentleman, as soon as he sawwhat he had done. "Here, Lawrence, you will have to take all mypocket-handkerchiefs away till we get back to a civilised land. "

"If the effendi would let me have his handkerchiefs I could make him aturban to keep off the sun, or if he would condescend to wear my fez itis at his service. "

"Rubbish! Stuff!" cried Mr Burne, taking off his battered straw hat, which looked as if he had slept in it on the previous night, if notbefore, and then sticking it on again at a fierce angle. "Do I looklike a man, sir, who would wear a fez with a towel round it? Hang itall, sir, I am an Englishman. "

Yussuf bowed. 

"Why, he must think me mad, Lawrence. "

"My dear Burne, " said the professor smiling, "Yussuf is quite right. Come, you might make that concession. "

"Sir, do I look like a man who would wear a fez with a jack-toweltwisted round it?" cried Mr Burne in the most irate manner. 

"You certainly do not, my dear Burne, " said the professor laughing; "butyou do look like a man who would make any sacrifice for the benefit ofhis party. "

"Ah! I thought as much, " cried the old gentleman. "Now you come roundme with carney. There, Yussuf, take it, " he cried, snatching off hisstraw hat and sending it skimming through the air. "Now, then, whatnext? Do you want my coat and boots to dress up your Guy Fawkes with?Don't be modest, pray. Have even my shirt too while you are about it. "

He took five pinches of snuff in succession so close to Ali Baba thatthe horse began to sneeze--or snort would be the better term. 

Yussuf smiled, and took off his fez, from which he rapidly untwisted themuslin folds. 

"Your excellency will condescend to wear my fez?" he said. 

"No, sir, I will not, " cried Mr Burne. "Certainly not. "

"But your excellency may suffer from sunstroke, " said Yussuf. "I mustinsist. "

"You must what?" cried Mr Burne angrily. 

"Insist, your excellency, " replied Yussuf gravely. "I am answerable foryour safety. Your life, while I am in your service, is more than mine. "

"And yet, sir, you brought me here, along a break-neck path, to fightrobbers yesterday. Didn't they shoot at me?"

"I could not prevent that, excellency, " said Yussuf smiling. "I canprevent you from being smitten by the sun. Your handkerchief, please. "

"Oh, all right!" exclaimed Mr Burne ruefully. "I suppose I am nobodyat all here. Take it. Here are two. "

"Hah!" ejaculated Yussuf smiling with satisfaction, and with all theoriental's love of bright colours, as he took the two yellow silkhandkerchiefs, and rolled them loosely before arranging them in apicturesque fashion round his bright scarlet fez, and handing thehead-dress back to Mr Burne. 

"Humph!" ejaculated that gentleman, putting it on with a comicalexpression of disgust in his countenance. "Here, you, Lawrence, if youdare to laugh at me, I'll never forgive you. "

"Do, please, Mr Burne, " cried the lad, "for I must laugh: I can't helpit. "

So he did laugh, and the professor too, while the old lawyer gave anangry stamp. 

"Look here, " said the professor; "shall I wear the fez, and you can takemy hat?"

"Stuff, sir! you know your head's twice as big as mine, " cried MrBurne. 

"Have mine, Mr Burne, " said Lawrence. 

"Bah! do you think I've got a stupid little head like you have. No, Ishall wear the fez, and I hope we shall meet some English people. Itwill be a warning to them not to come out into such wild spots as this. "

The fact was that the old gentleman looked thoroughly picturesque, whileYussuf looked scarcely less so, as he rapidly turned the roll of muslinwhich he had taken from his fez into a comfortable white head-dress andput it on. 

Then, taking the stick and the straw hat, he climbed up to the top ofthe ridge, where they saw him shoulder the stick and walk to and fro asif on guard, before rapidly arranging the hat upon the top of a littlecypress-tree, and placing the stick through the branches at a slope. 

So cleverly was this done, that even from where the travellers stoodjust below, the ruse was effective. Seen from a quarter of a mile awayit must have been just like Mr Burne on sentry. 

"There, " said the old lawyer with comic anger, "worse and worse. I ambeing set up in effigy for these barbarians to laugh at. "

"No, " said the professor, "we are having the laugh at them. "

Yussuf came down smiling after finishing his task, and then, a finalglance round having been given, and a look at the arms, they prepared tomount. 

One of the baggage-horses bore the grain used for their supply, and as agood feed for six horses night and morning had somewhat reduced hisload, he was chosen to bear Hamed. 

For the driver, in spite of the bold face he put upon the matter, wasquite unfit to walk. The rough treatment he had received when his legswere tied together had completely crippled him, and in addition his headwas injured by a kick from his horse when he fell. 

The man was brave, though, as soon as he found that he was not to beleft behind, and all being now ready, Yussuf climbed the ridge once moreto see whether the enemy was approaching, and after peering just overthe edge, he descended, and they went on down the defile as fast astheir horses could walk. 

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. 

THE PROFESSOR IS STARTLED. 

It was an exciting flight, the more so from the fact that they wereobliged to keep on at a foot-pace because of the baggage-horses, when atany moment they knew that the enemy might appear behind in full chase. Certainly the road was bad, and it was only here and there that theycould have ventured upon a trot or canter; but this did not lessen theanxiety that was felt. 

A dozen times over the professor would have been glad to pause andinvestigate some wonderful chasm or rift, but Yussuf was inexorable. Hepointed out that it would be madness to stop, for at any time the enemymight appear in sight, so Mr Preston had to resign himself to his fate. 

It was the same when, during the heat of the afternoon, they came to theruins of a tower placed upon an angle in the defile quite a thousandfeet above the rough track, so as to command a good view in everydirection. From where they stood it looked ancient enough to have beenerected far back in the days when the armies of Assyria or Egypt passedthrough these gates of the country; certainly it was not later than theRoman times. 

"One might find inscriptions, perhaps, or something else to explain whenit was made, " said the professor. "Come, Yussuf, don't you think wemight stop and ascend here?"

"No, effendi, " replied Yussuf sternly. "Those dogs may be close uponour track, and I cannot let you run risks. We are not all men. "

"Yussuf is perfectly right, " said Mr Burne, who had become quitereconciled to his fez with its gaudy roll of yellow silk; in fact, twoor three times over he had taken it off and held it up to examine it asit rested on his fist. "He is perfectly right, " he repeated, "we do notwant to fight, unless driven to extremities, and discretion is thebetter part of valour. "

"Yes, " said the professor, looking up longingly at the watch-tower, "but--"

"Now, my dear Preston, you really must not run risks for the sake of afew stones, " cried the old lawyer. "Come. "

There was no help for it, so the professor sighed, and they rode slowlyon, with the heat growing more and more intense, till toward sundown, when, about a hundred and fifty feet above the path, there was a clusterof ruins, evidently of quite modern date, and among them a few oldfruit-trees, one of which, a plum, showed a good many purple fruit hereand there. 

The lawyer made a peculiar noise with his mouth as he drew rein, theothers following his example. 

"Now, there are some ruins that you might very well examine, " he said, pointing upwards with the barrel of his gun. "Shall we dismount andclimb up?"

"To see these?" said the professor quietly; and then a change came overhis countenance, and he laughed softly as he turned round to look histravelling companion in the face. "Which stones do you want to lookat?" he said. 

"Those, sir, those, " cried Mr Burne fiercely. "Can't you see?"

"No, " said the professor smiling; "I do not know which you mean, whetherit is the building stones or the plum stones. "

"Tchah!" ejaculated the old gentleman, with his face puckering up into acomical grin. "There, come along. "

Yussuf smiled too as he rode on, and at the end of a few moments he saidgravely:

"The plums would not have been worth gathering, effendi. They are abitter, sour kind. "

"Grapes are too, when the fox cannot reach them--eh, Lawrence?"

No more was said, for every one was exhausted with the long slow ride. The little wind there was came from behind, and they were wandering inand out to such an extent that the soft mountain-breeze was completelyshut off, and the horses were beginning to suffer terribly now from wantof water to quench their burning thirst. 

At last, in front, that for which they had been hoping to see appearedto be at hand, for a patch of broad green bushes at the foot of a rocktold plainly that their fresh growth must be the result of abundantwatering at the roots, and, pressing onward, to their delight the horsesproved the correctness of their belief by breaking into a canter, andsoon carrying them to where the defile ended in one of larger extent, atwhose junction a spring of clear water gushed from the foot of a rock, and Lawrence cried eagerly:

"Why, this is the old place where we left Hamed!"

And so it proved to be. 

Here, pursued or not, it was absolutely necessary to stop and recruitthe horses, even if they had been prepared to suffer themselves; so ahalt was made, one of the party took it in turn to be sentry, and thepackage containing provision was undone, the horses finding plenty ofherbage to satisfy their wants. 

Yussuf took the first watch, while Lawrence and his friends wereenjoying their repast with the hunger and appetite produced by such along fast; and then Lawrence took his place, while Yussuf seated himselfupon a stone by the spring, and began eating his simple meal of hardbread and a few dates. 

The night was coming on fast; and, enticed by the beauty of the shadowsthat were deepening in the gorge through which they had gone in pursuitof the robbers the day before, the professor walked on and on till hewas nearly abreast of the rock-dwellings. 

They were just visible, but where he stood the gorge was in profounddarkness, and he remained watching the ruins fade away as it were in theevening gloom, till, feeling that it was time to return, he was in theact of going back, when a peculiar click struck his ear, and he knew aswell as if he had seen the act that a horse had struck its armed hoofagainst a stone. 

Had he felt any doubt it was set aside by a low snort, and, feeling thatone of their steeds had strayed after him, and then gone on toward theend of the gorge, he was about to hurry forward and seize it, when asecond click startled him, and in an instant he realised that the enemyhad evidently been duped by the sham sentry, and given up the attempt toattack them. What was more, he grasped that the enemy had started aruse of their own, and were coming along the larger gorge, to turn backduring the night by the spring, so as to take them in the rear, whilethey were expecting an attack in front. 

The professor realised all this as he stood there in the darknessleaning upon his gun, and afraid to stir, for he knew that to do so wasto betray his whereabouts to a set of men who would perhaps take hislife, and even if they spared this, carry him off to hold him to ransom. 

Worse still; they would then go on and surprise the party by the spring, his presence betraying their whereabouts, for there was only one spotlikely in that stony wilderness for people to halt, and that was ofcourse by the water side. 

What was he to do?

It was a hard question, and the professor felt himself at his wits' end. He had stepped a dozen yards out of the track, and was standing amongstsome rough stones which helped the darkness to conceal his presence, though the valley was in such a deep shadow that, as he strained eyesand ears to make out and count the enemy, he could do neither, though heknew now that they had halted just opposite to him, and he could hearthem whispering evidently in consultation before they took another stepin advance. 

The professor stood there in the darkness with the perspirationstreaming down his face as he recalled the stories he had heard of theatrocities committed by the outlaws who made their homes in themountains of the sultan's dominions. He was tortured by a dozendifferent plans which suggested themselves for his next course ofaction, but neither of them commended itself for second consideration, while there he was, face to face with the one great difficulty, that hewas cut off from his companions, and unable to stir without betrayinghis presence and being captured or perhaps slain. 

To stir was impossible. He hardly dared to breathe, while his heartthrobbed with so audible a beat that he fully expected it to betray hiswhereabouts. 

It was a perilous time, and his agony of mind was terrible, for justthen it seemed to him that he had, to gratify his own selfishness, brought the son of his old friend--a lad weak and wasted from a longillness--into a peril which might have been avoided. There they were, perfectly unconscious of danger in this direction; and as soon as theparty had finished their whispered consultation he felt that they wouldsteal cautiously on and make their attack. 

What should he do--fire at them or over them, and in the confusion makea dash for the little camp?

He dared not risk it, for it seemed a clumsy, gambling experiment, whichwould most probably result in failure. 

What should he do then--sacrifice himself?

Yes. It seemed after all that his firing would not be so clumsy anexpedient, for even if it ended in his own destruction it would warn hisfriends and place them upon their guard. 

He hesitated for a few moments, as he tried once more to realise theposition. This might not, after all, be the gang of men who had stolentheir horses; but everything pointed to the fact that it was, as he hadat first imagined--that they had been duped by Yussuf's ruse, and thenmade, by some way known to them, for the principal gorge, down whichthey had come to turn into the lesser ravine by the spring, and then inthe night or early morning, take their victims in the rear, drive themout into the open country, and master them with ease. 

While Mr Preston was running over all this in his own mind he couldhear the low whispering of the little, body of men going on, and everynow and then an impatient stamp given by one of the horses, followed bya low muttered adjuration in the Turkish dialect, bidding the animal bestill. 

It was only a matter of minutes, but it seemed to be hours before theband of men began to move forward cautiously through the darkness, andmore than ever the professor blamed himself for not staying with hisfriends, but only to acknowledge the next moment that if he had done sohe would not have known of the approach of the foe. 

As near as he could judge the enemy had about half a mile to go, and notknowing what to do Mr Preston began to follow them cautiously, gettingas near as he could while straining his eyes to make out the figures ofthe mounted men as they moved slowly on. 

By degrees he found out that he was left a long way behind, but whilequickening his pace he was compelled to do so with the greatest caution, and to walk with outstretched hands, for, though high above his head thestarlight enabled him to make out the line of the high cliff against thesky, all below in that gorge was of pitchy blackness, and he had toguide himself by stepping carefully more than by the use of his eyes. 

In spite of his care he was, he found, being left more and more behind, and yet he dare not hasten for fear of coming suddenly upon the rear ofthe party. 

But at last, quite in despair, he pressed forward, trusting to his goodfortune to get near enough to note their actions without being detected, so that at last he was within a very few yards, and he kept thatdistance till he felt that they must be very near the spring, when, ashe pressed on, keeping to the path, as he believed, he suddenly foundhimself about to stumble over a low block of blackish stone just beneathhis feet. 

He tried to save himself, but he was too late, and he blundered rightupon it; but instead of knocking the skin off his shins, and fallingheavily, he was stricken back, for the object he had taken for a rockfelt soft, sprang up, and he found, as the man, who had been stooping tobind up his rough gear, uttered a few angry words in his own tongue, that he had come upon a laggard of the party. 

It was evident that in the darkness the man imagined that he wasaddressing a companion, for he gripped the professor fiercely andwhispered a question. 

A struggle would have ensued, but just then a clear voice rang out onthe night air, sounding wild and strange, and echoing from the face ofthe cliff as it seemed to cut the black darkness. 

The man dropped the professor's arm which he had seized, sprang awayinto the darkness ahead, and then there was utter silence. 

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. 

RECEIVING THE ENEMY. 

Lawrence kept the watch in the ravine by which they had reached thespring that day, and as he posted himself a little way up the slope, where he could shelter himself behind a block of stone and gaze for somedistance along the deep rift among the rocks, he could not help feelingsomewhat elated by his position. 

He was stiff and sore with his long ride, but the refreshment of whichhe had partaken and the pleasant coolness of the evening air raised hisspirits, and he smiled to himself as he felt that his strength wasreturning, and that he was drinking in health with every breath of thepure air around. 

There was something so important, too, in his position on sentry there, with a loaded gun resting upon the rock, the gun he took such pains topolish and keep free from every spot of rust. Only a short time sincehe was lying back in his easy-chair in Guilford Street, waited uponincessantly by Mrs Dunn, while now he was a traveller passing throughadventures which startled him sometimes, and at others thrilled him bytheir strangeness and peril. 

"It is like reading a book, " he said to himself as he stood therewatching the side of the ridge high up, with its rugged masses of stone, and a feathery cypress here and there turned to orange and gold by thesetting sun. 

Then he went over again the skirmish of the past night, and how therobbers had been beaten off. Next he began to wonder whether the bandwould stop at the end of the ravine long, and soon after, havingsurfeited himself with gazing at the fading light in the sky and theblackening rocks that had so lately been glistening as if of gold, hebegan to yawn and think that he should much like to lie down and sleepoff this weariness which seemed to be coming over him like a mist. 

He leaned more and more upon the stone, so as to stare down the ravine, which kept growing darker and darker, till the bushes and tall featherycypresses began to assume suspicious forms and seem to be tall watchersor crouching men coming slowly forward to the attack. 

A dozen times over he felt sure that he was right, and that he ought tofire or run back and give the alarm. But a dread of being laughed atchecked him; and then he seemed to see more clearly and to make out thatthese were not men, but after all trees and bushes upon the slope. 

This gave him more confidence for a time, as the shades of evening fellfast, and all below in the deep ravine grew black, but he was startledagain by a low rushing noise that came down the valley, followed by apiteous wail which sent a chill through him, and made the hands whichheld the gun grow moist. 

"Was it the night breeze or some bird?" he asked himself, and as he wasdebating with himself as to whether he might not summon Yussuf or MrBurne to stay with him, there came a gentle crackling noise from theside of the ravine, such as might be made by some wild beast, fresh fromits lair, and in search of food. 

"What could it be?" he asked himself, as in spite of his determinationhis nervousness increased, and he realised that strength of mind is agood deal dependent upon vigour of body, and that he was far frompossessing either. 

What wild beast was it likely to be? He had heard of Syrian lions, buthe thought that there could not be any there now; tigers he knew enoughof natural history to feel would be in India; leopards in Africa. Thenwhat was this which approached? It must be one of two things--either ahyena or a wolf. 

The former he had heard was extremely cowardly, unless it had to dealwith a child or a lamb; but wolves, if hungry, were savage in theextreme, and as the noise continued, he brought the muzzle of the gun tobear, and the _click, click_, made by the locks sounded so loudly in thestill evening air, that the creature, whatever it was, probably a lemuror wild-cat, took alarm, bounded off, and was heard no more. 

Then the heavy sleepy sensation began to resume its sway, and though thelad remained standing, his eyes closed, and he was suddenly completelyovercome with fatigue and fast asleep, when he woke with a start, for avoice just behind him said:

"Well, boy, how are you getting on?" and a faint odour of snuff, sufficient to be inhaled and to make him sneeze, roused Lawrence intothorough wakefulness. 

"I was getting drowsy, Mr Burne, " said Lawrence sadly. 

"Enough to make you, my lad. I've had a nap since I sat down, but I'mfresh as a daisy now. I'm to relieve you, while Yussuf or the professoris to come by and by and relieve me. I say, how do you like playing atsoldiers?"

"Playing at soldiers, Mr Burne?"

"Well, what else do you call it?--mounting guard, and fighting robbers, and all that sort of thing. I'm getting quite excited, only I don'tknow yet whether it's true. "

"It is true enough, " said Lawrence laughing. 

"Oh, I don't know so much about that. It doesn't seem to be possible. Couldn't believe that such things went on in these days, when people usetelephones and telegraphs and read newspapers. "

"It does seem strange and unreal, sir, but then so do all thesebeautiful valleys and mountains. "

"So they do to us, my boy. Shouldn't wonder if they are all theatricalscenery, or else we shall wake up directly both of us and say, `Lo! itwas a dream. '"

Lawrence sneezed twice heavily, for it was impossible to be in MrBurne's company long without suffering from the impalpable dust thatpervaded all his clothes; and as the old gentleman looked on with a grimsmile and clapped his young companion on the shoulder, he exclaimed:

"You are right, Lawrence, my lad, it is all real, and that proves it. Inever knew anyone sneeze in a dream. There, go back. Relieve guard. I'm sentry now, and I feel as if I were outside Buckingham Palace, orthe British Museum, only I ought to have a black bearskin on instead ofthis red fez with the yellow roll round it. How does it look, eh?"

"Splendid, sir. It quite improves you, " replied Lawrence. 

"Get out, you young impostor!" cried the old lawyer. "There, be off. You are getting well. "

Lawrence laughed and went back to the camping-place by the spring, whereHamed was bathing his ankles in the cold water, and Yussuf wasdiligently attending to the horses, whose legs he hobbled so as to keepthem from straying away, though they showed very little inclination forthis, the clear water and the abundant clover proving too great anattraction for them to care to go far. 

It was rapidly getting dark now, and hearing from Yussuf that theprofessor had taken his gun and strolled off along the great gorge, Lawrence was disposed to follow him, but the sensation of stiffness, theresult of many hours in the saddle, made him prefer to await his return. Picking out, then, a snug spot among some stones that had fallen fromabove, where a clump of myrtles perfumed the soft evening air, hesettled himself down, and soon sank into a comfortable drowsy state, inwhich he listened to the _munch munch_ of the horses, and a low crooningsong uttered by Hamed as he finished his task of bathing his swollenankles, and then walked up and down more strongly, pausing every now andthen to stoop and rub them well. 

Soon after Yussuf came to his side, and stood looking along the gorgetowards where the cliff-dwellings clustered on high; but it was too darkto see them now. 

"It is time the effendi was back, " he said. "He will not be long now. You will keep watch while I go and speak with his excellency, Burne. "

"Yes, I am well awake again, now, " said Lawrence, starting up. "I wishI did not grow so sleepy. "

"Why?" said Yussuf gently, as he laid his hand upon the boy's arm. "Ilove to see you sleep, and sleep well. It is a good sign. It meansthat you are growing strong and well, and will some day be a stout andactive man. "

"Do you think so?" said Lawrence dreamily. 

"I feel sure so, " replied the Turk gravely. "I am not educated like youFranks from the west, but I have lived to middle age, and noticed manythings. You are growing better and stronger. I will go now and comeback soon. The effendi will be here then, and we two will watch, andyou shall sleep. "

He strode away into the gathering darkness, passing the spring, turninground by the right, and making for the spot where the sentry wereposted. Here Mr Burne showed no inclination to go back to the littlecamp, but stood talking to him in his dry manner, for mutual dislike wasgradually changing into a certain amount of friendliness. 

Meanwhile the horses went on biting off great mouthfuls of the richclover that grew near the stream, and munched and munched up the juicyherbage as Lawrence listened and watched the pathway to see if he couldcatch sight of Mr Preston returning with his gun. 

It grew darker and darker still, but the professor did not come, andLawrence began to grow drowsy again. 

He fought against it, but the desire to sleep overcame him more andmore. His head sank lower, and in an instant he was dreaming that heheard that rustling sound again of some wild animal approaching thegroup of rocks where he was stationed. 

Wolf--hyena--some fierce creature that was coming steadily on nearer andnearer, till before long it would spring upon him, and in thenightmare-like sensation he felt as if he were struggling to get away, while it fascinated him and held him to his place. 

One--two--three--four--there were several such creatures drawing nearerand nearer, and he could not cry for help, only stay motionless there inhis horrible dread. 

Nearer--nearer--nearer, till he fancied he could see them in thedarkness gathering themselves up to spring, and still he could notmove--still he could not shout to his friends for help, till all at oncehe seemed to make a desperate spring, and then he was awake and staringinto the thick darkness, telling himself that it was fancy. 

No; there were sounds farther up the gorge--sounds as of some animalscoming softly down, nearer and nearer, but not wolves or hyenas. Theywere horses. 

There was no doubt about it--horses; and now fully awake, the lad feltfilled by a new alarm. For who could it be but an enemy stealing alongin the darkness; and in the sudden alarm, he did not pause to argue outwhether it might not be travellers like themselves, but shouted in aclear ringing voice:

"Who's that?"

There was utter stillness in the deep gorge, just broken by the gurglingof the fount as the water gushed from below the rock; and in his alarm, startled as much by the deep silence as he had been by the sounds ofapproaching horsemen, Lawrence shouted again:

"Who's that?" and then, hardly knowing what he did, he raised his gunand fired. 

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. 

AFTER THE SCARE. 

The sides of the gorge took up the report of Lawrence's fowling-piece, and a volley of echoes ran rapidly along the valley; but that was noecho which rang out directly after, for there were two bright flashes, and a couple of shots that were magnified into terrific sounds, as theytoo rolled along the deep passage between the rocks. 

To Lawrence they seemed to be the answer to his fire from the enemy, and, in the excitement of the moment, before attempting to reload, hefired again, the flash from his piece cutting the darkness and resultingin another volley of echoes. 

Then there was a hoarse shout given in a commanding voice, followed by ashrill yell, and what seemed to be quite a large body of horsementhundered by, while directly after, as Lawrence was trying to reload hispiece, the darkness was cut again twice over by a couple of clearflashes, and the rocks rang out in a series of echoes as if a company ofinfantry had drawn trigger at the word of command. 

Meanwhile the beating of hoofs continued, growing more distant minute byminute, till the sounds died away. 

Then they rose again as if the band were returning, but it was only thereflected sound from the great face of some rock which they wereapproaching in their flight; and once more the noise faded, andLawrence, as he stood there half petrified, heard a familiar voiceshout:

"Lawrence! Lawrence, boy, are you there?"

"Yes, yes, Mr Preston; here. "

A low murmur came out of the darkness as if the professor had spokensome words, Lawrence never knew what, and the next minute they weretogether standing listening to the sound of footsteps, and their guidecame panting up. 

"What is it?" he cried. 

Mr Preston explained, and Yussuf stood thinking for a few moments, andhit upon the solution of the mystery at once. 

"I am not worthy of my name, " he cried. "I see it all now; they musthave come round this way to surprise us. "

"And we have surprised them--so it seems, " said the professor coolly. "Our firing scared them. Will they come back?"

"Here! anyone killed? anyone killed?" cried Mr Burne excitedly, as hecame panting up to his friends. 

"I sincerely hope not, " said the professor; and he explained anew whathad occurred. "But what is to be done now, Yussuf?"

"Excellency, I hardly know what to say. If we retreat at once it is aterrible march in the dark, and we should be much at our enemies' mercy. If we stay here we are greatly exposed, but it is better to be on guardthan retreating. I learned that when fighting with my people upnorthward against the Russ. "

"You think, then, that they will come back?"

"It is impossible to say, effendi. Perhaps not to-night, but we darenot trust them. We must be prepared. "

"Let us see to the horses, " cried Mr Preston. "Hamed!"

There was no reply, but, upon Yussuf shouting the name, a response camefrom far up the ravine, and they found that the horses were missing. 

"Oh, yes; I forgot to tell you, " said Mr Burne; "they scampered up pastme, when there was all that noise down below here. One of them nearlyknocked me over. "

They soon found that Hamed had limped off in search of the horses whichhad taken fright, and but for the fact that Yussuf had hobbled theirforelegs, they would have galloped away. 

As it was they were soon secured, and, the party being divided into twowatches, a careful guard was kept by one, while the other lay down tosleep with weapons ready to hand in case of an alarm. 

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. 

YUSSUF PREACHES STICK. 

There was no further alarm that night, for the marauders had dashed offin the full belief that they were attacked in front and rear, the fourshots, multiplied by the tremendous echoes from the rocks, combiningwith the darkness to make them believe that their enemies were many, andthey had not stopped till they were miles away. As to making a freshattack that was the last thing in their thoughts. 

The night, then, passed peacefully away, but the amount of rest obtainedwas very little indeed. 

After lying watching some time, Lawrence had fallen asleep, and had beenawakened before daybreak by the professor, so that Hamed might have somerepose; but, instead of lying down, the driver went off to his horses, and when Lawrence looked along the valley at sunrise, it was to see thatYussuf had spread his praying carpet, and was standing motionless withhis hands outspread toward the east. 

A hasty meal was eaten, and then a fresh start made, with Yussuf infront, and the professor and Mr Burne, who looked like some sheik orgrandee in his scarlet and yellow turban, a hundred yards behind, theirguns glistening in the morning sun. 

The force was not strong, for, with Yussuf as advance guard, theprofessor and Mr Burne as rear, Lawrence had to form himself into themain body, as well as the baggage guard. But as this was the whole oftheir available strength, the most was made of it, and they rode backalong the ravine as fast as they could get the baggage-horses forward, momentarily expecting attack, and in the hope of seeing some travellersor people of the country, who would, for payment, give them help; butwhen in the afternoon they reached the spot where the old lawyer'sPanama hat, perched on the top of the cypress, still kept guard, theyhad not seen a soul. 

Mr Burne was for recovering his hat, but yielded to good counsel, whichwas in favour of hastening on to the village some few miles below in theopen country, before the enemy appeared. 

"Just as you like, " he said. "I will not oppose you, for I do not feelat all in a fighting humour to-day. "

The result was that just after sundown they rode into the littlevillage, where about thirty men stood staring at them in a sour andevil-looking manner, not one responding to the customary salute given byYussuf. 

The latter directed himself to one of the best-dressed men, standing bythe door of his house, and asked where they could got barley for thehorses. 

The man scowled and said that there was none to be had. 

Yussuf rode on to another, who gave the same answer. 

He then applied to a third, and asked where a room or rooms andrefreshment could be obtained, but the man turned off without a word. 

Patiently, and with the calm gentlemanly manner of a genuine Turk, heapplied in all directions, but without effect. 

"Have you offered to pay for everything we have, and pay well, Yussuf?"said the professor, as he sat there weary and hungry, and beginning toshiver in the cold wind that swept down from the snow-capped mountains. 

"Yes, excellency, but they will not believe me. "

"Show them the firman, " said the professor. 

This was done, but the people could not read, and when they were told ofits contents they shrugged their shoulders and laughed. 

It was growing dark, the cold increasing, and the travellers wearied outwith their journey. 

"What is to be done, Yussuf?" said Mr Preston; "we cannot stop out hereall night, and we are starving. "

"They are not of the faithful, " said Yussuf indignantly. "I have spokento them as brothers, but they are dogs. Look at them, effendi. Theyare the friends and brethren of the thieves and cut-throats whom we metin the mountains. "

"Yes, we can see that, my good friend, " said Mr Burne drily; "but as wesay in our country--`soft words butter no parsnips. '"

"No, effendi, soft words are no good here, " replied Yussuf; and he tookthe thick oaken walking-stick which Mr Burne carried hanging from hissaddle bow. 

"What are you going to do, Yussuf?" said Mr Preston anxiously, as heglanced round at the gathering crowd of ill-looking villagers, whoseemed to take great delight in the troubles of the strangers. 

"Going to do, effendi, " said Yussuf in a deep voice full of suppressedanger; "going to teach these sons of Shaitan that the first duty of afaithful follower of the Prophet is hospitality to a brother who comesto him in distress. "

"But, Yussuf, " said Mr Preston anxiously. 

"Trust me, effendi, and I will make them remember what it is to insultthree English gentlemen travelling for their pleasure. Are we dogs thatthey should do this thing?"

Before Mr Preston could interfere, Yussuf gave Hamed the bridle of hishorse to hold, and, making up to the man who seemed to be the head-manof the village, and who certainly had been the most insolent, he knockedoff his turban, caught him by the beard, and thrashed him unmercifullywith the thick stick. 

Both Mr Preston and his companion laid their hands upon theirrevolvers, bitterly regretting Yussufs rashness, and fully expecting asavage attack from the little crowd of men, several of whom were armed. 

But they need not have been uneasy; Yussuf knew the people with whom hehad to deal, and he went on belabouring the man till he threw himselfdown and howled for mercy, while the crowd looked on as if interested bythe spectacle more than annoyed; and when at last, with a final strokeacross the shoulders, Yussuf threw the man off, the people only came alittle closer and stared. 

"Now, " said Yussuf haughtily, and he seemed to be some magnate fromIstamboul, instead of an ordinary guide, "get up and show the Englishlords into a good room, help unpack the baggage, and make your peopleprepare food. "

The man rose hastily, screwing himself about and rubbing his shoulders, for he was evidently in great pain; but he seemed to get rid of aportion thereof directly by calling up three of his people, two of whomhe kicked savagely for not moving more quickly, and missing the thirdbecause he did display activity enough to get out of his way. 

Then obsequiously bowing to the professor and Mr Burne, he led the wayinto the best house in the village, his men holding the horses, andYussuf stopping back to see that the baggage was taken in, and thehorses carefully stabled in a snug warm place, where plenty of barleywas soon forthcoming. 

"Why, Yussuf's stick is a regular magician's wand, " said Mr Burne, asthe master of the house showed them into his clean and comfortable bestroom, where he bustled about, bringing them rugs and cushions, while, from the noises to be heard elsewhere, it was evident that he was givingorders, which resulted in his sending in a lad with a tray of coffee, fairly hot and good, and wonderfully comforting to the cold and wearytravellers. 

"Now, " said Mr Burne, "what a chance for him to poison us and finish usoff. "

"Have no fear of that. The man would not injure us in that way, " saidthe professor; "but I must confess to being rather uncomfortable, for Iam sure we are in a nest of hornets. "

"Hark!" said Mr Burne, "I can hear a sizzling noise which meanscooking, so pray don't let's have any prophecies of evil till the supperis over. Then, perhaps, I shall be able to bear them. What do you say, Lawrence?"

"Supper first, " said the latter laughing. 

"Very well, then, " said Mr Preston smiling; "we will wait till after agood meal. Perhaps I shall feel more courageous then. "

"What is he doing?" said Lawrence quietly, as their host kept walking inand out, for apparently no other reason than to stare at Mr Burne'sscarlet and yellow head-dress. 

"I see, " said Mr Preston quietly; "he evidently thinks Mr Burne hereis some great grandee. That fez and its adornments will be a protectionto us as you will see. "

"Bah!" ejaculated the old lawyer; "now you are prophesying to anothertune, and one is as bad as the other. Give it up; you are no prophet. Oh, how hungry I am!"

"And I, " cried Lawrence. 

"Well, " said the professor gravely, "to be perfectly truthful, so am I. Here, mine host, " he said in Arabic, "bring us some more coffee. "

The man bowed low, smiled, and left the room with the empty cups, andreturned directly after with them full, and after another glance at thescarlet and yellow turban, he looked at the swords and pistols andbecame more obsequious than ever. 

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. 

CATCHING A TARTAR. 

If there had been any intention on the part of their host to dealdeceitfully with them, he would have had plenty of opportunity, duringabout a couple of hours of the night, when it was the professor's turnto keep watch, for he fell fast asleep, and was awakened by Yussuf, whoshook his head at him sadly. 

Morning came bright and cheery, with the birds singing, and the viewfrom their window exquisite. Close at hand there were the mountains, rising one above another, and rich with the glorious tints of the treesand bushes that clung to their sides, and after gazing at the gloriousprospect, with the clear air and dazzling sunshine, Mr Burne exclaimed:

"Bless me! What an eligible estate to lay out in building plots!Magnificent health resort! Beats Baden, Spa, Homburg, and all theseplaces, hollow. "

"And where would you get your builders and your tenants?"

"Humph! Hah! I never thought of that. But really, Preston, what adisgraceful thing it is that such a lovely country should go to ruin!Hah! here's breakfast. "

For at that moment their host came in, and in a short time good bread, butter, yaourt or curd, coffee, and honey in the comb were placed beforethem, and somehow, after a good night's rest, the travellers did notfind the owner of the house so very evil-looking. 

"Oh, no, effendi, he is not a bad fellow. He bears no malice, " saidYussuf, "these men are used to it. They get so terribly robbed byeveryone who comes through the village that they refuse help onprinciple till they are obliged to give it, when they become civil. "

"He is pleasant enough this morning, " said Mr Burne. "The man seemswell off, too. "

"Yes, effendi, he is rich for a man of his station. And now I have newsfor the effendi Preston. "

"News? Not letters surely?" said the professor. 

"No, effendi; but there are ruins close by across the valley. An oldcity and burying-place is yonder, this man tells me. Nobody ever goesthere, because the people say that it is inhabited by djins and evilspirits, so that no one dares to go and fetch away the stones. "

The professor rubbed his hands gleefully, and Mr Burne dropped thecorners of his lips as he helped himself to some more yaourt. 

"How are you getting on with this stuff, Lawrence?" he said. 

"I like it, " was the reply. 

"So do I, " said Mr Burne grimly. "It puts me in mind of being a goodlittle boy, and going for a walk in Saint James's Park with the nurse tofeed the ducks, after which we used to feed ourselves at one of thelodges where they sold curds and whey. This is more like it thananything I have had since. I say, gently, young man, don't eateverything on the table. "

"But I feel so hungry up here in the mountains, " cried Lawrencelaughing. 

"Very likely, sir, " said Mr Burne with mock austerity; "but that is noreason why you should try and create a famine in the land. "

"Let him eat; Burne, " said the professor; "he wants bone and muscle. "

"But he is eating wax, " cried Mr Burne sharply. "Let him eat chickenbone and muscle if he likes, and the flesh as well, but that would be noreason why he should eat the feathers. "

"I am only too glad to see him with a good appetite, " said the professorpushing the butter towards Lawrence with a smile. 

"So am I. Of course. But I draw the line at wax. Confound it all, boy! be content with the honey. "

"I would, " said Lawrence with his mouth full; "but it is all so mixedup. "

"Humph!" ejaculated Mr Burne. "Are you going to have a look at thoseold stones, Preston?"

"Most decidedly. "

"In spite of the djins and evil spirits?"

"Yes, " replied the professor. "I suppose they will not alarm you, Yussuf?"

The guide smiled and shook his head. 

"I am most alarmed about those other evil spirits, effendi, " he saidsmiling; "such as haunt these mountains, and who steal horses, and robmen. I think the effendi will find some curious old ruins, for thisseems to have been a famous place once upon a time. There is an oldtheatre just at the back. "

"Theatre? Nonsense!" said the old lawyer with a snort. 

"I meant amphitheatre, effendi--either Greek or Roman, " said Yussufpolitely. 

"Here, I say, Yussuf, " said Mr Burne, lowering the piece of bread whichhe had raised half-way to his mouth; "are you an Englishman in disguisepretending to be a Turk?"

Yussuf smiled, and then turned and arrested Mr Preston, who was aboutto leave his breakfast half finished and get ready to go and see theamphitheatre. 

"Pray, finish first, excellency, " he said. "You will not miss it now, but in a few hours' time you will be growing faint, and suffer for wantof being well prepared. "

"You are right, " said the professor. 

The breakfast was ended, and then, while the horses were being loaded, the travellers followed their host down the steep slope which formed hisgarden, and then by a stiff bit of pathway to where a splendid spring ofwater gushed right out of the rock; and the presence of this sourceexplained a great deal, and made plain why ruins were to be found closeat hand. 

In fact, they came upon dressed stones directly, and it was evident thatthere had been a kind of temple once close to the spring, for a roughplatform remained which had been cut down level to the edge of thewater. The face of the rock had been levelled too, and upon it therewere remains of a rough kind of inscription, while, upon examining thedressed stones which lay here and there, several, in spite of theirdecay, still retained the shape which showed that they had formedportions of columns. 

But, search how the professor would, he could find nothing to show whatthe date of the edifice had been. 

Five minutes' climbing amongst broken stones brought them to a clump oftrees and bushes, mingled with which were a few white-looking fragmentswhich looked so natural that the professor's heart sank withdisappointment. The stones appeared to be live stones, as geologistscall it; in other words, portions of rock which had never beendisturbed. 

But their host pushed on through the brambles and roses, which looked asnatural as if they were in an English wilderness, only that the treesthat rose beyond them were strange. 

"It's all labour in vain, Yussuf, " said Mr Preston in rather adisappointed tone. "You have not seen this theatre. "

"No, excellency; but the man described it so exactly, that I felt hemust be right; and--yes, he is. "

As he spoke, he drew aside some bushes, and they found themselves gazingacross heap upon heap of loose fragments of very pure white stone thatwas not unlike marble, and the cause of whose overthrow had most likelybeen the strong growth of the abundant trees, for the roots hadinterlaced and undermined them till they were completely forced out ofplace. Beyond this chaos, that lay nearly buried in greenery, rose upone above the other what seemed to Lawrence at the first glance to bethe ruins of a huge flight of steps built in a semicircular form, butwhich he recognised at once, from pictures which he had seen, as anamphitheatre. 

There was no mistaking it. The steps, as he had thought them to be, were the seats of stone rising tier above tier, now broken, mouldering, and dislodged in many places, but in others curiously perfect. 

Where they, the travellers, stood must have been occupied by the actors, far back in the past perhaps a couple of thousand years ago; and theseremains were all that was left to tell of the greatness of the peoplewho once ruled in the land--great indeed, since they left such relics asthese. 

Mr Burne said "Humph!" sat down, and lit a cigar, while their hostrested upon a stone at a short distance, to admire the scarlet andyellow turban. Yussuf followed the professor, whose eyes flashed withpleasure, while the old lawyer muttered derisively:

"Come all the way, to see a place like this! Why, I could have takenhim to the end of Holborn in a cab, and shown him the ruins of TempleBar all neatly numbered and piled-up, without all these pains. "

The professor did not hear his remark, for he was too intent upon hisexamination of the carefully built place, which he was ready topronounce of Greek workmanship; but there was no one but Yussuf to hear. For Lawrence had noted that, where the stones lay baking in the sun, innumerable lizards were glancing about, their grey and sometimes greenarmoured skins glistening in the brilliant sunshine, and sending offflashes every time they moved. Some were of a brownish hue clouded withpale yellow; and as they darted in and out of the crevices and holesamong the stonework, they raised their heads on the look-out for danger, or to catch some heedless fly before darting again beneath the levelledstones or amongst the grass and clinging plants which were covering themhere and there. 

Poisonous or not poisonous? that was the question Lawrence asked himselfas he crept closer and watched the actions of the nimble bright-eyedcreatures, longing to capture one or two, but hesitating. 

A reference to Yussuf solved the doubt. 

"Oh, no; perfectly harmless as to poison, " he said; "but some of thelarger ones can nip pretty sharply. "

"And draw blood?"

"The largest would, " he said; "but you need have no fear, " he addeddryly; "catch all you can. I should be careful, though, for sometimesthere are snakes lurking amongst the stones, and some of them arevenomous. But you know the difference between a snake and a lizard?"

"Oh, yes, " cried Lawrence laughing, "that's easy enough to tell. "

"Not always, effendi, when they are half hidden in the grass. "

Lawrence nodded, and went away to try and stalk one of the lizards. Theprofessor was busy making measurements and taking notes, while Mr Burnesmoked on peaceably, and the Turk, who had led them here, crouched downand stared at the scarlet and yellow turban as if it fascinated him, while overhead the sun poured down its scorching beams and there was astillness in the air that was broken by the low buzz and hum of flies, and the deep murmur of the spring below. 

Lawrence crept softly along to one white stone upon which three lizardswere basking; and after a moment's hesitation thrust out his hand, making sure that he had seized one by the neck, but there were threestreaks upon the white stone like so many darting shadows, and there wasnothing. 

"Wasn't quick enough, " he said to himself, and he went softly to anotherstone upon which there was only one, a handsome reptile, which looked asif it had been painted by nature to imitate polished tortoise-shell. 

The sun flashed from its back and seemed to be hot enough to cook thelittle creature, which did not stir, but lay as if fast asleep. 

"I shall have you easy enough, " said Lawrence, as he gradually steppedup to the place and stooped and poised himself ready for the spring. 

He was not hasty this time, and the reptile was perfectly unsuspiciousof danger. There was no doubt about the matter--it must be asleep. Hehad so arranged that the sun did not cast the shadow of his arm acrossthe stone, and drawing in his breath, he once more made a dart at thelizard, meaning if he did not catch it to sweep it away from its hole, and so make the capture more easy. 

_Snatch_!

A brown streak that faded out as breath does from a blade of steel; andLawrence hurt his hand upon the lichened stone. 

"I'm not going to be beaten, " he said to himself. "I can catch them, and I will. "

He glanced at his companions, who were occupied in the amphitheatre;and, having scared away the lizards from the stones there, the lad wentoutside to find that there were plenty of remains about, and nearly allof them showed a lizard or two basking on the top. 

He kept on trying time after time, till he grew hot and impatient, andof course, as his most careful efforts were useless, it was only naturalto expect that his more careless trials would be in vain. 

He was about to give the task up in despair, when all at once he caughtsight of a good-sized reptile lying with its head and neck protrudedfrom beneath a stone, and in such a position as tempted him to have onemore trial. 

This time it seemed to be so easy, and the reptile appeared to be one ofthe kind he was most eager to capture--the silvery grey, for, as theylay upon the stones, they looked as if made of oxidised metal, frostedand damascened in the most beautiful manner. 

Lawrence glanced at the ground so as to be sure of his footing among theloose stones and growth, and he congratulated himself upon hisforesight. For as he peered about he saw a good-sized virulent-lookingserpent lying right in his way, and as if ready to strike at anybody whoshould pass. 

Lawrence looked round for a stone wherewith to crush the creature, buthe felt that if he did this he should alarm the lizard and lose it, sohe drew back and picked up a few scraps, and kept on throwing first oneand then another at the serpent, gently, till he roused it, and in asluggish way it raised its head and hissed. 

Then he threw another, and it again hissed menacingly, and moved itself, but all in a sluggish manner as if it were half asleep. 

Another stone fell so near, though, that it made an angry dart with itshead, and then glided out of sight. 

Lawrence took care not to go near where it had disappeared, butapproached the lizard on the stone from a little to the left, which gavehim a better opportunity for seizing it. 

It had not moved, and he drew nearer and nearer, to get within reach, noting the while that its body was not in a crack from which thecreature had partly crept, but concealed by some light fine grass thathe knew would yield to his touch. 

As he was about to dart his hand down and catch it by the neck andshoulders, he saw that it was a finer one than he had imagined, withflattish head, and very large scales, lying loosely over one another--quite a natural history prize, he felt. 

They were moments of critical anxiety, as he softly extended his hand, balancing himself firmly, and holding his breath, while he hesitated fora moment as to whether he should trust to the grass giving way as hesnatched at the body, or seize the reptile by the head and neck, and somake sure. 

He had met with so many disappointments that he determined upon thelatter, and making a quick dart down with his hand, he seized the littlecreature by the neck and head, grasping it tightly, and snatching it up, to find to his horror that he had been deceived by the similarity of thereptile's head, and instead of catching a lizard he had seized a littleserpent about eighteen inches long, whose head he felt moving within hishand, while the body, which was flat and thick for the length, woundtightly round his wrist, and compressed it with more force than couldhave been expected from so small a creature. 

He had uttered a shout of triumph as he caught his prize, but his voicedied out upon his lips, his blood seemed to rush to his heart, and ahorrible sensation of fear oppressed him, and made the cold dankperspiration ooze out upon his brow. 

For he knew as well as if he had been told that he had caught up one ofthe dangerous serpents of the land. 

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. 

HOW TO DEAL WITH AN ASP. 

For some minutes Lawrence Grange stood motionless as if turned to stone, and though the sun was shining down with tremendous power, he felt coldto a degree. His eyes were fixed upon the scaly creature which he heldout at arm's length, and he could neither withdraw them nor move hisarm, while the reptile twined and heaved and undulated in its efforts towithdraw its head from the tightly closed hand. 

The boy could think little, and yet, strange as it may sound, he thoughta great deal. But it was of people who had been bitten by reptiles ofthis kind, and who had died in a few minutes or an hour or two at most. He could not think of the best means of disembarrassing himself of thedeadly creature. He could do nothing but stand with his eyes fixed uponthe writhing beast. 

It was an asp. He knew it was from the descriptions he had read of suchcreatures, and then the desire to throw it off--as far as he could, cameover him, and his nerve began to return. 

But only for a moment, and he shivered as he thought of the consequencesof opening his hand. He saw, in imagination, the serpent clingingtightly with its body and striking him with its fangs over and overagain. 

But had it not already bitten him on the hand as he held that vicioushead within his palm. 

That he could not tell, only that he could feel the rough head of thehideous creature, and the scales pressing into his wrist. But theprobability was that the creature had not bitten him, though it washeaving and straining with all its force, which, like that of all thesecreatures, is remarkably great for their size. 

Once, as he stood there staring wildly, a peculiar swimming sensationcame over him, and he felt as if he must fall; but if he did, itoccurred to him that he must be at the mercy of this horrible beast, andby an effort he mastered the giddiness and stood firm. 

How long he stood there he could not tell, only that the horror of beingpoisoned by the reptile seemed more than he could bear, especially nowthat life was beginning to open out with a new interest for him, and theworld, instead of being embraced by the dull walls of a sick-chamber, was hourly growing more beautiful and vast. 

All at once he started as it were from a dream, in which before hismisty eyes the hideous little serpent was assuming vast proportions, andgradually forcing open his hand by the expansion of what seemed to begrowing into a huge head. For from just behind him there was a hoarsecry, and then a rush of feet, and he found himself surrounded by theprofessor, Mr Burne, Yussuf, and the Turk at whose house they stayed. 

"Good heavens, Lawrence! what are you doing?" cried the professor. 

"Hush! don't speak to him, " cried Yussuf in a voice full of authority. "Let me. "

As he spoke he drew his knife from his girdle. "Lawrence effendi, " hesaid quickly, "has it bitten you?"

The lad looked at him wildly, and his voice was a mere whisper as hefaltered:

"I do not know. "

"Tell me, " cried Yussuf, "have you tight hold of it by the head?"

There was a pause, and Lawrence's eyes seemed fixed and staring, but atlast he spoke. 

"Yes. "

Only that word; and as the others looked on, Yussuf caught Lawrence'sright hand in his left, and compressed it more tightly on the asp'shead. 

"There, effendi, " he said as he stood ready with his keen bare knife inhis right hand, "the serpent is harmless now. Take hold of it by thetail, and unwind it from his wrist. "

A momentary repugnance thrilled Mr Preston. Then he seized the littlereptile, and proceeded to untwine it from its constriction of Lawrence'swrist. 

It seemed a little thing to do, but it was surprising how tightly itclung, and undulated, contracting itself, but all in vain, for MrPreston tore it off and held it out as straight as he could get theheaving body, encouraged in his efforts by Yussuf's declaration that thehead was safe. 

Had it not been for his strong grasp the asp would have been torn fromLawrence's failing grasp, for he was evidently growing giddy and faint, when, placing his knife as close to the neck as he could get it, Yussufgave one bold upward cut and divided the reptile, Mr Preston throwingdown the writhing body while the head was still held tightly withinLawrence's hand. 

"Do not give way, Lawrence effendi, " said Yussuf in the same sterncommanding voice as he had used before. "Hold up your hand--so. Thatis well. "

He twisted the lad's clasped hand, thumb upwards, as he spoke; and thosewho looked on saw a few drops of blood fall from the serpent's neck asit moved feebly, the strength being now in the body that writhed amongthe stones. 

"Let him throw it down now, " cried Mr Preston. "He may be bitten, andwe must see to him. "

"No, " said Yussuf; "he must not open his hand yet. The head may havestrength to bite even now. A few minutes, effendi, and we will see. "

He watched Lawrence curiously, and with a satisfied air, for instead ofgrowing more faint, the lad seemed to be recovering fast--so fast, indeed, that he looked up at Yussuf and exclaimed:

"Let me throw the horrid thing away. "

"It did not bite you?" said Yussuf quickly. 

"No, I think not. It had no time, " replied Lawrence. 

Yussuf said something to himself, and then, as he retained the handwithin his, he exclaimed:

"Tell us how you came to seize the dangerous beast. "

"I took it for a lizard, " said the lad, who was nearly himself again, and then he related the whole of the circumstances. 

"Hah! An easy mistake to make, " said Yussuf loosening his grasp. "Now, effendi, keep tight hold and raise your hand high like this; now, quickas lightning, dash the head down upon that stone. "

Lawrence obeyed, and the asp's head fell with a dull pat, movedslightly, and the jaws slowly opened, and remained gaping. 

"Let me look at your hand, Lawrence, " cried Mr Preston excitedly. 

"Be not alarmed, excellency, " said Yussuf respectfully, his commandingauthoritative manner gone. "If the young effendi had been bitten hewould not look and speak like this. "

"He is quite right, " said Mr Burne, who was looking very pale, and whohad been watching anxiously all through this scene. "But was it apoisonous snake?"

"One of the worst we have, effendi, " said Yussuf, stooping to pick upthe broad flat head of the reptile, and showing all in turn that twokeen little fangs were there in the front, looking exactly like a coupleof points of glass. 

"Yes, " said the professor, "as far as I understand natural history, these are poison fangs. Bury the dangerous little thing, or crush itinto the earth, Yussuf. "

The guide took a stone and turned it over--a great fragment, weighingprobably a hundred pounds--and then all started away, for there was anasp curled up beneath, ready to raise its head menacingly, but only tobe crushed down again as Yussuf let the stone fall. 

"Try another, " said the professor, and a fresh fragment was raised, tobe found tenantless. Beneath this the head of the poisonous reptile wasthrown, the stone dropped back in its place; and, sufficient time havingbeen spent in the old amphitheatre, they returned to the Turk's house toget their horses and ride off to see the ruins across the stream wherethe djins and evil spirits had their homes. 

The horses were waiting when they got back, and the village seemedempty; for the people were away for the most part in their fields andgardens. Their host would have had them partake of coffee again, and apipe, but the professor was anxious to get over to the ruins, what hehad seen having whetted his appetite; so, after paying the man liberallyfor everything they had had, they mounted. 

Quite a change had come over their unwilling host of the previous night, for as he held Mr Preston's rein he whispered:

"Ask the great effendi with the yellow turban to forgive thy servant histreatment last night. "

"What does he say, Yussuf?" asked Mr Preston; and Yussuf, asinterpreter, had to announce that if the effendis were that way againtheir host would be glad to entertain them, for his house was theirs andall he had whether they paid or no. 

"And tell the effendis to beware, " he whispered; "there are djins andevil spirits among the old mosques, and houses, and tombs; and there areevil men--robbers, who slay and steal. "

"In amongst the ruins?" said Yussuf quickly. 

"Everywhere, " said the Turk vaguely, as he spread out his hands; andthen, with their saddle-bags and packages well filled with provisionsfor themselves, and as much barley as could be conveniently taken, theyrode out of the village and turned down a track that led them throughquite a deep grove of walnut-trees to the little river that ran rushingalong in the bottom of the valley. This they crossed, and the road thenfollowed the windings of the stream for about a mile before it struckupwards; and before long they were climbing a steep slope where massesof stone and marble, that had evidently once been carefully squared oreven carved, lay thick, and five minutes later the professor uttered acry of satisfaction, for he had only to turn his horse a dozen yards orso through the bushes and trees to stand beside what looked like a hugewhite chest of stone. 

"Hallo, what have you found?" cried Mr Burne, rousing up, for he hadbeen nodding upon his horse, the day being extremely hot. 

"Found! A treasure, " cried the professor. "Pure white marble, too. "

"There, Lawrence, boy, it's in your way, not mine. I never play atmarbles now. How many have you found, Preston?"

"How many? Only this one. "

"Why, it's a pump trough, and a fine one too, " cried the old lawyer. 

"Pump trough!" cried the professor scornfully. 

"What is it then--a cistern? I see. Old waterworks for irrigating thegardens. "

"My dear sir, can you not see? It is a huge sarcophagus. Come here, Lawrence. Look at the sculpture and ornamentation all along this side, and at the two ends as well. The cover ought to be somewhere about. "

He looked around, and, just as he had said, there was the massive cover, but broken into half a dozen pieces, and the carving and inscription, with which it had been covered, so effaced by the action of the lichensand weather that it was not possible to make anything out, only that acouple of sitting figures must at one time have been cut in high reliefupon the lid. 

"Probably the occupants of the tomb, " said the professor thoughtfully. "Greek, I feel sure. Here, Yussuf, what does this mean?"

He caught up his gun that he had laid across the corner of thesarcophagus, and turned to face some two dozen swarthy-looking men whohad come upon them unperceived and seemed to have sprung up from amongthe broken stones, old columns, and traces of wall that were about themon every side. 

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. 

A GAME AT MARBLES. 

It was a false alarm. The people who had collected about them were notbrigands, and they only carried working tools, not weapons for attack. 

"Means what, Yussuf?" said Mr Burne. 

"They have come to see how you dig out the buried treasure, effendi, "said the guide with a suspicion of a smile. 

"Treasure! what treasure?" cried the professor. 

"It is of no use to argue with them, your excellency; they of courseknow that, in place of there being only little villages here in the farback days, there were great cities, like Istamboul and Smyrna andTrieste, all over the country. "

"Quite true; there were. "

"And that these cities were occupied by great wealthy nations, whosehouses and palaces and temples were destroyed by enemies, and theybelieve that all their golden ornaments and money lie buried beneaththese stones. "

"What nonsense!" cried Mr Burne impatiently. "If you dug down here youwould find bones, not gold. It is an old cemetery, a place of tombs--eh, Preston?"

"Quite right, " said the professor. "Tell them that we are only lookingfor old pieces of sculpture and inscriptions. "

"I will tell them, effendi, " said Yussuf smiling; and he turned to thepeople who were gathered round, and repeated the professor's words intheir own tongue. 

The result was a derisive laugh, and one of the men, a great swarthyfellow, spoke at some length. 

"What does he say, Yussuf?" said Mr Burne. 

"He asks the excellency if we think they are fools and children--"

"Yes, decidedly so, " replied Mr Burne; "but hold hard, Yussuf; don'ttell them so. "

"If it is likely they will believe that the Franks--"

"No, no, not Franks, Yussuf, " said the professor laughing; "he said`giaours. '"

"True, effendi; he did--If they will believe that the giaours would comefrom a far country, and travel here merely to read a few old writingsupon some stones, and examine the idols that the old people carved. "

"Well, I don't wonder at it, " said Mr Burne with a sigh as he tickledhis nose with a fresh pinch. "It does seem very silly. Tell them it isnot they, but we: we are the fools. "

"Don't tell them anything of the kind, Yussuf, " said the professor. "Itis not foolish to search for wisdom. Tell them the truth. We are notseeking for treasures, but to try and find something about the historyof the people who built these cities. "

Yussuf turned to the country people again and delivered himself of hismessage, after which several of the people spoke, and there was anotherlaugh. 

"Well, what do they say now?"

"They ask why you want to know all this, effendi, " replied Yussuf. "Itis of no use to argue with these people. They have no knowledgethemselves, and they cannot understand how Frankish gentlemen can findpleasure therein. I have travelled greatly with Englishmen, and it isso everywhere. I was with an effendi down in Egypt, where he had thesand dug away from the mouth of a buried temple, and the sheik and hispeople who wandered near, came and drove us away, saying that theEnglish effendi sought for silver and gold. It was the same among thehills of Birs Nimroud, where they dig out the winged lions and flyingbulls with the heads of men, and the stones are covered with writing. When we went to Petra, four English effendis and your servant, we werewatched by the emir and his men; and it was so in Cyprus, when theeffendi I was with--an American excellency--set men to work to dig outthe carved stones and idols from a temple there--not beautiful, whitemarble stones, but coarse and yellow and crumbling. It is always afight here in these lands against seeking for knowledge, effendi. It isa thing they cannot understand. "

"What shall we do, then?"

"What they do, effendi, half their time--nothing. "

"But they will be a nuisance, " cried the professor. 

"Yes, effendi, " said the guide, with a shrug of the shoulders. "So arethe flies, but we cannot drive them away. We must be content to go onjust as if they were not here. "

The professor saw the sense of the argument, and for the next four hoursthe party were busy on that hill-slope climbing amongst the stones ofthe ancient city--one which must have been an important place in itsday, for everywhere lay the broken fragments of noble buildings whichhad been ornamented with colonnades and cornices of elaborateworkmanship. Halls, temples, palaces, had occupied positions that musthave made the city seem magnificent, as it rose up building uponbuilding against the steep slope, with the little river gurgling swiftlyat the foot. 

There were the remains, too, of an aqueduct, showing a few broken archeshere and there, and plainly teaching that the water to supply the placehad been mainly brought from some cold spring high up in the mountains. 

And all the time, go where they would, the travellers were followed bythe little crowd which gaped and stared, and of which some member oranother kept drawing Yussuf aside, and offering him a handsome presentif he would confess the secret that he must have learned--how theFrankish infidels knew where treasure lay hid. 

They seemed disappointed that the professor contented himself by merelymaking drawings and copying fragments of inscriptions; but at last theyall uttered a grunt of satisfaction, rubbed their hands, gatheredclosely round, and seated themselves upon the earth or upon stones. 

For the professor had stopped short at the end of what, as far as couldbe traced, seemed to be one end of a small temple whose columns andwalls lay scattered as they had fallen. 

Here he deliberately took a small bright trowel from a sheath in hisbelt, where he carried it as if it had been a dagger, and, stoopingdown, began to dig. 

That was what they were waiting for. He had come at last upon thetreasure spot, and though the trowel seemed to be a ridiculously smalltool to work with, they felt perfectly satisfied that it was one of thewonderful engines invented by the giaours, and that it would soon clearaway the stones and soil with which the treasure was covered. 

"What are you doing?" said the old lawyer, as Lawrence helped theprofessor by dragging out pieces of stone. "Going to find anythingthere?"

"I cannot say, " replied the professor, who was digging awayenergetically, and dislodging ants, a centipede or two, and a great manyother insects. "This is evidently where the altar must have stood, andmost likely we shall find here either a bronze figure of the deity inwhose honour the temple was erected, or its fragments in marble. "

"Humph! I see, " cried the old lawyer, growing interested; "but I beg toremark that the evening is drawing near, and I don't think it will beprudent to make a journey here in the dark. "

"No, " said the professor; "it would be a pity. Mind, Lawrence, my lad;what have you there?"

"Piece of stone, " said the lad, dragging out a rounded fragment. 

"Piece of stone! Yes, boy, but it is a portion of a broken statue--thefolds of a robe. "

"Humph!" muttered the old lawyer. "Might be anything. Not going tocarry it away I suppose?"

"That depends, " said the professor labouring away. 

"Humph!" ejaculated Mr Burne. 

"How is it that such a grand city as this should have been so completelydestroyed, Mr Preston?" asked Lawrence. 

"It is impossible to say. It may have been by the ravages of fire. More likely by war. The nation here may have been very powerful, and amore powerful nation attacked them, and, perhaps after a long siege, thesoldiery utterly destroyed it, while the ravages of a couple of thousandyears, perhaps of three thousand, gave the finishing touches to thedestruction, and--ah, here is another piece of the same statue. "

He dragged out with great difficulty another fragment of marble whichhad plainly enough been carved to represent drapery, and he was scrapingcarefully from it some adhering fragments of earth, when Mr Burnesuddenly leaped up from the block of stone upon which he had beenperched, and began to shake his trousers and slap and bang his legs fora time, and then limped up and down rubbing his calf, and mutteringangrily. 

"What _is_ the matter, Mr Burne?" cried Lawrence. 

"Matter, sir! I've been bitten by one of those horrible vipers. Thebrute must have crawled up my leg and--I say, Yussuf, am I a dead man?"

"Certainly not, your excellency, " replied the guide gravely. 

"You are laughing at me, sir. You know what I mean. I am bitten by oneof those horrible vipers, am I not?"

The professor had leaped out of the little hole he had laboriously dug, and run to his companion's side in an agony of fear. 

"Your excellency has been bitten by one of these, " said the guidequietly, and he pointed to some large ants which were running all overthe stones. 

"Are--are you sure?" cried Mr Burne. 

"Sure, excellency? If it had been a viper you would have felt dangeroussymptoms. "

"Why, confound it, sir, " cried Mr Burne, rubbing his leg which he hadlaid bare, "that's exactly what I do feel--dangerous symptoms. "

"What? What do you feel?" cried the professor excitedly. 

"As if someone had bored a hole in my leg, and were squirting meltedlead into all my veins--right up my leg, sir. It's maddening! It'shorrible! It's worse than--worse than--there, I was going to say gout, Lawrence, but I'll say it's worse than being caned. Now, Yussuf, whatdo you say to that, sir, eh?"

"Ants, your excellency. They bite very sharply, and leave quite apoison in the wound. "

"Quite a poison, sir!--poison's nothing to it! Here, I say, what am Ito do?"

"If your excellency will allow me, " said Yussuf, "I will prick the bitewith the point of my knife, and then rub in a little brandy. "

"Yes, do, for goodness' sake, man, before I go mad. "

"Use this, " said the professor, taking a little stoppered bottle fromhis pocket. 

"What is it--more poison?" cried Mr Burne. 

"Ammonia, " said the professor quietly. 

"Humph!" ejaculated the patient; and he sat down on another stone, aftermaking sure that it did not cover an insect's nest, and had not beenmade the roof of a viper's home. 

Quite a crowd gathered round, to the old lawyer's great disgust, as heprepared himself for the operation. 

"Hang the scoundrels!" he cried; "anyone would think they had never seenan old man's white leg before. "

"I don't suppose they ever have, Mr Burne, " said Lawrence. 

"Why, you are laughing at me, you dog! Hang it all, sir, it's too bad. Never mind, it will be your turn next; and look here, Lawrence, " hecried with a malignant grin, "this is a real bite, not a sham one. I'mnot pretending that I have been bitten by a snake. "

"Why, Mr Burne--"

"Well, I thought it was, but it is a real bite. Here, you, Yussuf, holdhard--what a deadly-looking implement!" he cried, as their guide baredhis long keen knife. "Look here, sir, I know I'm a dog--a giaour, andthat you are one of the faithful, and that it is a good deed on yourpart to injure me as an enemy, but, mind this, if you stick that knifething into my leg too far, I'll--I'll--confound you, sir!--I'll bring anaction against you, and ruin you, as sure as my name's Burne. "

"Have no fear, effendi, " said Yussuf gravely, going down on one knee, while the people crowded round. 

"Cut gently, my dear fellow, " said Mr Burne; "it isn't kabobs or toughchicken, it's human leg. Hang it all! You great stupids, what are youstaring at? Give a man room to breathe--_wough_! Oh, I say, Yussuf, that was a dig. "

"Just enough to make it bleed, effendi. There, that will take out someof the poison, and now I'll touch the place with some of this spirit. "

"_Wough_!" ejaculated Mr Burne again, as the wound was touched with thestopper of the bottle. "I say, that's sharp. Humph! it does not hurtquite so much now, only smarts. Thank ye, Yussuf. Why, you are quite asurgeon. Here, what are those fellows chattering about?"

"They say the Franks are a wonderful people to carry cures about inlittle bottles like that. "

"Humph! I wish they'd kill their snakes and insects, and not wastetheir time staring, " said the old gentleman, drawing up his stocking, after letting the ammonia dry in the sun. "Yes; I'm better now, " headded, drawing down his trouser leg. "Much obliged, Yussuf. Don't youtake any notice of what I say when I'm cross. "

"I never do, excellency, " said Yussuf smiling gravely. 

"Oh, you don't--don't you?"

"No, effendi, because I know that you are a thorough gentleman atheart. "

"Humph!" said Mr Burne, as he limped to where the professor had resumedhis digging. "Do you know, Lawrence, I begin to think sometimes thatour calm, handsome grave Turkish friend there, is the better gentlemanof the two. "

CHAPTER THIRTY. 

A TERROR OF THE COUNTRY. 

It was now evening, but instead of the air becoming cooler with the windthat blew from the mountains, a peculiar hot breath seemed to be exhaledfrom the earth. The stones which had been baking in the sun all daygave out the heat they had taken in, and a curious sombre stillness wasover everything. 

"Are we going to have a storm, Yussuf?" said Mr Burne, as he lookedround at the lurid brassy aspect of the heavens, and the wildreflections upon the mountains. 

"No, excellency, I think not; and the people here seem to think thesame. "

"Why? They don't say anything. "

"No, excellency, but if they felt a storm coming they would have longago hurried back to their houses instead of sitting here so contentedlywaiting to see the effendi dig out his treasure. "

For the people had not budged an inch, but patiently watched everymovement made by the travellers, crouching as it were, ready to springforward, and see the first great find. 

But the professor made no great discovery. He was evidently right aboutthe building having been a temple, and it seemed as if an altar musthave stood there, bearing a figure of which he picked up several piecesbeautifully sculptured, but nothing that could be restored by piecingtogether; and when, wearied out, he turned to examine some other partsof the old temple, the most interesting thing that he found was a pieceof column, nearly buried, and remarkable for containing two of therounds or drums secured together by means of molten lead poured throughsuitable holes cut in the stones. 

"There, " he said at last, "I have been so deeply interested in what Ihave seen here, that I owe you plenty of apologies, Burne, and you too, Lawrence. "

"Humph!" grunted the old lawyer, "you owe me nothing. I would as soonstop here and look about at the mountains, as go on somewhere else. Myword, though, what a shame it seems that these pigs of people shouldhave such a glorious country to live in, while we have nothing betterthan poor old England, with its fogs and cold east winds. "

"But this peace is not perfect, " said the professor. "And now, lookhere; we had better go back to our last night's lodgings. We can get agood meal there and rest. "

"The very thing I was going to propose, " said Mr Burne quickly. "Depend upon it that man will give us a pilaf for supper. "

"And without Yussuf's stick, " said the professor smiling. "But comealong. Let's look at the horses. "

The horses were in good plight, for Yussuf and Hamed had watered them, and they had made a good meal off the grass and shoots which grewamongst the ruins. 

They were now busily finishing a few handfuls of barley which had beenpoured for them in an old ruined trough, close to some half dozen brokenpillars and a piece of stone wall that had been beautifully built; and, as soon as the patient beasts had finished, they were bridled and ledout to where the professor and his friends were standing lookingwonderingly round at the peculiar glare over the landscape. 

"Just look at those people, " cried Lawrence suddenly; and the scenebelow them caught their eye. For, no sooner had the professor and hiscompanions left the coast clear than these people made a rush for thehole, which they seemed to have looked upon as a veritable gold mine, and in and about this they were digging and tearing out the earth, quarrelling, pushing and lighting one with the other for the bestplaces. 

"How absurd!" exclaimed the professor. "I did not think of that. Iought to have paid them, and made them with their tools do all the work, while I looked on and examined all they turned up. "

"It would have been useless, effendi, " said Yussuf. "Unless you hadbrought an order to the pasha of the district, and these people had beenforced to work, they would not have stirred. Ah!"

Yussuf uttered a peculiar cry, and the men who were digging below themgave vent to a shrill howl, and leaped out of the pit they were diggingto run shrieking back towards the village on the other slope. 

For all at once it seemed to Lawrence that he was back on shipboard, with the vessel rising beneath his feet and the first symptoms ofsea-sickness coming on. 

Then close at hand, where the horses had so short a time before beenfeeding, the piece of well-built wall toppled over, and three of thebroken columns fell with a crash, while a huge cloud of dust rose fromthe earth. 

The horses snorted and trembled, and again there came that sensation ofthe earth heaving up, just as if it were being made to undulate like thewaves at sea. 

Lawrence threw himself down, while Yussuf clung to the horses' bridles, as if to guard against a stampede, and the driver stood calmly in theattitude of prayer. 

Then again and again the whole of the mountain side shook and undulated, waving up and down till the sensation of sickness became intolerable, and all the while there was the dull roar of falling stones above, below, away to the left and right. Now some huge mass seemed to drop onto the earth with a dull thud, another fell upon other stones, andseemed to be broken to atoms, and again and again others seemed to slipfrom their foundations, and go rolling down like an avalanche, and oncemore all was still. 

"Is it an earthquake?" said Lawrence at last in a low awe-stricken tone. 

"Seems like a dozen earthquakes, " said the old lawyer. "My goodness me!What a place for a town!"

And as they all stood there trembling and expecting the next shock, notknowing but the earth might open a vast cavity into which the wholemountain would plunge, a huge cloud of dust arose, shutting outeverything that was half a dozen yards away, and the heated air grewmore and more suffocating. 

It was plain enough to understand now why it was that in the course oftime this beautiful city should have been destroyed. The first disastermight have been caused by war, but it was evident that this was a regionwhere earth disturbance was a frequent occurrence, and as time rolledby, every shock would tear down more and more of the place. 

Very little was said, for though no great shock came now, there wereevery few minutes little vibrations beneath their feet, as if the earthwas trembling from the effect of the violent efforts it had made. 

Now and then they held their breath as a stronger agitation came, andonce this ended with what seemed to be a throb or a sound as if theearth had parted and then closed up again. 

Then came a lapse, during which the travellers sat in the midst of thethick mist of dust waiting, waiting for the next great throb, feelingthat perhaps these were only the preliminaries to some awfulcatastrophe. 

No one spoke, and the silence was absolutely profound. They weresurrounded by groves where the birds as a rule piped and sang loudly;but everything was hushed as if the thick dust-cloud had shut in allsound. 

And what a cloud of dust! The dust of a buried city, of a people whohad lived when the earth was a couple of thousand years or more younger, when western Europe was the home of barbarians. The dust of buildingsthat had been erected by the most civilised peoples then dwelling in theworld, and this now rising in the thick dense cloud which seemed as ifit would never pass. 

An hour must have gone by, and they were conscious as they stood therein a group that the mist looked blacker, and by this they felt that thenight must be coming on. For some time now there had not been theslightest quiver of the ground, and in place of the horses standing withtheir legs spread wide and heads low, staring wildly, and snorting withdread, they had gathered themselves together again, and were beginningto crop the herbage here and there, but blowing over it and letting itfall from their lips again as if in disgust. 

And no wonder, for every blade and leaf was covered with a fineimpalpable powder, while, as the perspiration dried upon the exposedparts of the travellers, their skins seemed to be stiff and caked withthe dust. 

"I think the earthquake is over, excellencies, " said Yussuf calmly. "Icould not be sure, but the look of the sky this evening was strange. "

"I had read of earthquakes out here, " said the professor, who wasgaining confidence now; "but you do not often have such shocks asthese?"

"Oh, yes, effendi; it is not an unusual thing. Much more terrible thanthis; whole towns are sometimes swallowed up. Hundreds of lives arelost, and hundreds left homeless. "

"Then you call this a slight earthquake?" said Mr Burne. 

"Certainly, excellency, here, " was the reply. "It may have been veryterrible elsewhere. Terrible to us if we had been standing beside thosestones which fell. It would have been awful enough if all these ruinshad been, as they once were, grandly built houses and temples. "

"And I was grumbling about poor dear old sooty, foggy England, " said MrBurne. "Dear, dear, dear, what foolish things one says!"

"Is not the dust settling down?" said the professor just then. 

"A little, your excellency; but it is so fine that unless we have abreeze it may be hours before it is gone. "

"Then what do you propose to do?" asked Mr Burne. 

"What can I do, excellency, but try to keep you out of danger?"

"Yes, but how?"

"We must stay here. "

"Stay here? when that village is so near at hand?"

Yussuf paused for a few minutes and then said slowly, as if the questionhad just been asked:

"How do we know that the village is near at hand?"

"Ah!" ejaculated the professor, startled by the man's tone. 

"It was not more than two of your English miles from here, excellency, when we left the place this morning, but with such a shock there may beonly ruins from which the people who were spared have fled. "

"How horrible!" exclaimed Lawrence. 

"Let us hope that I am wrong, effendi, " said Yussuf hastily. "I onlyspeak. "

"But we cannot stay here for the night, " said Mr Burne impatiently. 

"Excellency, we must stay here, " said the Turk firmly. "I am yourguide, and where I know the land I will lead you. I knew this countrythis morning, but how can I know it now? Great chasms may lie betweenus and the village--deep rifts, into which in the dust and darkness wemay walk. You know what vast gorges and valleys lie between the hills. "

"Yes, " replied Mr Preston. 

"Some of these have been worn down by the torrents and streams from themountains, others have been made in a moment by such shocks as these. Iwould gladly say, `come on; I will lead you back to the head-man'shouse, ' but, excellencies, I do not dare. "

"He is quite right, Burne, " said the professor gravely. 

"Oh, yes, confound him: he always is right, " cried Mr Burne. "I wishsometimes he were not. Fancy camping out here for the night in thishorrible dust and with the air growing cold. It will be icy here by andby. "

"Yes, excellency, it will be cold. We are high up, and the snowmountains are not far away. "

"We must make the best of it, Lawrence, my boy, " said the professorcheerily. "Then I suppose the next thing is to select a camp. But, Yussuf, this is rather risky. What about the asps?"

"And the ants, " cried Mr Burne with a groan. "I can't sleep with suchbed-fellows as these. "

"And the djins and evil spirits, " cried Lawrence. 

"Ah, I don't think they will hurt us much, my boy, " said the professor. 

"And there is one comfort, " added Mr Burne; "we have left the cemeterybehind. I do protest against camping there. "

"A cemetery of two thousand years ago, " said the professor quietly. "Ah, Burne, we need not make that an objection. But come, what is to bedone?"

Yussuf answered the question by calling Hamed to come and help unpackthe horses, and all then set to work to prepare to pass the night in themidst of the ruins, and without much prospect of a fire being made. 

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. 

ALI BABA'S FEAT. 

The night came on colder and colder, and though Yussuf and Hamed workedhard at cutting bushes and branches of trees, the green wood coveredwith leaves obstinately refused to burn, and the result was a thicksmoke, which hung about and spread amongst the dust, making the positionof the travellers worse than before. Yussuf searched as far as hecould, but he could find no pines, neither were there any bushes of thelaurel family, or the result would have been different. 

All this while they were suffering from a nervous trepidation that madeeven a heavy footfall startling, every one being in expectation of arenewal of the earthquake shocks. 

Rugs and overcoats were taken from the baggage and, giving up the fireas a bad job, the little party were huddled together for the sake ofwarmth, when all at once a breeze sprang up, and in less than half anhour the mist of dust had been swept away, and the dark sky was overheadstudded with countless stars. 

It was even colder than before, the wind that came down from themountains being extremely searching, and it seemed a wonder that therecould be so much difference between day and night. But in spite of thecold the little party felt cheered and relieved by the disappearance ofthe thick mist of dust. The bright sky above them seemed to be a signof the danger, having passed away, and suggestive of the morningbreaking bright and clear to give them hope and the power of seeing anydangers that were near. 

But they were not to wait till morning, for soon after the clearing awayof the mist, shouts were heard in the distance, to which they responded, and the communication was kept up till a party of men appeared, whoproved to be no belated set of wanderers like themselves, but abouttwenty of the village people under the command of the head-man, come insearch of them, and all ready to utter a wild cheer when they werefound. 

The leader explained to Yussuf that the earthquake shocks had all beenon this side of the little river, the village having completely escaped. About a couple of hours after the shocks the party of people who hadbeen digging for treasure returned to the village, and upon the head-manlearning that the travellers had been left up there he had organised aparty to come in search. 

There was no mistaking the cordiality of the head-man or his joy athaving found them, and after helping to repack the horses he led the wayback confidently enough, and in the walk explained that the mischiefdone was very slight. No gaps had opened, as far as he knew, but at allevents the road from the old ruins to the village was safe. 

"Your cudgel seems to have been a regular genii's wand, Yussuf, " saidMr Burne softly. "You would not find it have so good an effect uponEnglishmen. "

"It and your payments, effendi, have taught the man that we are peopleof importance, and not to be trifled with, " replied Yussuf smiling; andMr Burne nodded and took snuff. 

In an hour they were safely back at the head-man's house, where hotcoffee and then a good meal prepared all for their night's rest amidstthe warm rugs which were spread for them; and feeling that no watch wasnecessary here, all were soon in a deep sleep, Lawrence being too tiredeven to think of the danger to which they had been exposed. 

Directly after breakfast next morning the head-man came to them with avery serious look upon his countenance. 

The people of the village were angry, he said to Yussuf, and wereuttering threats against the strangers, for it was due to them that theearthquake had taken place. Every one knew that the old ruins were thehomes of djins and evil spirits. The strangers had been interferingwith those ruins, and the djins and evil spirits had resented it. 

"But, " said Yussuf, "your people did more than their excellencies. "

"Yes, perhaps so, " said the head-man; "but they are fools and pigs. Letthe English effendis go, and not touch the ruins again. "

Yussuf explained, and the professor made a gesture full of annoyance. 

"Ask him, Yussuf, if he believes this nonsense. "

"Not when I am with you, excellencies, " he said smiling; "but when I amwith my people, I do. If I did not think as they do I could not livewith them. I am head-man, but if they turn against me they are themasters, and I am obliged to do as they wish. "

There was nothing for it but to go, and they left the village with allits interesting surroundings as soon as the horses were packed, thepeople uttering more than one menacing growl till they were out ofhearing. 

"So vexatious!" exclaimed the professor. "I feel as if we have donewrong in giving up. The firman ought to have been sufficient. We shallnever find such a place again--so rich in antiquities. I have a goodmind to turn back. "

"No, no, effendi, " said Yussuf, "it would only mean trouble. I can takeyou to fifty places as full of old remains. Trust to me and I will showyou the way. "

They journeyed on for days, finding good, bad, and indifferent lodgings. Sometimes they were received by the people with civility, at otherswith suspicion, for Yussuf was taking them farther and farther into themountains, where the peasants were ignorant and superstitious to adegree; but, save where they crossed some plain, they were everywhereimpressed by the grandeur of the country, and the utter ruin and neglectwhich prevailed. Roads, cities, land, all seemed to have been allowedto go to decay; and, to make the journey the longer and more arduous, over and over again, where they came to a bridge, it was to find that ithad been broken down for years, and this would often mean a journeyalong the rugged banks perhaps for miles before they found a place whereit was wise to try and ford the swollen stream. 

There was always something, though, to interest the professor--awatch-tower in ruins at the corner of some defile, the remains of acastle, an aqueduct, a town with nothing visible but a few scatteredstones, or a cemetery with the remains of marble tombs. 

Day after day fresh ruins to inspect, with the guide proving his valuemore and more, and relieving the party a great deal from thepertinacious curiosity of the scattered people, who would not believethat the travellers were visiting the country from a desire forknowledge. 

It must be for the buried treasures of the old people, they told Yussufagain and again; and they laughed at him derisively as he repeated hisassurances. 

"Don't tell them any more, " Lawrence used to say in a pet; "let thestupids waste their time. "

Sometimes this constant examination of old marbles and this digging outof columns or slabs grew wearisome to the lad, but not often, for therewas too much exciting incident in their travels through gorge andgully--along shelves where the horses could hardly find foothold, butslipped and scrambled, with terrible precipices beneath, such as atfirst made the travellers giddy, but at last became so common, and theirhorses gave them so much confidence, that they ceased to be alarmed. 

It was a wonderful country, such as they had not dreamed could exist sonear Europe, while everywhere, as the investigations went on, they wereimpressed with the feeling that, unsafe as it was now, in the past itmust have been far worse, for on all hands there were the remains ofstrongholds, perched upon the top of precipitous heights with the mostgiddy and perilous of approaches, where, once shut in, a handful ofsturdy Greeks or stout Romans could have set an army at defiance. Thiswas the more easy from the fact that ammunition was plentiful in theshape of rocks and stones, which the defenders could have sent crashingdown upon their foes. 

It was one evening when the difficulties of the day's journey had beenunusually great that they were on their way toward a village beyondwhich, high up in the mountains, Yussuf spoke of a ruined city that hehad only visited once, some twenty years before. He had reserved it asone of the choicest bits for his employers, and whenever Lawrence hadbeen enraptured over some fine view or unusually grand remains Yussufhad smiled and said, "Wait. "

Their progress that day had been interrupted by a storm, which forcedthem to take shelter for a couple of hours, during which the hail hadfallen in great lumps as big as walnuts, and when this was over it layon the ridges in white beds and crunched beneath the feet of theirhorses. 

Their way lay along one of the defiles where the road had been made tofollow the edge of the stream, keeping to its windings; but as theydescended a slope, and came near the little river, Yussuf drew rein. 

"It is impossible, excellencies, " he said; "the path is covered by thetorrent, and the water is rising fast. "

"But is there no other way--a mile or two round?" said the professor. 

Yussuf shook his head as he pointed to the mountains that rose on everyside. 

"It is only here and there that there is a pass, " he said. "There is noother way for three days' journey. We must go back to the place wherewe sheltered and wait till the river flows back to its bed. "

"How long?" asked Mr Burne; "an hour or two?"

"Perhaps longer, effendi, " said Yussuf. "Mind how you turn round; thereis very little room. "

They had become so accustomed to ride along shelves worn and cut in themountain sides that they had paid little heed to this one as theydescended, their attention having been taken by the hail that whitenedthe ledges; but now, as they were turning to ascend the steep slope cutdiagonally along the precipitous side of the defile, the dangerousnature of the way became evident. 

But no one spoke for fear of calling the attention of his companions tothe risky nature of the ride back; so, giving their horses the rein, thedocile beasts planted their feet together, and turned as if upon a pivotbefore beginning to ascend. 

So close was the wall of rock in places that the baggage brushed theside, and threatened to thrust off the horses and send them headlongdown the slope, that began by being a hundred feet, and graduallyincreased till it was five, then ten, and then at least fifteen hundredfeet above the narrow rift, where the stream rushed foaming along, sending up a dull echoing roar that seemed to quiver in the air. 

How it happened no one knew. They had plodded on, reaching the highestpart, with Hamed and the baggage-horses in front, for there had been noroom to pass them. First Yussuf, then the professor, Mr Burne andLawrence on Ali Baba, of course counting from the rear. There was agood deal of hail upon the path, but melting so fast in the hot sun thatit was forgotten, and all were riding slowly on, when the second baggagehorse must have caught its load against the rock, with the result thatit nearly fell over the side. The clever beast managed to save itself, and all would have been well had it not startled Ali Baba, who made aplunge, stepped upon a heap of the hail, and slipped, the left fore-hoofgliding off the ledge. 

The brave little animal made a desperate effort to recover itself, butit had lost its balance, and in its agony it made a bound, which took itten feet forward, and along the rapid slope, where it seemed to standfor a moment, and then, to the horror of all, it began to slip andstumble rapidly down the steep side of the ravine towards a part thatwas nearly perpendicular, and where horse and rider must be hurled downto immediate death. 

Everyone remained motionless as if changed to stone, while theclattering of the little horse's hoofs went on, and great fragments wentrattling off beneath it to increase their pace and go plunging down intothe abyss as if to show the way for the horse to follow to destruction. 

It was all a matter of moments, with the gallant little beast makingbound after bound downward, as it felt that it could not retain itsposition, while Lawrence sat well back in his saddle, gripping ittightly with his knees, and holding the loosened rein. 

Another bound, and another, but no foothold for the horse, and then, after one of its daring leaps, which were more those of a mountain sheepor goat than of a horse, Ali Baba alighted at the very edge of theperpendicular portion of the valley side, and those above saw him totterfor a moment, and then leap right off into space. 

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. 

ANOTHER SERPENT. 

The professor uttered a groan, and covered his eyes. 

But only for a moment. The next he was descending from his horse, andbeginning to clamber down the side of the precipice, but a cry fromYussuf stopped him. 

"No, no, effendi. We must go back down to the side of the river andclimb up. We cannot descend. "

It was so plain that the professor said nothing; but, as if yielding tothe command of a superior officer, clambered back to the pathway, andall stood gazing down to where the slope ended and the perpendicularwall began. 

There was nothing to see but the top of the wall of rock: nothing tohear but the hissing, roaring rush of the water far below. 

"Come, " said Yussuf, turning his horse, and taking the lead in thedescent along the path they had just reascended, down which, scramblingand slipping over the thawing ice, they crept slowly, looking in themidst of the stupendous chasm little bigger than flies. 

The old lawyer trembled, while the professor's cheeks looked sunken, hiseyes hollow. No one spoke, and as they went on, the crunching of thehalf-melted hailstones and the click of the horses' hoofs against theloosened stones sounded loudly in the clear air. 

It was a perilous descent, for the horses were constantly slipping; butat last the bottom of the defile was reached, and the steeds being leftin charge of Hamed, Yussuf turned sharply to the right, closely followedby Mr Preston and Mr Burne, to climb along the steep stone-burdenedslope, where the flooded mountain torrent was just beneath them andthreatening to sweep them away. 

Yussuf turned from time to time to look at his companions, halfexpecting that they would not follow, for the way he took was extremelyperilous, and he fully expected to see Mr Preston give up in despair. But, experienced as he was in the ways of Englishmen, he did not quiteunderstand their nature, for not only was the professor toiling on overthe mossy stones just behind him, but Mr Burne, with his faceglistening in perspiration and a set look of determination in hisfeatures, was clambering up and sliding down with unwonted agility, butwith a piteous look in his eyes which told how painfully he felt theposition in which they were placed. 

No one spoke, every effort being needed for the toilsome task, as theyclambered along, now down in narrow rifts, now dragging themselvespainfully over the rugged masses of rock which lay as they had fallenfrom the side of the defile, a couple of thousand feet above them. Thescene would have appeared magnificent at another time; the colours ofthe rocks, the tufts of verdant bushes, the gloriously-mossed stones, the patches of white hail, and the glancing, rushing, and gleamingtorrent, which was here deep and dark, there one sheet of whiteeffervescing foam. But the hearts of all were too full, and theirimaginations were painting the spectacle upon which they soon expectedto gaze, namely, the terribly mutilated body of poor Lawrence, batteredby his fall out of recognition. 

One moment Mr Preston was asking himself how he could make arrangementsfor taking the remains of the poor lad home. At another he was thinkingthat it would be impossible, and that he must leave him sleeping in thisfar-off land. While, again, the course of his thoughts changed, and hefound himself believing that poor Lawrence would have fallen and rolledon, and then, in company with the avalanche of loose stones set inmotion by his horse's hoof's, have been plunged into the furioustorrent, and been borne away never to be seen again. 

A curious dimness came over the professor's eyes, as he paused for amoment or two upon the top of a rock, to gaze before him. But there wasnothing visible, for the defile at the bottom curved and zigzagged sothat they could not see thirty yards before them, and where it was moststraight the abundant foliage of the trees growing out of the cliffsrendered seeing difficult. 

"It must have been somewhere here, effendi, " said Yussuf at last, pausing for the others to overtake him, and pointing upwards. "Let usseparate now, and search about. You, Mr Burne, keep close down by theriver; you, Mr Preston, go forward here; and I will climb up--it ismore difficult--and search there. I will shout if I have anything tosay. "

The professor looked up to find that he was at the foot of a mass ofrock, high up on whose side there seemed to be a ledge, and then anothersteep ascent, broken by shelves of rock and masses which seemed to beready to crumble down upon their heads. 

Each man felt as if he ought to shout the lad's name, and ask him togive some token of his whereabouts, but no one dared open his lips forthe dread of the answer to the calls being only the echoes from therocks above, while beneath there was the dull, hurrying roar of thetorrent which rose and fell, seeming to fill the air with a curioushissing sound, and making the earth vibrate beneath their feet. 

They were separating, with the tension of pain upon their minds seemingmore than they could bear, when, all at once, from far above, there wasa cry which made them start and gaze upward. 

"Ahoy-y-oy!"

There was nothing visible, and they remained perfectly silent--listening, and feeling that they must have been mistaken; but just thena stone came bounding down, to fall some fifty feet in front, right onto a mass of rock, and split into a score of fragments. 

Then again:

"Ahoy! Where are you all?"

"Lawrence, ahoy!" shouted the professor, with his hands to his mouth. 

"Ahoy!" came again from directly overhead. "Here. How am I to getdown?"

All started back as far as they could to gaze upward, and then remainedsilent, too much overcome by their emotion to speak, for there, perchedup at least a thousand feet above them, stood Lawrence in an openingamong the trees, right upon a shelf of rock. They could see his horse'shead beside him, and the feeling of awe and wonder at the escape had aneffect upon the party below as if they had been stunned. 

"How--am--I--to--get--down?" shouted Lawrence again. 

Yussuf started out of his trance and answered:

"Stay where you are. I will try and climb up. "

"All right, " cried Lawrence from his eyrie. 

"Are you hurt, my boy?" cried Mr Preston; and his voice was repeatedfrom the face of the rock on the other side. 

"No, not much, " came back faintly, for the boy's voice was lost in theimmensity of the place around. 

"We will come to you, " cried the professor, and he began to followYussuf, who was going forward to find the end of the mass of rock wall, and try to discover some way of reaching the shelf where the boy wasstanding with his horse. 

"Are you coming too, effendi?" said Yussuf at the end of a few minutes'walking. 

"Yes, " said the professor. "You will wait here, will you not, Burne?"

"Of course I shall--not, " said the old lawyer. "You don't suppose thatI am going to stand still and not make any effort to help the boy, doyou, Preston? Hang it all, sir! he is as much interest to me as toyou. "

It was evident that Mr Burne was suffering from exhaustion, but hewould not give in, and for the next two hours he clambered on after hiscompanions, till it seemed hopeless to attempt farther progress alongthe defile in that direction, and they were about to go back in theother, to try and find a way up there, when Yussuf, who was ahead, suddenly turned a corner and uttered a cry of delight which brought hiscompanions to his side. 

There was nothing very attractive to see when they reached him, only arushing little torrent at the bottom of a rift hurrying to join thestream below; but it was full of moment to Yussuf, for it led upward, and it was a break in the great wall of rock. 

Yussuf explained this clearly, and, plunging down, he was in a fewminutes holding out his hand to his companions, and pointing out thatthe path was easier a few yards on. 

So it proved, for the stream grew less, and they were able to climb upits bed with ease, finding, too, that it led in the direction theywanted to take, as well as upward, till, at the end of an hour, theywere able to turn off along a steep slope with a wall of rock above themand another below. 

The obstacles they met with were plentiful enough, but not great; and atlast, when they felt that they were fully a thousand feet above thetorrent, and somewhere near the spot on which they had hailed Lawrence, Yussuf stopped, but no one was to be seen. 

"That must be the shelf below us yonder, effendi, " said the guide. "Iseem to know it because of the big tree across the valley. Yes; thatmust be the shelf. "

He led the way to try and descend to it, but that proved impossible, though it was only some fifty feet below. 

Retracing their steps they were still defeated, but, upon going forwardonce more, Yussuf found what was quite a crack in the rocks, some hugeearthquake split which proved to be passable, in spite of the bushes andstones with which it was choked, and after a struggle they foundthemselves upon an extensive ledge of the mountain, but no Lawrence. 

"The wrong place, Yussuf, " said the professor, as Mr Burne seatedhimself, panting, upon a block of stone, and wiped his face. 

"No, effendi; but I am sure it was here, " said the Turk quietly. "Hush!what is that?"

The sound came from beyond a mass of rock, which projected from theshelf over the edge of the precipice, the perpendicular rock seeming tofall from here sheer to the torrent, that looked small and silvery nowfrom where they stood. 

"It is a horse feeding, " said Yussuf smiling. "They are over yonder. "

The next minute they were by the projecting rock which cut the shelf intwo. 

Yussuf went close to the edge, rested his hand upon the stone, andpeered over. 

"Only a bird could get round there, " he said, shaking his head, andgoing to the slope above the ledge. "We must climb over. "

Mr Burne looked up at the place where they were expected to climb witha lugubrious expression of countenance; but he jumped up directly, quitewilling to make the attempt, and followed his companions. 

The climb proved less difficult than it seemed, and on reaching the top, some fifty feet above where they had previously stood, there below themstood Ali Baba, cropping the tender shoots of a large bush, and as soonas he caught sight of them he set up a loud neigh. 

There was no sign of Lawrence, though, until they had descended to theshelf on that side, when they found him lying upon the short growth fastasleep, evidently tired out with waiting. 

"My dear boy!" was on the professor's lips; and he was about to startforward, but Yussuf caught him roughly by the shoulder, and held himback. 

"Hist! Look!" he whispered. 

Both the professor and Mr Burne stood chilled to the heart, for theycould see the head of an ugly grey coarsely scaled viper raised aboveits coil, and gazing at them threateningly, after having been evidentlyalarmed by the noise which they had made. 

The little serpent had settled itself upon the lad's bare throat, and areckless movement upon the part of the spectators, a hasty waking on thesleeper's part might end in a venomous bite from the awakened beast. 

"What shall we do, Yussuf?" whispered, the professor in a hoarsewhisper. "I dare not fire. "

"Be silent, effendi, and leave it to me, " was whispered back; and, whilethe two Englishmen looked on with their hearts beating anxiously, theTurk slowly advanced, taking the attention of the serpent more and more. 

As he approached, the venomous little creature crept from the boy's neckon to his chest, and there paused, waving its head to and fro, andmenacingly thrusting out its forked tongue. 

The danger to be apprehended was a movement upon the part of Lawrence, who appeared to be sleeping soundly, but who might at any moment awaken. Yussuf, however, was ready to meet the emergency, for he slowlycontinued to advance with his staff thrown back and held ready tostrike, while, as he came nearer, the serpent seemed to accept thechallenge, and crawled slowly forward, till it was upon a level with thelad's hips. 

That was near enough for Yussuf, who noted how Lawrence's hands werewell out of danger, being beneath his head. 

He hesitated no longer, but advanced quickly, his companions watchinghis movements with the most intense interest, till the serpent raiseditself higher, threw back its head, and seemed about to throw itselfupon its advancing enemy. 

The rest was done in a flash, for there was a loud _whizz_ in the air asYussuf's staff swept over Lawrence, striking the serpent, rapid as wasits action, low down in the body, and the virulent little creature, broken and helpless, was driven over the edge of the precipice to fallfar away among the bushes below. 

"Hallo! what's that?" cried Lawrence, starting up. "Oh, you've gothere, then. "

"Yes; we are here, my lad, " cried the professor, catching one hand, asthe old lawyer took the other. "Are you much hurt?"

"Only stiff and shaken. Ali made such a tremendous leap--I don't knowhow far it was; and then he came down like an india-rubber ball, andbounded again and again till he could find good foothold, and then weslipped slowly till we could stop here, and it seemed as if we could gono farther. "

"What an escape!" muttered Mr Burne, looking up. 

"Oh, it wasn't there, " said Lawrence patting his little horse's neck. "It must have been quite a quarter of a mile from here. But how did youcome?"

Yussuf explained, and then Mr Preston looked aghast at the rock theyhad climbed over. 

"Why, we shall have to leave the pony, " he said. 

"Oh, no, effendi, " replied Yussuf; "leave him to me. He can climb likea goat. "

And so it proved, for the brave little beast, as soon as it was led tothe task by the rein passed over its head, climbed after Yussuf, and infact showed itself the better mountaineer of the two, while, after therock was surmounted, and a descent made upon the other side, it followedits master in the arduous walk, slipping and gliding down thetorrent-bed when they reached it, till at last they reached the greaterstream, which to their delight had fallen to its regular summer volume, the effects of the storm having passed away, and the sandy bed beingnearly bare. 

Theirs proved quite an easy task now, in spite of weariness; and asevening fell, they reached Hamed, camped by the roadside, with thehorses grazing on the bushes and herbage, all being ready to salute AliBaba with a friendly neigh. 

They had a long journey before them still; but there was only one thingto be done now--unpack the provisions, light a fire, make coffee, andtry to restore some of their vigour exhausted by so many hours of toil. 

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE. 

A FORMIDABLE PARTY. 

Fortunately for the travellers a glorious moonlight night followed theglowing evening, and they reached in safety a mountain village, where, awed by their appearance and display of arms, the rather surly peoplefound them a resting-place. 

For days and days after this their way was on and on, among themountains, deeper and deeper in the grand wild country. Sometimes theyencountered good and sometimes surly treatment, but the beauty of thescenery and the wonderful remains of ancient occupation recompensed theprofessor, while Mr Burne in his snappish manner seemed to be satisfiedin seeing Lawrence's interest in everything around him, his relish forthe various objects increasing every hour. 

For the change was unmistakable; he was making rapid progress back tohealth; and instead of the rough life and privations of hunger, thirst, and exposure having a bad effect, they seemed to rouse up in his naturea determination that rapidly resulted in vigour. 

"What are you going to show us to-day, Yussuf?" asked the lad, oneglorious autumn morning, when the little party were winding along one ofthe many mountain tracks, so like others they had passed that they mighthave been repeating their journey. 

"Before long we shall reach the great ruins of which I have so oftenspoken, " replied Yussuf, smiling at the boy's eager look. 

"At last!" cried Lawrence. "I began to think that we were never goingto get there. But is there nothing to see to-day?"

"Yes, " replied Yussuf. "We are approaching a village now. It liesyonder low down in this rift--where the cedars are half-way up on thatshelf in the mountain side. "

"Yes; I see, " replied Lawrence; "but what a place! Why, they must bewithout sun half their time. "

"Oh, no, effendi, " said Yussuf; "certainly they are in shadow at times, but though the village seems to lie low, we are high up in themountains, and when it is scorching in the plains, and the grass withersfor want of water, and down near the sea people die of fever andsunstroke, up here it is cool and pleasant, and the flowers areblossoming, and the people gather in their fruit and tend their bees. "

"And in the winter, Yussuf?" said the professor, who had been listeningto the conversation. 

"Ah, yes, in the winter, effendi, it is cold. There is the snow, andthe wolves and the bears come down from the mountains. It is a bad timethen. But what will you?--is it always summer and sunshine everywhere?Ah! look, effendi Lawrence, " he cried, pointing across the narrow gorge, "you can see from here. "

"See what?" cried Lawrence. "I can only see some holes. "

"Yes; those are the caves where the people here keep their bees. Thehives are in yonder. "

"What, in those caves?"

"Yes; the people are great keepers of bees, for they thrive well, andthere is abundance of blossom for the making of honey. "

"But why do they put the hives in yonder?"

"In the caves? Because they are out of the sun, which would make thehoney pour down and run out in the hot summer time, and in the winterthe caverns are not so cold. It does not freeze hard there, and thehives are away out of the snow, which lies so heavy here in themountains. It is very beautiful up here, and in the spring among thetrees there is no such place anywhere in the country for nightingales;they till the whole valley with their song. Now, effendi, look beforeyou. "

They had reached a turn in the valley, where once more a grand view ofthe mountain chain spread before them, far as eye could reach, purplemountains, and beyond them mountains that seemed to be of silver, wherethe snow-capped their summits. 

But among them were several whose regular form took the professor'sattention directly, and he pointed them out. 

"Old volcanoes, " he said quietly. 

"Where?" cried Lawrence. "I want above all things to see a burningmountain. "

"You can see mountains that once burned, " said the professor; "but thereare none here burning now. "

"How disappointing!" cried Lawrence. "I should like to see one burn. "

"Then we must go and see Vesuvius, " cried Mr Burne decisively. "Heshall not be disappointed. "

"I think the young effendi may perhaps see one burning a little here, "said Yussuf quietly. "There are times when a curious light is seenfloating up high among the mountains. The peasants call it a spiritlight, but it must be the sulphurous glare rising from one of the oldcones, above some of which I have seen smoke hanging at times. "

"Why, Yussuf, you are quite a professor yourself, with your cones, andsulphurous, and arguments, " cried Mr Burne. 

"A man cannot be wandering all his life among nature's wonders, effendi, and showing English, and French, and German men of wisdom the way, without learning something. But I will watch each night and see if Ican make out the light over the mountains. "

"Do, Yussuf, " cried the professor eagerly. 

Yussuf bowed. 

"I will, excellency, but it is not often seen--only now and then. "

They began to descend the side of the defile, and before long came upona fine grove of ancient planes, upon some of whose leafless limbs talllong-necked storks were standing, placidly gazing down at them unmoved;and it was not until the party were close by that they spread theirwings, gave a kind of bound, and floated off, the protection accorded tothem making them fearless in the extreme. 

"Stop!" cried the professor suddenly, and the little party came to astand by a rough craggy portion of the way where many stones lay bare. 

"Well, what is it?" cried Mr Burne impatiently, "I'm sure those arenatural or live stones, as you call them. "

"Yes, " said the professor; "it was not the stones which attracted me, but the spring. "

"Well, we have passed hundreds of better springs than that, and besidesit is bad water; see, my horse will not touch it. "

"I thought I was right, " cried the professor dismounting. "Look here, Lawrence, that decides it; here is our first hot spring. "

"Hot?" cried Lawrence, leaping off and bending over the spring. "Why, so it is. "

"Yes, a pretty good heat. This is interesting. "

"It is a volcanic country, then, " said Lawrence eagerly. "Oh, MrPreston, we must see a burning mountain. "

"It does not follow that there are burning mountains now, " said theprofessor smiling, "because we find hot springs. "

"Doesn't it?" said Lawrence in a disappointed tone. 

"Certainly not. You would be puzzled to find a volcano in England, andyet you have hot springs in Bath. "

"Effendi, be on your guard. I do not like the look of these people, "said Yussuf quickly, for a party of mounted men, all well-armed, wasseen coming from the opposite direction; but they passed on scowling, and examining the little group by the hot spring suspiciously. 

"A false alarm, Yussuf, " said the professor smiling. 

"No, effendi, " he replied; "these are evil men. Let us get on and notstop at this village, but make our way to the next by another trackwhich I know, so as to reach the old ruined city, and they may notfollow. If they do, I think they will not suspect the way we havegone. "

There seemed to be reasons for Yussuf's suspicions, the men having apeculiarly evil aspect. A perfectly honest man sometimes belies hislooks, but when a dozen or so of individuals mounted upon shabby Turkishponies, all well-armed, and wearing an eager sinister look upon theircountenances, are seen together, if they are suspected of being adishonest lot, there is every excuse for those who suspect them. 

"'Pon my word, Preston, " said Mr Burne, "I think we had better get offas soon as possible. "

"Oh, I don't know, " replied the professor; "the men cannot help theirlooks. We must not think everyone we see is a brigand. "

"You may think that those are, effendi, " said Yussuf in his quiet way. "Let us get on. You go to the front and follow the track beyond thevillage--you can make no mistake, and I will hang back and try and findout whether we are followed. "

"Do you think there is danger, then?" whispered the professor. 

"I cannot say, effendi; it may be so. If you hear me fire, be on yourguard, and if I do not return to you, hasten on to the next village, andstay till you have sent messengers to find an escort to take you back. "

"Yussuf! is it so serious as that?"

"I don't know, effendi. I hope not, but we must be prepared. "

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. 

A STARTLING CHECK. 

Yussuf's suspicions seemed to be without reason, for the rest of thatday's journey was finished without adventure, and the party reached avillage and found good quarters for the night. 

So comfortable were they that the scare was laughed at, and it seemed toall three that Yussuf was rather ashamed of his timidity. 

Contrary to their experience of many nights past they found the head-manof the village civil and even bumble; but it did not excite thesuspicion of the travellers, who congratulated themselves upon theirgood fortune. 

The only drawback to their comfort was the fact that Lawrence wassuffering somewhat from the shock of his descent from the rocky shelf. 

At first he had merely felt a little stiff, the excitement of the wholeadventure tending to keep his thoughts from his personal discomfort; butby degrees he found that he had received a peculiar jar of the wholesystem, which made the recumbent position the most comfortable that hecould occupy. 

It was no wonder, for the leaps which the pony had made were tremendous, and it was as remarkable that the little animal had kept its feet asthat Lawrence had retained his seat in the saddle. 

The next morning, a memorable one in their journey, broke bright andclear; and Lawrence, after a hearty breakfast of bread, yaourt, andhoney, supplemented by coffee which might have been better, and peacheswhich could not have been excelled, mounted Ali Baba in the highest ofspirits, feeling as he did far better for his night's rest. The sun wasshining gloriously and lighting up the sides of the mountains andflashing from the streams that trickled down their sides. Low down inthe deep defiles there were hanging mists which looked like veils ofsilver decked with opalescent tints of the most delicate transparency, as they floated slowly before the morning breeze. 

Their host of the night wished them good speed with a smiling face, andthey were riding off when Lawrence happened to look back and saw thatthe man had taken off his turban and was making a derisive gesture, tothe great delight of the group of people who were gathered round. 

Lawrence thought it beneath his notice and turned away, but this oncemore seemed to give strength to Yussuf's suspicions. 

But a bright morning in the midst of the exhilarating mountain air isnot a time for bearing in mind suspicions, or thinking of anything butthe beauty of all around. They were higher up in the mountains now, with more rugged scenery and grand pine-woods; and as they rode alonganother of the curious shelf-like tracks by the defile there wasconstantly something fresh to see. 

They had not been an hour on the road before Yussuf stopped to pointacross the gorge to an object which had taken his attention on the otherside. 

"Do you see, effendi Lawrence?" he said smiling. 

"No. "

"Yonder, just to the left of that patch of bushes where the stone looksgrey?"

"Oh, yes; I see now, " cried the lad--"a black sheep. "

"Look again, " said Yussuf; and he clapped his hands to his mouth anduttered a tremendous "Ha-ha!"

As the shout ran echoing along the gorge the animal on the fartherslope, quite two hundred yards away, went shuffling along at a clumsytrot for some little distance, and then stopped and stood up on itshind-legs and stared at them. 

"A curious sheep, Lawrence!" said Mr Preston, adjusting his glass;"what do you make of it now?"

"Why, it can't be a bear, is it?" cried Lawrence eagerly. 

"Undoubtedly, and a very fine one, " said Mr Preston. 

"Let's have a look, " said Mr Burne; and he too focussed his glass. "Why, so it is!" he cried--"just such a one as we used to have upon thepomatum pots. Now, from what gardens can he have escaped?"

The professor burst out laughing merrily. 

"It is the real wild animal in his native state, Burne, " he said. 

"Then let's shoot him and take home his skin, " cried Lawrence, preparingto fire. 

"You could not kill it at this distance, effendi, " said Yussuf; "andeven if you could, it would be a day's journey to get round to that sideand secure the skin. Look!"

The chance to fire was gone as he spoke, for the bear dropped down onall-fours, made clumsily for a pile of rocks, and Mr Preston with hisglass saw the animal disappear in a hole that was probably his cave. 

"Gone, Lawrence!" said the professor. "Let's get on. "

"I should have liked to go on after him, " said Lawrence, gazing at thehole in the rocks wistfully; "there's something so strange in seeing areal bear alive on the mountains. "

"Perhaps we shall see more yet, " said Yussuf, "for we are going into thewildest part we have yet visited. Keep a good look-out high up on eachside, and I daresay we shall not go far without finding something. "

"Right, Yussuf, " cried the professor; "there is another of those grandold watch-towers. Look, Burne!--just like the others we have seenplanted at the corner where two defiles meet. "

"Ah, to be sure--yes, " said the old lawyer. "What! an eagle's nest?"

"And there goes the eagle, " cried Lawrence, pointing, as a huge birdswept by them high up on rigid wing, seeming to glide here and therewithout the slightest effort. "That's an eagle, is it not, MrPreston?"

"A very near relative, I should say, " replied the professor. "Thelammergeier, as they call it in the Alpine regions. Yes, it must be. What a magnificent bird!"

"We shall see more and finer ones, I daresay, " said Yussuf! quietly;"but the time is passing, excellencies. We have a long journey beforeus, and I should like to see the better half of a difficult way masteredbefore mid-day. "

Their guide's advice was always so good that they continued their slowprogress, the baggage-horses ruling the rate at which they were able toproceed; and for the next hour they went on ascending and zigzaggingalone; the rugged mountain track, with defile and gorge and ridge ofrock rising fold upon fold, making their path increase in grandeur atevery turn, till they were in one of nature's wildest fastnesses, andwith the air perceptibly brisker and more keen. 

All at once, just as they had turned into the entrance to one of themost savage-looking denies they had yet seen, Yussuf pointed to adistant pile of rock and said sharply:

"Look, there is an animal you may journey for days without seeing. Takethe glass, effendi Lawrence, and say what it is. "

The lad checked his pony, adjusted his glass, an example followed by theprofessor, while Mr Burne indulged himself with a pinch of snuff. 

"A goat, " cried Lawrence, as he got the animal into the field of theglass, and saw it standing erect upon the summit of the rock, and gazingaway from them--"A goat! And what fine horns?"

"An ibex, Lawrence, my boy. Goat-like if you like. Ah, there he goes. How easily they take alarm. "

For the animal made a bound and seemed to plunge from rock to rock downinto a rift, and then up an almost perpendicular wall on the oppositeside higher and higher until it disappeared. 

"It is no wonder, excellency, " said Yussuf as they rode on along thenarrow path, "when every hand is against them, and they have been taughtthat they are not safe from bullets half a mile away, and--Why is Hamedstopping?"

They had been halting to gaze at the ibex, and all such pauses in theirjourney were utilised for letting Hamed get well on ahead with his slowcharge. Experience had taught them that to leave him behind with thenecessaries of life was often to miss them altogether till the nextmorning. 

In this case he had got several hundred yards in advance, but hadsuddenly stopped short, just at the point of a sharp elbow in the track, where they could see him with the two horses standing stock-still, andstaring straight before him. 

"Let's get on and see, " said the professor, and they pressed on to comeupon a spot where the track forked directly after, a narrower pathleading up a rift in the mountains away to their left, and the sight ofthis satisfied Yussuf. 

"Hamed thinks he may be doing wrong, " he said, "and that perhaps heought to have turned down here. All right, go on!" he shouted in hisown tongue, as they rode on past the wild passage among the rocks. 

But Hamed did not stir, and as they advanced they could see that he wassheltering himself behind one of his horses, and still staring beforehim. 

The way curved in, and then went out to the shoulder upon which thebaggage-horses stood, doubtless bending in again directly on the otherside. Hence, then, it was impossible for Yussuf and his party to seewhat was beyond; neither could they gain a sight by altering theircourse, for their path was but a shelf with the nearly perpendicularside of the gorge above and below. 

They were now some eighty or ninety yards from the corner, and Yussufshouted again:

"Go on, man; that is right. "

But Hamed did not move hand or foot, and Yussuf checked his horse. 

"There is something wrong, effendis, " he said quietly; and he thrust hishand into his breast and drew out his revolver. "Get your weaponsready. "

"What, is there to be a fight?" said Mr Burne excitedly. 

"I hope not, " said Mr Preston gravely, as he examined the charge of hisdouble gun, an example followed by Lawrence, whose heart began to beatheavily. 

"You had better halt here, excellencies, " said Yussuf. "I will goforward and see. "

"No, " said Mr Preston; "we will keep together. It is a time for mutualsupport. What do you think it is?"

"The man is timid, " said Yussuf. "He is a good driver of horses, but alittle frightens him. The country is wild here; there may be wolves ora bear on the track which he would not dare to face, though they wouldrun from him if he did. "

They all advanced together with their weapons ready for immediate use, and Lawrence's hands trembled with eagerness, as he strained his eyesforward in expectation of a glimpse at bear or wolf, and in the hope ofgetting a good shot. 

"Why don't you speak? Are you ill?" continued Yussuf as he rode onforward. But Hamed did not stir; and it was not until the guide couldalmost touch him that he was able to see what was the cause of hisalarm, and almost at the same moment the others saw it too. 

"We must keep a bold face and retreat, " said Yussuf in a quick low tone. "You, Hamed, take the bridle of that horse and lead him back; the otherwill follow. "

"No, no, no; they will fire. "

"So shall I, " said Yussuf, placing the muzzle of his pistol close to theman's ear. "Obey me; or--"

Hamed shuddered and began to implore, but Yussuf was rigid. 

"Go on back, " he said forcing himself round the foremost horse, closelyfollowed by the professor, though there was hardly room for their steedsto pass, and there was a fall of several hundred feet below, while, pressed like this, Hamed began to whimper; but he obeyed, and led thehorses past Lawrence and Mr Burne, who now went forward, eager andexcited to know what was wrong, and upon joining their companions it wasto find themselves face to face with a gang of about twentyfierce-looking men, all mounted, and who were seated with their gunspresented toward the travellers' heads. 

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE. 

BROUGHT TO BAY. 

The strangers were some fifty yards away, and thoroughly blocked allfurther progress. What they were was not open to doubt; but, thoughthey sat there presenting their guns, they did not attempt to fire, noryet to advance, contenting themselves by barring the travellers' way. 

"Do you think they are enemies, Yussuf?" said Mr Preston calmly. 

"There is no doubt of it, effendi, " was the reply. 

"But had we not better ride boldly forward? They will not dare to stopus. Besides, if they do, we are well-armed. "

"They are twenty and we are only two, effendi, for we cannot depend uponthree of our party. It would be no use to attack. We must retreatsteadily, and get back to the village; they will not dare to follow usso far. "

"What do you propose doing, then?"

"For one of us to remain here facing them, till the others have gotfifty yards back. Then one is to turn and face the scoundrels till Ihave ridden in, and on with the others another fifty yards or so, when Iface round, and the one on duty rides in, and so on by turns. If wekeep a bold front we may hold them off. "

"A good plan, " said the professor; "but would it not be better for twoto face them, and two to go forward--I mean, to retreat?"

"No, effendi; there is not too much room for the horses. Do as I ask. "

Mr Preston obeyed on the instant, and with Hamed in front the retreatwas commenced, all retiring and leaving Yussuf on the projecting corner, weapon in hand, and a sword hanging from his wrist by the knot. 

Then, at about fifty yards, Mr Preston halted and faced round, with gunpresented, and as the others still rode on, Yussuf left his post andjoined the professor, passing him and riding on another fifty yardsbehind, where he faced round in turn. 

As the professor made his horse face about and rode on, he had only justreached the guide, when a clattering of horses' hoofs behind him madehim look sharply round. 

The enemy had advanced, and about half a dozen men had taken up thevacated position at the elbow of the track. 

There they stopped, looking menacing enough, but making no advance, merely watching the progress of the little party as they retreated roundthe curve towards the other corner which they had passed on their way. 

"Had we not better get on faster?" said the professor. 

"No, " replied Yussuf; "we must go slowly, or they will close in; andyour excellency does not want blood to be shed. Our only chance is bykeeping a bold front, and retreating till we can get help. They willnot dare to attack us if we keep on like this, for they do not care torisk their lives. "

"Go on then, " said the professor; and the retreat was kept up for aboutten minutes, and then came to a stop, for Hamed, on reaching the othercorner with his baggage-horses, stopped short suddenly, and on Lawrencetrotting up to him, the professor saw him too stop, and present his gun. 

"We are trapped, effendi, " said Yussuf sadly. 

"Trapped!" cried Mr Preston sharply. "What do you mean?"

"The dogs have another party who have been hidden in that side track, and they have come out as soon as we passed. We are between two fires. What shall we do?"

It was plain enough, for the next minute Hamed and Lawrence were seen tobe driven back, and a party similar to that upon the first corner stoodout clearly in the morning air--a gang before, and one behind, and theprecipice above and below. It was either fight or yield now, and Yussufhad asked the question, what was to be done. 

Shut in as they were completely, the little party closed up together onthe curved path, Hamed requiring no telling, while the enemy made noattempt to advance. 

Mr Burne took out his box, had a large pinch of snuff, and then blewhis nose so outrageously that the horses pricked their ears, and AliBaba snorted and looked as if he would try another of his wonderfulleaps if that kind of thing were to be continued. 

"Well, Yussuf, " said the professor, "what is to be done?"

The guide sighed deeply and looked full in his employer's face. 

"Excellency, " he said softly, "I feel as if all my bones were turned towater. "

"Oh, indeed, sir, " cried Mr Burne sharply; "then you had better turnthem back to what they were. "

"What is to be done, Yussuf?" continued the professor. "If we make astout resistance, shall we beat them off?"

"No, effendi, " said Yussuf sadly; "it is impossible. We might killseveral, but they are many, and those who are left do not value life. Besides, effendi, some of us must fall. "

"What are these people, then?"

"Brigands--robbers, excellency. "

"Brigands and robbers in the nineteenth century!" cried Mr Burneangrily; "it is absurd. "

"In your country, excellency; but here they are as common as they are inGreece. "

"But the law, sir, the law!" cried Mr Burne. "Confound the scoundrels!where are the police?"

Yussuf shrugged his shoulders. 

"We are far beyond the reach of the law or the police, excellency, unless a little army of soldiers is sent to take or destroy thesepeople; and even then what can they do in these terrible fastnesses, where the brigands have hiding-places and strongholds that cannot befound out, or if found, where they can set the soldiery at defiance?"

Mr Burne blew his nose again fearfully, and created a series of echoesthat sounded as if old men were blowing their noses from where theystood right away to Constantinople, so strangely the sounds died away inthe distance. 

"Then why, sir, in the name of common sense and common law, did youbring us into this out-of-the-way place, among these dirty, ragged, unshaven scoundrels? It is abominable! It is disgraceful! It is--"

"Hush! hush! Burne; be reasonable, " said the professor. "Yussuf hasonly obeyed orders. If anyone is to blame it is I, for I wished to seethis ruined fastness of the old Roman days. "

Yussuf smiled, and gave the professor a grateful look. 

"Humph! It's all very well for you to take his part. He ought to haveknown, " grumbled the old lawyer. 

"Travellers are never free from risk in any of the out-of-the-way partsof the country, " said Yussuf quietly. 

"And of course we knew that, and accepted the risk, " said the professor. "Come, come, Burne, be reasonable. Yussuf is not to blame. Thequestion is, What are we to do--fight or give up?"

"Fight, " said Mr Burne fiercely. "Hang it all, sir! I never give into an opponent. I always say to a client, if he has right upon hisside, `Fight, sir, fight. ' And that's what I'm going to do. "

"Fight, eh?" said the professor gravely. 

"Yes, sir, fight, and I only wish I understood the use of this gun andlong knife as well as I do that of a ruler and a pen. "

"Look here, Yussuf, if we fight, what will be the consequences?"

"I will fight for your excellencies to the last, " said the Turk calmly;"but I am afraid that we can do no good. "

"Confound you, sir!" cried Mr Burne; "if we give in they will take offour heads. "

"No, no, excellency, they will make us prisoners, and strip us of ourarms and all that we have of value. "

"Humph! Is that all?"

"No, excellency. They will demand a heavy ransom for your release--somany Turkish pounds. "

"Then we'll fight, " cried Mr Burne furiously. "I never would and Inever will be swindled. Ransom indeed! Why, confound it all, Preston!is this real, or is it a cock-and-bull story told in a book?"

"It is reality, Burne, sure enough, " said the professor calmly; "and Ifeel with you, that I would sooner fight than give up a shilling; but, cowardly as it may seem, I fear that we must give up. "

"Give up? Never, sir. I am an Englishman, " cried the old lawyer. 

"But look at our position. We are completely at their mercy. Here weare in the centre of this half-moon curve, and the scoundrels hold thetwo horns in force. "

"Then we'll dash up the mountain. "

"It is impossible, excellency, " said Yussuf. 

"Then we'll go downwards. "

"To death, Burne?" said the professor smiling. 

"Confound it all!" cried Mr Burne, "we are in a complete trap. Here, you, Yussuf, this is your doing, and you are in league with theserascals to rob us. "

"Excellency!"

"Oh, Mr Burne!" cried Lawrence, with his face scarlet; and he leanedtowards Yussuf, and held out his hand to the Turk, who sat with angry, lowering countenance upon his horse. 

"Mr Burne is angry, Yussuf, " said the professor in a quiet, sternmanner. "He does not mean what he says, and I am sure he will apologiseas an English gentleman should. "

Yussuf bowed coldly, and Mr Preston continued:

"I have the most perfect confidence in your integrity, sir, and as weare brothers in misfortune, and you know these people better than we--"

"Of course, " said Mr Burne, with an angry ejaculation. 

"I ask you, " said Mr Preston, "to give us your advice. What had webetter do--fight or give up?"

Yussuf's face brightened, and he turned to the old lawyer. 

"Effendi, " he said gravely, "you will know me better before we part, andyou will tell me you are sorry for what you have said. "

"I won't, sir! No, confound me, never!" cried the old lawyer; and heblew his nose like a challenge upon a trumpet. 

"I am deeply grieved, effendi, " continued Yussuf, smiling as he turnedto the professor, "for this is a terrible misfortune, and you will bedisappointed of your visit to the old city. But it would be madness tolight. We should be throwing away our lives, and that of the youngeffendi here, who has shown us of late that he has a long and usefullife to lead. It is our fate. We must give up. "

"Never!" cried Mr Burne, cocking his gun. 

"Don't be foolish, my dear Burne, " said the professor. "I would say, let us fight like men; but what can we do against fifty well-armedscoundrels, who can shelter themselves and pick us off at their ease?Come, keep that gun still, or you will shoot one of us instead of anenemy. "

"Now, that's cruel!" cried Mr Burne with an air of comical vexation. "Well, I suppose you are right. Here, Yussuf, old fellow, I beg yourpardon. I was only in a savage temper. I suppose we must give in; butbefore I'll pay a shilling of ransom they shall take off my head. "

Yussuf smiled. 

"Confound you, sir, don't grin at a man when he's down, " cried MrBurne. "You've got the better of me, but you need not rejoice likethat. "

"I do not rejoice, excellency, only that you believe in me once more. "

"Here! hi! you black-muzzled, unbelieving scoundrels, leave off, willyou! Don't point your guns at us, or, by George and the dragon and theother champions of Christendom, I will fight. "

He had looked at the two points of the half-moon road, and seen thatabout a dozen men were now dismounted, and were apparently taking aim atthem. 

"Well, Yussuf, we give up, " said the professor. "Perhaps, after all, they may be honest people. Will you go to them and ask what they wantwith us?"

"They are brigands, excellency. "

"Well, ask them what they will take to let us continue our journey inpeace, " cried Mr Burne. "Offer 'em five shillings all round; I supposethere are about fifty--or, no, say we will give them ten pounds to goabout their business; and a precious good day's work for the raggedjacks. "

"I will go forward, " said Yussuf. "Excellency, " he continued to theprofessor, "trust me, and I will make the best bargain I can. "

"Go on, then, " said the professor; "but is there any risk to yourself?"

"Oh, no, effendi, none at all. I have no fear. They will know I comeas an ambassador. "

"Go on, then, " said the professor; and the Turk rode slowly forward tothe men, who blocked their way, and who still held their guns menacinglybefore them as if about to fire. 

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX. 

GOOD OUT OF EVIL. 

"We've brought our pigs to a pretty market, " grumbled Mr Burne, as theysat watching Yussuf ride up to the brigands. "It means ruin, sir, ruin. "

"There's no help for it, Burne, " said the professor calmly; "it is of nouse to complain. "

"I am an Englishman, sir, and I shall grumble as much and as long as Iplease, " cried the old gentleman snappishly; "and you, Lawrence, if youlaugh at me, sir, I'll knock you off your horse. Here, what was the useof our buying weapons of war, if we are not going to use them?"

"Their conversation has been short, " said the professor. "I suppose itis settled. So vexatious too, when we were quite near the ancientstronghold. "

"Bah! you've seen old stones and ruins enough, man. I wish to goodnesswe were back in London. Well, Yussuf, what do they say?"

"That if your excellencies will surrender peaceably, you shall not behurt. There is nothing else for us to do but give up. "

"And you advise it, Yussuf?" said the professor. 

"Yes, your excellency, we must give up; and perhaps if you are patient Imay find a means for us to escape. "

"Hah! that's better, " cried Mr Burne; "now you are speaking like a man. Come along, then, and let's get it over. Can the brutes speakEnglish?"

"No, excellency, I think not. Shall I lead?"

"No, " said Mr Burne. "I shall go first, just to show the miserableruffians that we are not afraid of them if we do give up. Come along, Preston. Confound them! how I do hate thieves. "

He took a pinch of snuff, and then rode slowly on with an angrycontemptuous look, closely followed by his companions, to where thebrigands were awaiting them with guns presented ready to fire if therewas any resistance. 

As they advanced, the party behind closed up quickly, all being in thesame state of readiness with their weapons till the travellers foundthemselves completely hemmed in by as evil-looking a body of scoundrelsas could be conceived. Every man had his belt stuck full of knives andpistols, and carried a dangerous-looking gun--that is to say, a piecethat was risky to both enemy and friend. 

One man, who seemed to hold pre-eminence from the fact that he was halfa head taller than his companions, said a few words in a sharp fiercemanner, and Yussuf spoke. 

"The captain says we are to give up all our arms, " he said; and theprofessor handed his gun and sword without a word, the appearance of theweapons apparently giving great satisfaction to the chief. 

"Here, take 'em, " growled Mr Burne; "you ugly-looking unwashed animal. I hope the gun will go off of itself, and shoot you. I say, Preston, you haven't given them your revolver. "

"Hush! neither am I going to without they ask for it. Yussuf is keepinghis. "

"Oh, I see, " said the old lawyer brightening. 

Lawrence had to resign his handsome gun and sword next, the beauty oftheir workmanship causing quite a buzz of excitement. 

After this, as Lawrence sat suffering a bitter pang at losing histreasured weapons, the chief said a few words to Yussuf. 

"The captain says, excellencies, that if you will ride quietly to theirplace, he will not have you bound. I have said that you will go. "

"Yes, " said the professor, "we will go quietly. "

The chief seemed satisfied, and the prisoners being placed in themiddle, the whole band went off along the mountain path, higher andhigher hour after hour. 

There was no attempt made to separate them, nor yet to hinder theirconversation; and the brigands seemed less ferocious now that thebusiness of the day had had so satisfactory a finish, for they werecongratulating themselves upon having made a very valuable haul, and thecaptives, after a time, began to look upon their seizure as moreinteresting and novel than troublesome. That is to say, all but theprofessor, who bemoaned bitterly the fact that he should miss seeing theold ruined, stronghold in the mountains, which was said to be thehighest ruin in the land. 

"It seems so vexatious, Yussuf, " he said towards evening, after a verylong and tedious ride through scenery that was wild and grand in theextreme; "just, too, as we were so near the aim of all my desire. "

"Bother!" said Mr Burne, "I wish they would stop and cook some dinner. Are they going to starve us?"

"No, excellency; and before an hour has passed, if I think rightly, weshall have reached the brigands' stronghold. They will not starve you, but you will have to pay dearly for all you have. "

"I don't care, " said Mr Burne recklessly. "I'd give a five-pound notenow for a chop, and a sovereign a-piece for mealy potatoes. Thismountain air makes me ravenous, and ugh! how cold it is. "

"We are so high up, excellency, " said Yussuf; and then smiling, "Yes, Iam right. "

"What do you mean?" said the professor. 

"I did not like to speak before, effendi, " he said excitedly, "for I wasnot sure; but it is as I thought; they have now turned into the rightroad. Everything points to it. "

"Look here, " grumbled Mr Burne, "I'm not in a humour to guessconundrums and charades; speak out, man. What do you mean?"

"I mean, excellency, that I have been wondering where the brigands'strong place could be, and I believe I have found out. "

"Well, where is it? A cave, of course?"

"No, excellency; and you, effendi, " he continued, turning to theprofessor, "will be delighted. "

"What do you mean, my good fellow?" said the professor warmly. 

"That you will have your wish. There is no other place likely, and itseems to me that this band of men have made the old ruined strongholdtheir lurking-place, and you will see the ruins after all. "

"What?" cried Mr Preston excitedly. 

"I am not sure, excellency, for they may be only going to pass them onour way elsewhere; but we are now journeying straight for the grand oldremains we sought. "

"Then, I don't care what ransom I have to pay, " said the professoreagerly. "Lawrence, my dear boy--Burne--this is not a misfortune, but agreat slice of luck. "

"Oh! indeed! is it?" said the old lawyer sarcastically. "I should nothave known. "

It proved to be as Yussuf had anticipated, for, just as the sun wassinking below the mountains, the shelf of a path was continued along bythe brink of a terrible precipice which looked black beneath their feet, and after many devious windings, it ended as it were before a huge pileof limestone, at the foot of which rocks were piled-up as if they hadsuddenly been dashed down from some tremendous tremor of the mountains. 

"Where are we going?" said the professor. 

"Up to the top of that great pile, " said Yussuf. 

"But are the ruins there?"

"Yes, effendi. "

"And how are we to set there?"

"You will see, excellency. It is quite right. This is the robbers'home, where they could set an army at defiance. "

"But we can't get up there, " said Lawrence, gazing at the dizzy height. 

As he spoke, the foremost horseman seemed to disappear, but only to comeinto sight again, and then it became evident that there was a zigzag andwinding path right up to the top of the huge mass of rock which toweredup almost perpendicularly in places, and, ten minutes later, Lawrencewas riding up a path with so awful a precipice on his right that heclosed his eyes. 

But the next minute the fascination to gaze down was too strong to beresisted, and he found himself looking round and about him, almoststunned by the aspect of the place. But the sure-footed Turkish ponieswent steadily on higher and higher round curves and sharply turningangles and elbows, till at last at a dizzy height the foremost horsemanrode in between two masses of rock surmounted by ruined buildings. Thenon across a hideous gap of several hundred feet deep, a mere split inthe rock bridged with the trunks of pine-trees, but awful tocontemplate, and making the travellers hold their breath till they wereacross, and amid the gigantic ruins of an ancient stronghold. 

"Stupendous!" cried the professor, as they rode on amidst the traces ofthe former grandeur of the place. 

"How bitterly cold!" said the professor. 

"We are to dismount here, " said Yussuf quietly, "and go into this oldbuilding. "

They obeyed, glad to descend from their horses, which were taken away, and then they were ushered to a great stone-built hall where a fire wasburning, which seemed cheery and comfortable after their long ride. 

There were rugs on the floor, the roof was sound, and the window wascovered by a screen of straw which made the place dark save for the warmglow of the fire, near which a little Turkish-looking man was seated, and a largely proportioned Turkish woman reclined on a rough kind ofdivan. 

"These are to be our quarters, effendi, " said Yussuf, after a briefcolloquy with the chief, who had accompanied them, "and these are ourfellow-prisoners. But he warns me that if we attempt to escape we shallbe shot, for there are sentries on the watch. "

"All right, " said Mr Burne approaching the fire; "tell him not tobother us to-night, only to give us the best they've got to eat, or elseto let us have our baggage in and leave us to shift for ourselves. "

Just then an exclamation escaped the big Turkish woman, who sprang toher feet, and ran and caught the professor's hand. 

"Mr Preston!" she cried. "Do you not know me?"

"Mrs Chumley!" cried the professor. "You here!"

"Yes, we've been prisoners here for a month. Charley, you lazy fellow, get up; these are friends. "

"Oh, are they?" said the little Turk, rising slowly. "Well, I'm jollyglad of it, for I'm sick of being here. Hallo, young Lawrence, I'veoften thought about you; how are you? Getting better? That's right. See you are. How do, Preston? How do, Mr Burne? I say! Ha-ha-ha!You're all in for it now. "

"For shame, Charley, to talk like that, " cried the lady. "Come up tothe fire all of you. I am very glad to see you here. "

"Oh, you are, eh, madam?" said the old lawyer sharply, as he warmed hishands over the blaze. 

"Well, I do not mean that, " said the lady; "but it is always pleasant tomeet English people when you are far from home. "

Just then the robber chief nodded, said a few words to Yussuf, and theprisoners were left alone. 

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN. 

A QUESTION OF RANSOM. 

"Nice state of affairs this, Mr Preston, " said the little prisonerholding out his arms. "Here's a dress for a gentleman;" and hedisplayed the rags of Turkish costume he wore. "Chaps saw me at my clubnow. "

"Charley, will you hold your tongue, " cried his lady angrily. "How am Ito explain our position if you will keep on chattering so?"

"But, my darling--"

"Will you be quiet, Charley. Look here, Mr Preston, " she continued, "it's just three weeks ago, as we were travelling in this horriblecountry at least ten miles away, we were seized by these horrid men, andbrought here. They've taken everything we had, and given us thesemiserable clothes, and every night they come to us and say--"

"They'll cut off our heads to-morrow morning. "

"Will you be quiet, Charley, " cried the lady, stamping her foot. "Howam I to explain? Am I not always telling you what a chatter-box youare. "

"Yes, my dear, always. "

"Silence, sir! Mr Preston, " she continued, as her little husband wentsoftly to Lawrence, and drew him aside to go on whispering in hisear--"Mr Preston, no one knows what we have suffered. As I wassaying--I hope you are listening, Mr--Mr--Mr--Mr--"

"Burne, ma'am, " said the old lawyer bowing. 

"Oh, yes, I had forgotten. Mr Burne. I beg your pardon. As I wassaying they come every night, and say that to-morrow morning they willcut off our heads and send them to Smyrna as an example, if our ransomdoes not come. "

"Your ransom, madam?" said the professor. 

"Yes. Five thousand pounds--three for me and two for poor Charley; andthough we have sent for the money, it does not come. Isn't it a shame?"

"Scandalous, madam. "

"And you can't tell how glad I am to see you here. Have you brought themoney?"

"Brought the money, ma'am? Why, we are prisoners too. "

"Oh, dear me, how tiresome!" cried the lady. "I thought you were atfirst; and then I thought you were sent with our ransom. What are we todo? Mr Burne, " she continued, turning to him, "you said you were alawyer. Pray, send for these people at once, and tell them that theywill be very severely punished if they do not set us at liberty. "

"My dear madam, " said the old lawyer, "I am only just getting myselfthawed, and I have had nothing but snuff since breakfast. I must havesome food before I can speak or even think. "

Meanwhile little Mr Chumley was whispering to Lawrence on the otherside of the fire, and relating all his troubles. "Taken everythingaway, sir, " he said--"watch, purse, cigars, and I actually saw thescoundrel who is at the head of them smoking my beautiful _partagas_that I brought with me from England. I say, what had we better do?"

"Try and escape, I suppose, " said Lawrence. 

"Escape! Look here, young man; are you a fly, or a bird, or a blackbeetle?" whispered the little man. 

"I think not, " said Lawrence laughing. 

"Then you can't get away from here, so don't think it. Why, it'simpossible. "

Just then the fierce-looking chief entered, followed by a man carrying agreat smoking dish, and as the leader drew near the fire, Lawrence bithis lip, for he saw that the tall ruffian was wearing his sword, andcarrying his handsome gun in the hollow of his arm. 

The chief turned to Yussuf, who was seated in one corner of the room, and said a few words to him. 

Yussuf rose and addressed his little party in a low voice. 

"The brigand captain says, excellencies, that you are to be prepared tosend in one of his men to-morrow morning as messenger to your agentwhere you like. You are to write and say that, if injury is done to themessenger, you will be killed. The messenger is to bring back sixthousand pounds--two for each of you--as a ransom, and that, upon themoney being paid, you will be set free. "

"And if the money be not paid, Yussuf, what then?" said the professorquietly. 

"The chief says no more, excellency. "

"But he will to-morrow or next day, " cried Mr Chumley. "He'll say thatif the money is not paid he'll--"

"Will you be quiet, Charley?" cried his wife. "How you do chatter, tobe sure! Are you going to send for the money?"

"I don't know yet, " said the professor smiling. "I must think over ourposition first. "

"But, Mr Burne!" cried the lady. 

"My dear madam, " said Mr Burne, "I can say nothing till after supper. Here is a dish of fowl and rice to be discussed before we do anythingelse. Here, Snooks, Brown, Hassan, Elecampane--what's your name?--laythe cloth and bring some knives and forks. "

The man addressed did not stir. He had placed the smoking brass dishupon a stone near the fire, and with that his duties seemed to be ended. 

"They won't give you any knives or forks, " said little Mr Chumley. 

"Will you be quiet, Charley?" cried his lady. "No, gentlemen, you willhave to sit down all round the dish like this, and eat with your fingerslike pigs. "

"Pigs haven't got any fingers, " whispered little Chumley to Lawrence. "Come along. "

"What is he whispering to you, Master Lawrence?" said the lady sharply. "Don't take any notice of what he says. He talks too much and thinkstoo little. If he had thought more and said less we should not be inthis predicament. "

The chief and his follower had passed silently behind the great rugstretched over the doorway, and, led by their hunger, the prisoners allsat down round the dish "like this, " to use Mrs Chumley's words--_this_being tailor fashion, or cross-legged _a la Turcque_; and then, in veryprimitive fashion, the supper of poor stringy fowl and ill-cooked ricebegan. 

The food was very poor, the bread being heavy and black; but all weretoo hungry to be particular, and at last the dish was completelyfinished, and conversation respecting their position began, while Yussufsat aside and waited patiently to be questioned. 

"Look here, Yussuf, " said the professor at last; "what is to be done?"

"I fear, excellency, " replied the guide, "that the only way of escape isby paying the ransom. "

"But, man, it is ruinous, and they dare not injure us. Why, if theEnglish people knew of our position troops would be sent to ourassistance. "

"And the brigands would resent their coming by killing you and yourfriends, excellency. "

"They would not dare, Yussuf. "

"I'm afraid they would, effendi. They are utterly reckless scoundrels, the sweepings of the country, and they are so powerful, and secure herethat they laugh at the law, such law as we have in this unhappy land. "

"But such a state of affairs is monstrous, sir, " said Mr Burne. "I ama lawyer, sir, and I ought to know. "

"It is monstrous, excellency, " said Yussuf; "but these men are outlaws. You see what a stronghold they have if it came to a fight; but yourfriends or the government would not dare to let it come to a fight, forif they did they would be slaying you. "

"Tchah!" cried Mr Burne; "this is about the knottiest case I ever didmeet. I say, you, Lawrence, a nice position you have placed us all in. "

"I, Mr Burne!" cried the lad wonderingly. 

"Yes, sir, you. If you had only been quite well, like a reasonable boyof your age, we should not have come out here, and if we hadn't come outhere we should not have been in this mess. There, I'm too tired totalk. Good-night. "

He threw himself down upon one of the rugs and was asleep directly, while the professor walked to the doorway, and found two fierce-lookingsentries outside, one of whom menacingly bade him go back. 

He spoke in the Turkish language; but his manner made his meaning plain, so Mr Preston went back to the fireside, and sat talking to theChumleys and Lawrence till the latter fell fast asleep; and at last, inspite of the peril of his position, the professor grew so weary that theaccount of the Chumleys' troubles began to sound soothing, and, whatwith the long day's work, the exposure to the keen mountain air, and thewarmth of the fire, he too fell asleep, and silence reigned in theancient structure that had been made their prison. 

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT. 

SUGGESTIONS OF ESCAPE. 

The morning broke so bright and clear, and from the window there were somany wonders of architecture visible in the old stronghold, that theprofessor and Lawrence forgot for the time that they were prisoners, andstood gazing out at the wonderful scene. 

Where they had been placed was evidently a portion of an old castle, andlooking down there were traces of huge buildings of the most solidconstruction, such as seemed to date back a couple of thousand years, and yet to be in parts as strong as on the day they were placed andcemented stone upon stone. 

Huge wall, tremendous battlement, and pillared remains of palace or hallwere on every side, and as they gazed, it seemed to them that they couldeasily imagine the presence of the helmeted, armoured warriors who hadonce owned the land. 

The sun was so glorious that the professor proposed a look round beforebreakfast. 

"Never mind the inconvenience, Lawrence, " he said, "we have fallen intoa wonderful nest of antiquities, worth all our journey and trouble. Here, come along. "

They went to the doorway, drew the great rug hanging before it aside, and were stepping out when a couple of guns were presented at theirbreasts, and they were angrily bidden to go back. 

It was a rude reminder that they were no longer upon a touring journey, and the fact was farther impressed upon them, after a breakfast ofyaourt or curd, bread, and some very bad coffee, by a visit from thechief and half a dozen men. 

Yussuf was called upon to interpret, and that which he had to say wasunpalatable enough, for he had to bid them empty their pockets, and passeverything they possessed over to their captors. 

Watches, purses, pocket-books, all had to go; but it was in vain toresist, and everything was handed over without a word, till it came toMr Burne's gold snuff-box, and this he slipped back into his pocket. 

The attempt to save it was in vain; two sturdy scoundrels seized him, one on each side, and the snuff-box was snatched away by the chiefhimself. 

He uttered a few guttural sounds as he opened the box, and seemeddisappointed as he found therein only a little fine brown dust, intowhich he thrust his finger and thumb. 

He looked puzzled and held it to his nose, giving a good sniff, with theresult that he inhaled sufficient of the fine dust to make him sneezeviolently, and scatter the remainder of the snuff upon the earth. 

Mr Burne made a start forward, but he was roughly held back, and thechief then turned to Yussuf. 

"Tell them, " he said in his own tongue, "to write to their friends, andask for the ransom--two thousand pounds each, and to say that if themoney is not given their heads will be sent. Bid them write. "

The fierce-looking scoundrel turned and stalked out of the place withhis booty, and the moment he was free, Mr Burne dropped upon his kneesand began sweeping the fallen snuff together in company with a greatdeal of dust and barley chaff, carefully placing the whole in hishandkerchief ready for clearing as well as he could at his leisure. 

"That's just how they served us, " said Mrs Chumley dolefully. "Ithought they would treat you the same. "

"So did I, " said her husband dolefully. "They've got my gold repeater, and--"

"Now, Charley, don't--don't--don't bother Mr Preston about thatmiserable watch of yours, and I do wish you wouldn't talk so much. "

"But we must talk, madam, " cried Mr Burne. "Here, you, Yussuf, what'sto be done?"

"I can only give one piece of advice, effendi, " said Yussuf gravely;"Write. "

"What, and ruin ourselves?"

"Better that than lose your life, effendi, " replied the guide. "Thesepeople are fierce, and half savage. They believe that you have money, and they will keep their word if it is not sent. "

"What, and kill us, Yussuf?" said Lawrence, with a horrified look. 

"Not if I can save you, Lawrence effendi, " said Yussuf eagerly. "Butthe letters must be sent. It will make the villains think that we arecontent to wait, and put them off their guard. Preston effendi, it is aterrible increase of the risk, but you will take the lady?"

"Take the lady?"

"Hush! When we escape. Do not say more now; we may be overheard. Write your letters. "

"Then you mean to try and escape. "

"Try and escape, effendi?" said Yussuf with a curious laugh; "why, ofcourse. "

"What will you do?"

"Wait, excellency, and see. There are walls here, and I think placeswhere we might get down past the guards with ropes. "

"And the ropes?"

Yussuf laughed softly, and stared at the rugs as he said quietly:

"I can see the place full of ropes, your excellency; only be patient, and we'll try what can be done in the darkness. Write your lettersnow. "

Mr Preston had to appeal to the sentries, through Yussuf, for thenecessary writing materials, and after a good deal of trouble his ownwriting-case, which had been in the plundered baggage, was brought tohim. He wrote to the vice-consul, Mr Thompson, at Smyrna, telling oftheir state, and asking advice and assistance, telling him, too, how toobtain the money required if diplomacy failed, and the ransom could notbe reduced. 

This done, and a similar letter being written by Mr Burne, the sentrywas again communicated with, and the despatches sent to the chief. 

An hour later there was a little bustle in the open space before theirprison, and a couple of well-armed men mounted their horses, the chiefstanding talking to them for a few minutes, as if giving them finalinstructions. 

He then summoned his prisoners, and spoke to Yussuf, bidding him ask MrBurne, whose wonderful head-dress won for him the distinction of beingconsidered the most important personage present, whether he would liketo make any addition to his despatch; for, said he:

"I have told the people that any attempt at rescue means your instantdeath. I will wait any reasonable time for your ransoms, and you shallbe well treated; but I warn you that attempts to escape will be death toyou. That is all. "

"Wait a minute, Yussuf, " said Mr Burne. "Tell him he can keep thesnuff-box and welcome, but he has a canister of best snuff in thepackage that was on the brown pony. Ask him to let me have that. "

"Yes, " said the chief, on hearing the request, "it is of no use toanyone. He can have it. What a dog of a Christian to take his tobaccolike that! Anything else?"

"Yes, " said Mr Preston, on hearing the reply, "tell him to send his mento watch me as much as he likes, but I want leave to inspect the oldruins and to make drawings. Tell him I will not attempt to escape. "

"No, effendi, " said Yussuf, "I will not tell him that, but I will askthe first;" and he made the request. 

"What! is he--one of the idiot giaours who waste their time in seeingold stones and imitate them upon paper?"

"Yes, a harmless creature enough, " said Yussuf. 

"So I suppose, or he would have fought. Well, yes, he can go about, buttell him that if he attempts to leave my men behind they will shoot him. Not that he can get away, unless he has a djin to help him, or canfly, " he added with a laugh. 

He walked to his men, gave them some further instructions, and they sawthe two ambassadors go in and out among the ruins till they passedbetween two immense buttresses of rock, and then disappear down theperilous zigzag path that led to the shelf-like way. 

"Yes, " said Yussuf, looking at Mr Preston, and interpreting histhoughts, "that is the only way out, excellency, but I do not despair ofmaking our escape. It must be a long time before arrangements can bemade for your release, and the winter comes early here in these highplaces. "

"Winter?" cried Lawrence. 

"Yes, " said Yussuf. "It is fine and sunny one day, the next the snowhas fallen, and a place like this may be shut off from the plains belowfor months. You do not wish to pass the winter here, Lawrence effendi?"

"I don't think I should mind, " replied the lad, "everything is so fresh, and there is so much to see. "

"Well, now they are giving me leave to go about, " said Mr Prestonthoughtfully, "I think I could spend some months in drawing and writingan account of this old city, especially if they would let me make someexcavations. "

"But his excellency, Mr Burne?" said Yussuf. 

"Oh! I've got my snuff--at least I am to have it, and if they will feedus well I don't suppose I should mind very much. The fact is, Preston, I've been working so hard all my life that I like this change. Doingnothing is very pleasant when you are tired. "

"Of course it is, " said the professor smiling. 

"And so long as there's no nonsense about cutting off men's heads, orany of that rubbish, I rather like being taken a prisoner by brigands. I wonder what a London policeman would think of such a state ofaffairs. "

"My masters are submitting wisely to their fate, " said Yussuf gravely;"and while we are waiting, and those people think we are quite patient, I shall come with his excellency Preston, and while he draws I shallmake plans, not of the city, but how to escape. "

Further conversation was cut short by the coming of Mr and MrsChumley, who eagerly asked--at least Mr Chumley wished to ask eagerly, but he was stopped by his lady, who retained the right--whatarrangements had been made. And she was told. 

"Oh, dear!" she sighed, "then that means weary waiting again. Oh, Charley! why would you insist upon coming to this wretched land?"

Mr Chumley opened his mouth in astonishment, but he did not speak then, he only waited a few minutes, and then took Lawrence's arm, and satwhispering to him apart, telling him how Mrs Chumley had insisted uponcoming to Turkey when he wanted to go to Paris, and nowhere else, andthat he was the most miserable man in the world. 

Lawrence heard him in silence, and as he sat he wondered how it was themost miserable man in the world could look so round and happy and growso fat. 

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE. 

YUSSUF HAS HIS WITS ABOUT HIM. 

The weather was cold up there in the mountains, and it froze at night;but the sun was hot in the daytime, and the sky was mostly of a mostdelicious blue. The chief always seemed to be scowling, watchful, andsuspicious, but the prisoners had nothing but their captivity tocomplain about. Rugs in abundance--every one of them stolen--weresupplied for bedding and keeping out the cold night air that would havepenetrated by door or window. Upon proper representations being made byYussuf the food supply was better, the guide installing himself at onceas cook, to Mr Chumley's great delight; and agreeable dishes--pilaf, curry, kabobs, and the like--were prepared, with excellent coffee andgood bread, while the scowling sentries became more agreeable, and tookwillingly to their duties, on finding that satisfactory snacks werehanded to them, and hot cups of coffee on the bitter nights when theysat watching in their sheepskin or goatskin cloaks. 

As for the professor, in two days he had forgotten that he was aprisoner, and Lawrence was the best of friends with the evil-lookingguards, who followed them with loaded guns to some old ruinous patch ofwall, fortification, or hall. Here the professor was in his element, drawing, planning, and measuring, longing the while to set a dozenstrong-armed men to work digging up the stones embedded in the earth--atask which he was sure would be rewarded by the discovery of manyobjects of antiquity. 

Parties of the brigands went out now and then, but it was evident thattheir object was merely to forage, large quantities of barley beingbrought in, and some of the old buildings being utilised for stores. 

These seemed to be well supplied, and the community was preparing forthe coming winter, so Yussuf told Lawrence--for the days when no foodwould be obtainable perhaps for months. 

Everyone seemed to lead a careless nonchalant life, the prisoners theyhad taken would, no doubt it was considered, bring in sufficient to makethis a prosperous year's work, and till the ransoms were paid there waslittle more to do. 

The days glided by, and the watch over the prisoners grew less rigid. There was apparently only one way out of the stronghold, and that wasalways carefully guarded; and as it was evident to the captors that theprofessor and his companions were bent upon studying the place, theguards used to sit down upon some heap of old stones, with their gunsacross their knees, and smoke and sleep, while drawings were made, andinscriptions copied. 

Yussuf became quite a favourite, for he was a cook, and often showed thebrigands' wives how to make some savoury dish; but for the most part hewas busy helping the professor, carrying his paper, cleaning stones, orperforming some such office. 

And so the days glided by, with the professor perfectly contented, theold lawyer apparently little troubled so long as his snuff held out, andLawrence growing sturdier, and enjoying the feeling of health more andmore. 

The only discontented people were the Chumleys, the gentlemancomplaining bitterly about the absence of news, and the lady because herhusband would chatter so incessantly. 

"I say, Yussuf, " said Lawrence one night as he sat talking to the guide, "they won't cut off our heads, will they?"

Yussuf shook his head. 

"I have only one dread, " he replied; "and that is of an attempt beingmade to rescue us. "

"I don't see anything to be afraid of there, " said Lawrence laughing. 

"But I do, " said the Turk seriously. "If an attack were made, thosepeople would become fierce like dogs or rats at bay, and then they mighttake our lives. "

"They would not without, then?"

"No, " said Yussuf; "they would threaten, and hold out for a heavyransom, but if the friends that have been written to are clever, theywill make the ransom small, and we shall be freed. But it may take along time, for the brigands will hold out as long as they think there isa chance of getting a large sum. They are safe here; they have abundantstores, and nothing to do: they can afford to wait. "

"Well, I'm sure Mr Preston is in no hurry, " said Lawrence; "nobody isbut the Chumleys. "

"And I, " said Yussuf smiling. 

"You? why, I thought you were happy enough. You haven't said a wordlately about escaping. "

"No, " replied Yussuf smiling; "but sometimes those who are so quiet do agreat deal. I am afraid of the winter coming with its snow and shuttingus in for months when we could not escape, for, even if the snow wouldlet us pass, we should perish in the cold. I have been hard at work. "

"You have, Yussuf? What have you been doing? Oh, I know; makingplans. "

"And ropes, " said Yussuf gravely. 

"Ropes? I have seen you make no ropes. "

"No, because you were asleep. Wait a moment. "

He rose quietly and walked to the entrance, drawing the rug that hungthere aside and peering out, to come back as softly as he left his seat, and glancing at where the professor, wearied out with a hard day's work, was, like his companions by the fire, fast asleep. 

"The guards are smoking out there, and are safe, " said Yussuf. "Seehere, Lawrence effendi, but do not say a word to a soul. "

"I shall not speak, " said Lawrence. 

Yussuf gave another glance at the Chumleys, and then stepped to a cornerof the great hall-like place which formed their prison, drew aside a rugon the floor, lifted a slab of stone, and pointed to a coil of worstedrope as thick as a good walking-stick, and evidently of great length. 

It was only a few moments' glance, and then the stone was lowered, thedust swept over it, and the rug drawn across again. 

"You see I am getting ready, " said Yussuf. 

"But what are we going to do?"

"I have been watching and waiting, " whispered the guide, "and I havefound a place where we can descend from the old wall over the greatdefile. "

"But it is so awful a place, Yussuf. "

"Yes, it is awful; but there is a ledge we can reach, and then creepalong and get beyond the sentries. Then all will be easy, for we canget a long way some dark night before the alarm is given, and in the daywe can hide. Of course we must load ourselves with the food we havesaved up. "

"Yes, yes, of course, " said Lawrence thoughtfully; "but Mrs Chumley, she would not go down a rope. "

"Why, not?" said Yussuf quietly; "she talks like a man. "

"When are you going to try, then?" said Lawrence excitedly. 

"In about ten days. I shall be ready then, and the nights will be dark. But, patience--you must not be excited. "

"But you will tell Mr Preston?"

"Yes; to-morrow night, when I have finished my first rope. Go to sleepnow. "

"And you, Yussuf?"

"Oh, I am going to work, " he said smiling. "See, my material is here. "

He drew out a handful of worsted threads which were evidently part of arug which he had unravelled, and as soon as Lawrence had lain down, theTurk walked to the darkest corner of the building, and Lawrence couldjust make out that he was busy over something, but he was perfectlysilent. 

CHAPTER FORTY. 

A GRAND DISCOVERY. 

It was the very next day that the professor took his paper, rule, andpencils down to a building that seemed to have been a temple. It was atthe very edge of the tremendous precipice, and must once have been ofnoble aspect, for it was adorned with a grand entrance, with handsomelycarved columns supporting the nearly perfect roof, and the wonder wasthat the brigands had not utilised it for a dwelling or store. Butthere it was, empty, and the professor gazed around it with rapture. 

The guards stood at the entrance leaning against the wall watching himand Lawrence carelessly, and then, going out into the sunshine, theypicked out a sheltered spot, and sat down to smoke. 

The professor began to draw. Soon afterwards Mr Burne sat down on abroken column taking snuff at intervals, and Yussuf seated himself withhis back to the doorway, drew some worsted from his breast, and began toplait it rapidly, while Lawrence went on investigating the inmostrecesses of the place. 

"Come and look here, Yussuf, " he cried at the end of a few minutes, andthe Turk followed him to a part of the building behind where an altarmust have stood and pointed down. 

"Look here, " he said; "this stone is loose, and goes down when I standupon that corner. It's hollow, too, underneath. "

He stamped as he spoke, and there was a strange echoing sound came up. 

"Hush!" said Yussuf quickly, and he glanced round to see if they wereobserved; but they were hidden from the other occupants of the place;and, stooping down, Yussuf brushed away some rubbish, placed his handsunder one side of the stone where it was loose, and lifted the slabpartly up. 

The air came up cool and sweet, so that it did not seem to be a vault;but it was evidently something of the kind, and not a well, for therewas a flight of stone steps leading down into the darkness. 

It was but a moment's glance before Yussuf lowered the stone again, andhastily kicked some rubbish over it, and lowered a piece of an oldfigure across it so as to hide it more. 

"What is it?" said Lawrence quickly. 

"I do not know, " replied Yussuf. "It is our discovery. It may betreasure; it may be anything. Say no word to a soul, and you and I willget a lamp, escape from the prison to-night, and come and examine it, and see what it is. It may be a way out. "

Lawrence would gladly have gone on at once, but Yussuf signed to him tobe silent; and it was as well, for he had hardly time to throw himselfdown on a block of stone, and sham sleep, when the guards camesauntering in and looked suspiciously round. Then, not seeing two oftheir prisoners, they came on cautiously, and peered over the stonesthat hid them from where the professor was drawing, to find Yussufapparently asleep, and Lawrence sharpening his pocket-knife upon astone. 

One of the men came forward and snatched the knife away, saying in hisown tongue that boys had no business with knives, after which he stalkedoff and returned to his old place outside. 

"You see, " said Yussuf quietly, "it was no time now for examining theplace; wait till night. "

For the first time since he had been a prisoner the hours passed slowlyto Lawrence. It seemed as if it would never be night, and every time hemet the professor's or Mr Burne's eye, they seemed to be taking him totask for keeping a secret from them. 

Then, too, Mrs Chumley appeared to be suspecting him, and Chumley drewhim aside as if to cross-examine him; but it was only to confide a longstory about how severely he had been snubbed that day for wanting tofollow the professor to the ruins where he was making his drawings. 

At last, though, the guards had thrust in their villainous faces for thelast time, according to their custom, and all had lain down as if tosleep. 

An hour must have passed, and Lawrence lay with his heart beating, waiting for a summons from Yussuf; but it seemed as if one would nevercome, and the lad was about to give up and conclude that their guide haddecided not to go that night, when a hand came out of the darkness andtouched his face, while a pair of lips almost swept his ear, and a voicewhispered:

"Rise softly, and follow me. "

Lawrence needed no second invitation, and, rising quickly, he followedYussuf to where the rug hung over the door. 

"Bend down low, and follow me, " whispered the Turk. "The guards arenearly asleep. "

He drew the rug a little on one side, and Lawrence saw where the two menwere huddled up in their sheepskin cloaks. 

"Do as I do, " whispered Yussuf. 

The moon was shining, and the part where the guards sat was well in thelight; but a black shadow was cast beneath the walls of the greatbuilding, and by stooping down and keeping in this, the evading pairwere able to get beyond the ken of the guards, and though lights shoneout from one ruined building, whether from fire or lamp could not betold, not a soul was about, and they were able to keep on till theinhabited part was left behind and the old temple reached. 

"It was a dangerous thing to do, Lawrence effendi, " said the guide. "Irepented promising to bring you, for the men might have fired. "

"Never mind that, " whispered Lawrence. "We are safe now. Have youbrought a light?"

"Yes, " was the reply; and, by the moonlight which shone through a gap, Yussuf led the way among the broken stones to the back of the old altar, where, after feeling about, he found the side of the stone, lifted itright up, and leaned it against a broken column. 

Then, after a word of warning, he stooped down and struck a match, butthe draught that blew up the opening extinguished it on the instant. 

Another and another shared the same fate, after giving them a glimpse ofa ragged set of stone steps; and as it was evident that no light couldbe obtained that way, Yussuf took the little lamp he had brought into acorner of the building, lit it, and sheltering it inside his loosegarment, he came back to where Lawrence waited listening. 

"I'll go first, " said Yussuf. "Mind how you come. "

He lowered himself into the hole, and descended a few steps. 

"It is quite safe, " he said. "Come down;" and Lawrence descended tostand by his side. 

"Shelter this lamp a minute, " whispered Yussuf. "I must close thestone, or the light will be out. "

Lawrence took the lamp, the perspiration standing on his forehead thewhile, as he felt that this was something like being Aladdin, anddescending into the cave in search of the wonderful lamp. 

"Suppose, " he thought, "that Yussuf should step out and leave him inthis horrible place to starve and die. Nobody would ever guess that hewas there, and no one would hear his cries. What was the place--a tomb?And had Yussuf gone and left him?"

There was a low dull hollow sound as the stone descended into its place, and a cry rose to the lad's lips, but it had no utterance, for Yussufsaid softly from above:

"Now you may show the light, and we can see where we are. "

Lawrence drew a breath of relief as he took the light from his breast, and saw that he was standing upon a very rough flight of stone steps, with the rugged wall of rock on either side. 

Yussuf took the lamp and held it up, showing a rough arch of greatstones over their heads, and the square opening over a rough landingwhere they had descended, while on either side the rock looked as if atsome time it had been split, and left a space varying from four to sixfeet wide, the two sides being such that, if by some convulsion ofnature they were closed, they would have fitted one into the other. 

"Follow close behind me, " said Yussuf. "This must lead into some vaultor perhaps burial-place. You are not frightened?"

"Yes, I am, " said Lawrence in a low tone. 

"Shall we go back?"

"No, but I cannot help being a little alarmed. "

Yussuf laughed softly. 

"No wonder, " he said. "I feel a little strange myself. But listen, Lawrence; what we have to fear is a hole or crack in the rock into whichwe might fall, so keep your eyes on the ground. "

But their path proved very easy, always a steep descent, sometimes cutinto stairs, sometimes merely a rugged slope, and always arched over bybig uncemented stones. 

No vault came in sight, no passage broke off to right or left; it wasalways the same steep descent--a way to some particular pine made by theancients, who had utilised the crevice or split in the rock, and archedit over to make this rugged passage. 

"I think I understand, " said Yussuf, when they had gone on descendingfor quite three hundred yards. 

"What is it?" said Lawrence; "a tomb?"

"No. "

"A treasure chamber?"

"No. "

"What, then?"

"There must be a spring of good water somewhere down at the bottom, andthis was of great value to the people who built this place on the rock. Shall we go any farther?"

"Yes, I want to see the spring, " said Lawrence. "I am not so frightenednow. "

"There is quite a current of air here, " said Yussuf, when they haddescended another hundred yards or so. "The spring must be in the openair, and out by the mountain side. "

Lawrence was too intent upon his feet to answer, and they descendedanother fifty yards, when Yussuf stopped, for the way was impeded by apiled-up mass of fallen stones, and on looking up to see if they werefrom the roof they found that the arching had ceased, and that the roofwas the natural rock of wedged-in masses fallen from above. 

"We can get no farther, " said Yussuf, holding the lamp above his head. 

"Look, look!" said Lawrence softly; "there is a light out there. "

Yussuf looked straight before him; and placing the lamp upon the ground, and shading it with his coat, there, sure enough, not more than a dozenyards away, was a patch of light--blight moonlight. 

"I was wrong, " said Yussuf calmly; "this is not the way to a spring, buta road from that temple down to some pathway along by the side of themountain, and closed up by these fallen stones. Lawrence effendi, weshall not want my ropes to descend from the walls. You have found a wayout of the old place that has lain hidden for hundreds of years. "

"Do you think so?"

"Yes; and that we have only to set to work and clear away these stonessufficiently to reach the entrance, and then we can escape. "

"Let us begin, then, at once, " cried Lawrence joyously. 

"No; we will go back now, and examine the way, so as to make sure thatour course up and down is safe. Then we will get back, and be satisfiedwith our night's work. "

"Yes, " said Yussuf, when he reached the stone again; "it is all quiteplain. I could come up and down here in the dark, and there will belight enough at the bottom in the daytime to see what to do. "

He raised the stone after extinguishing his lamp, and they both steppedout; the stone was lowered into its place, a little earth and dustthrown over it and a few fragments of rubbish, and then the midnightwanderers stole back to the prison, but only to stop short in the shadowwith Lawrence chilled by horror. For, as they were about to step up tothe portal, one of the guards yawned loudly, rose, and walked to therug, drew it aside, and looked in. 

He stood there gazing in so long, that it seemed as if he must havediscovered that there were absentees; but, just as Lawrence was indespair, he dropped the curtain, walked back to his companion, and satdown with his back to the portal. 

Yussuf wasted no time, but glided along in the shadow, and Lawrencefollowed; but as he reached the portal he kicked against a piece ofloose stone and the guards sprang up. 

Lawrence would have stood there petrified, but Yussuf dragged him in, hurried him across the interior, threw him down, and took his placebehind him. 

"Pretend to be asleep, " he whispered; and he turned his face away, asthe steps of the guards were heard, and they lifted the rug curtain andcame in with a primitive kind of lantern, to look round and see if allwere there, being satisfied on finding them apparently asleep, and goingback evidently believing it was a false alarm. 

"Safe this time, Yussuf, " whispered Lawrence. 

"Yes, " said the guide. "Now sleep in peace, for you have discovered away to escape. "

CHAPTER FORTY ONE. 

THE TIME FOR FLIGHT. 

"And you are sure, Yussuf?" said Mr Preston two days later. 

"Yes, effendi. I have been there alone twice since, and in a few hoursI had moved enough stones to let me through to the light, and in a fewhours more I can make the passage so easy that a lady can go through. "

"And where the light shines in?"

"Is just over a narrow rugged path leading down the mountain--a way thathas been forgotten. Effendi, after I have been there once again the wayis open, and though the path is dangerous it will lead to safety, and wemust escape. "

"When?" said Mr Preston eagerly. 

"As soon as we can collect a little food--not much, but enough to carryus to the nearest village where we can get help. "

"And our goods--our property?"

"Must stay, excellency. Once you are all safe we can send the soldieryby the path by which we left, for the brigands will not know how we haveescaped. "

"Well, I can save my drawings, " said the professor, "and they will beworth all the journey, as we have no ransom to pay. "

The next day Mr Burne was let into the secret, but it was decided notto tell the Chumleys till they were awakened on the night of theattempt. 

It was hard work to keep down the feeling of elation so as not to letthe chief see that the captives were full of hope, for he came day byday to visit them and complain about the length of time his messengerswere gone. 

But the secret was well kept, and those who shared it, in obedience toYussuf's suggestion, began to store away portions of their provisions soas to be prepared at any moment for a journey which might take them formany days through the mountains away from village or beaten track. 

"I shall leave this place with regret, " the professor said with a sigh;"but I must say I do not relish paying for my stay with every shilling Ihave scraped together during my life. "

"No. Let's get away, Preston, " said Mr Burne. "Oh, if I could onlycommence an action against these scoundrels for our imprisonment! I'dmake them smart. "

They were sitting together among the ruins, and their thoughts naturallyreverted to Yussuf and his reticent ways, for two days had passed sincehe had made any communication, and he had seemed to be more retiringthan ever. 

The sun was shining brightly, and warmed the stones where they sat, butthe air seemed to be piercingly cold, and Mr Burne shivered more thanonce, and got up to walk about. 

"I shall not be sorry to get down out of the mountains, " he said. "Whatdo you say, Lawrence?"

"Oh! I've liked the stay up here very well, it has all been so new anddifferent; and besides, I have been so well, and I feel so strong. "

"Yes, you are better, my boy, " said Mr Burne, nodding his headapprovingly. 

"I used to feel tired directly I moved, " continued Lawrence, "but now Iscarcely ever feel tired till quite night. Yussuf says it is themountain air. "

"Yes, " said the professor dryly, "it is the mountain air. Where isYussuf?"

"Here, excellency, " said their guide; and they all started withsurprise, he had approached so quietly. "I was coming to tell you thatI have been up to the top of the old temple, and have at length tracedthe ancient path. I have only seen parts of it here and there, but Ican make out the direction it takes, and it is right opposite to that bywhich we came. "

"But where does it lead?" said the professor. 

"Away west, effendi--where, I cannot say; but let us get out of thisplace and I will lead you in safety somewhere. "

"But the old path--is it very dangerous?" said Mr Burne. 

"I went out upon it last night in the darkness, and followed it for acouple of miles, excellency. It is dangerous, but with care we can getsafely along. "

"You have quite cleared the passage, then?" said the professor. 

"Right to the mouth, effendi. There, so as not to excite notice, I haveonly left a hole big enough to crawl from. Not that anyone could see, except from the mountain on the other side, and nobody is ever there. "

"When do we go, then?" said Lawrence eagerly. 

"If their excellencies are willing, to-morrow night, " said Yussuf. "Every hour I am expecting to see the messenger return, and you, gentlemen, forced to agree to some terms by which in honour you will bebound to pay heavy amounts, and then it will not be worth while toescape. "

"I say, look here, Yussuf, " said Mr Burne, "are you real or only sham?"

Yussuf frowned slightly. 

"Your excellency never trusted me, " he replied proudly. 

"I did not at first, certainly, " said the old lawyer. "I'll go so faras to say that in the full swing of my suspicions I was almost ready tothink that you had been playing into the brigands' hands and had soldus. "

"Oh, Mr Burne!" cried Lawrence reproachfully. 

"You hold your tongue, boy. You're out of court. You haven't been alawyer for nearly forty years; I have. "

"I have tried hard to win Mr Burne's confidence, " said Yussuf gravely. "I am sorry I have failed. "

"But you have not failed, my good fellow, " cried the old lawyer. "Ionly say, Are you a real Turk or a sham?"

"Will your excellency explain?" said Yussuf with dignity. "I speak yourtongue, and understand plain meanings, but when there are two thoughtsin a word I cannot follow. "

"I mean, my dear fellow, you so thoroughly understand the thoughts andways of English gentlemen that it is hard to think you are a born Turk. "

"Oh!" said Yussuf smiling. "I have been so much with them, excellency, and--I have tried to learn. "

"There's a lesson for you, Lawrence, " said the professor smiling. "Well, then, Yussuf, to-morrow night. "

"Yes, excellency. "

"Then, had we not better tell the Chumleys?"

Yussuf was silent for a few moments. 

"I am sorry about them, " he said at last. "We cannot leave them behind, for it would mean their death; but if we fail in our escape, it will bethrough them. No, excellency, say no word till we are ready to start, and then say, `Come!'"

"You are right, Yussuf, " said Mr Burne. "That woman would chatter allover the place if she knew: say nothing, and we must make the best ofthem. But I say, isn't it turning very cold?"

"Yes, excellency, we are high up in the mountains. There is no otherplace so high as this, and if we do not go soon the winter will be uponus. "

"Winter? not yet, " said the professor. 

"Your excellency forgets it is winter in the mountains when it may beonly autumn in the plains. "

CHAPTER FORTY TWO. 

A SAD FAILURE. 

At last!

The Chumleys were fast asleep; the wood fire had burned down into afaint glow that played over the white ashes, and the air seemed to bepiercingly cold. 

The guards had looked in according to their custom, and then proved howcold it was by stopping by the fire for about a quarter of an hour, talking in a low tone together before going out. 

The provisions, principally bread and raisins, were taken out ofYussuf's hiding-place, where he kept the worsted rope, and this latterhe wore twisted round his chest, beneath his loose garment, ready incase it might be wanted. The food was made into six packages, and eachtook his load, leaving two for the Chumleys, and now a shortconversation ensued about Hamed, whom they had only seen once sincetheir imprisonment. For the driver had been sent to another part of theold ruins with the horses. 

The professor was saying that they ought to try and get Hamed away withthem; but Yussuf declared it would be impossible, and said that as acompatriot he was perfectly safe. 

Under these circumstances it was decided to leave him; and now, allbeing ready, Lawrence was deputed to awaken the Chumleys, and bid themrise and follow. 

"How do you feel, my lad?" said the professor, with his lips toLawrence's ears. 

"Nervous, sir. "

"No wonder. It seems cruel to have to leave so much behind, but nevermind. Now, Burne, are you strung up?"

"Yes, quite, " was the reply. 

"Ready, Yussuf?"

"Yes, excellency, and mind, once more, all are to follow me close underthe walls. Not a word is to be spoken. "

"But you will pause for a few minutes in the subterranean passage, "whispered the professor. "I must see that. "

"You will have ample time, excellency. Now, Lawrence effendi, awakenyour friends. "

Lawrence drew a long breath, and stooping down, laid his hand upon MrChumley's shoulder. 

"Don't!" was the gruff response. 

"Mr Chumley, wake up. Hush! Don't speak. "

"Eh, what? Time to get up. Why don't you pull aside the rug?"

"Hush, sir! Wake up. "

"Eh, what? Is my wife ill?"

"No, no. Are you awake now?"

"Awake? Yes, of course; what is it?"

"We have a way open to escape. Wake your wife. Tell her not to speak. "

"But she will. Oceans!" said the little man sadly. 

"She must not speak. Wake her; tell her there is a way of escape, andthen you two must carry these parcels of food, and follow in silence. "

"I say, Lawrence, old man, is it real?" he whispered. 

"Quite! Quick! You are wasting time. "

"But won't they shoot at us?"

"Not if you are both silent, " whispered Lawrence; and creeping onall-fours the little man reached over, awakened his wife, andcommunicated the news. 

To the surprise of all she woke up quite collected, grasped the idea atonce, and rose to her feet. Then putting on her head-dress, andthrowing a shawl over her shoulders and securing the ends--

"I am ready, " she said. 

"Bravo!" whispered the professor. "Now, silence, for we have to passthe guards. "

"But where are we going?" said Chumley. 

"Chumley! Oh, that tongue!" whispered his wife. 

"Silence!" said Yussuf decidedly; and then after a pause, "Ready?"

There was no reply, and taking this for consent, he bade the professorcome last, after holding the rugs aside till all had passed, and then hestepped out, and stepped back again, for a piercingly cold breath of airhad darted into the prison. 

"It is snowing, " he said in a low whisper. 

"Well?" said Mr Burne, "we are going down from the mountain, and weshall leave it behind, shall we not?"

"Yes, perhaps, " said the guide, in a doubting manner. "Shall we riskit?"

"Yes, certainly, " said Mr Preston. "We must go now. "

"It is well, " said Yussuf, and he stepped out, the others following inhis steps; but when it came to Lawrence's turn, to his intense surprisehe found that his feet sank deep in the softly gathering flakes. Helooked to his left as he kept on by the wall; but the guards were notvisible though their voices could be heard, and it was evident that theyhad sheltered themselves among some stones where they were gossipingtogether. 

Not a sound was heard but the rush of wind as the little party crepton--their footsteps were effectually muffled, and in a few minutes theywere beyond the hearing of the guards, even had they spoken; but theyhad to keep close together, for the drifting snow was blinding, and hidtheir footprints almost as soon as they were formed. 

Away to their left lay the ruins which formed the robbers' town, andfarther away, and still more to the left, lay the way to the entrance, where there was quite a grand room, and a goodly fire burned; but thefugitives could only see snow: the air was thick with it, and they kepton until Yussuf stopped so suddenly that they struck one against theother. 

"What is it?" said Lawrence, who was next to him now, the Chumleyshaving asked him to go before them. 

"I have lost my way, " said Yussuf angrily; "the snow has deceived me. The old temple should be here. "

"Well, here it is, " said Lawrence, who had stretched out his hand. "Here is one of the columns. "

"Ha!" ejaculated Yussuf; "good boy! Yes, the fourth; I know it by thisbroken place in the side. Two more steps and we are in shelter. "

It was a proof of his admirable powers as a guide to have found the wayin the midst of the blinding snow, but no one thought of that. Everymind was strained to the greatest pitch of tension; and when Yussuf ledthe way into the old temple, and the footsteps were heard upon themarble floor, Mr Burne started and thought that their pursuers wereupon them. 

"Here is the place, " said Yussuf. "Lawrence effendi, " he continued ashe raised the stone, "you know the way; go first and lead. I must comelast and close the stone, so that they may not know the way we havecome. "

"Is there any danger?" said Mrs Chumley excitedly. 

"None at all, " replied Lawrence. "It is only to walk down some roughsteps. "

She said no more, but let herself be helped down through the opening, and in five minutes they were all in what seemed to be quite a warmatmosphere, waiting in the intense darkness while Yussuf carefullyclosed the stone. 

"There is nothing to mind, " said Lawrence. "I have been all the waydown here, and I will tell you when the steps end and the rough slopesbegin. "

He spoke aloud now, in quite a happy buoyant manner which affected therest, and their spirits rose still higher when Yussuf suddenly struck amatch and lit the lamp which his forethought had provided. 

This done they stood in the rugged arched passage to shake off theclinging snow with which they were covered, and with spirits risinghigher still the whole party followed Yussuf, who, lamp in hand, nowwent to the front. 

"I should like to stop here for an hour or two to examine this roofingand the steps, " said the professor. "Pre-Roman evidently. We haveplenty of time, have we not?"

"Effendi, it would be madness, " cried Yussuf angrily. "Come on!"

"I have done, and you are master of the situation, " said the professorquietly; while Mr Burne burst into a laugh, took snuff, and then blewhis nose, so that it echoed strangely along the passage. 

"Effendi!" cried Yussuf reproachfully. 

"Tut-tut!" exclaimed the old lawyer. "I thought we were safe. "

"How much farther have we to go?" said Mrs Chumley at last. 

"We are at the bottom, " replied Yussuf. "Mind, there are stones here. You must mind or you will hurt yourselves, and the wind will put out thelamp directly. There is an opening here, and when I have thrust out astone or two we shall be on a rocky path. You will all follow meclosely. Better take hold of hands; then, if one slips, all can help. "

But the wind did not blow out the lamp; and as they stood watchingYussuf creep along a narrow horizontal passage the light shone upon thedazzling snow which had filled up the hole, and after thrusting at itfor a few minutes and scraping it down their guide desisted and creptback. 

"I feared this, " he said sadly. 

"Feared! Feared what?" cried Mr Burne. 

"The snow, effendi. The way is blocked; the snow must be drifting downfrom the mountains and falling in sheets. "

"But it will not last, man?"

"Perhaps for days, excellency; and even if the hole were open, I see itwould be utter madness to brave the dangers of that shelf of rock in theface of this storm. "

"Oh, nonsense!" cried Mr Burne; "let's go on. We cannot get back. "

"His excellency does not know the perils of a mountain snow-storm or hewould not say this. Suppose that we could force our way out throughthat snow, how are we to find the buried path with a precipice of athousand feet below? No, excellencies, we are stopped for the presentand must get back. "

"How unfortunate!" cried the professor; "but Yussuf is right--we mustreturn and wait for a better time. Can we get back unseen?"

"We must try, excellency; but even if we are caught, it will not be tillafter we are out of the passage and the stone is down. This must bekept a secret. "

The way back did not seem long. The stone was closed, and, low-spiritedand disheartened, they crossed the rugged floor of the old temple andstood once more amid the snow, which had already fallen knee-deep and inplaces drifted far deeper. But, in spite of the confusion caused bywhat answered to intense darkness, Yussuf led them straight to theprison-hall, and then close under its walls till the rug yielded to hishand, and as he drew it aside quite a pile of snow crumbled into thewell-warmed place and began to melt. 

They were safely back without discovery; and there was nothing left butto shake off the clinging snow, and, after hiding their packages, try torid themselves of their disappointment in sleep. 

CHAPTER FORTY THREE. 

THE WINTRY GUARDIAN. 

For four days the snow fell incessantly. The aspect of the whole placewas changed, and it was only with difficulty that the appointed guardsmanaged to bring provisions to the prisoners. 

Fortunately an ample supply of fuel was stacked by the door, so that agood fire was kept; but on the fourth day no food was brought whatever, and but for the store they had in concealment matters would have lookedbad, for there was no knowing how much longer the storm would last. 

But on the fifth day the sun shone out brilliantly, and the brigands andtheir wives were all busy with shovels digging ways from place to place;and when at last the prison-hall was reached it was through a cuttingten feet deep, the snow being drifted right up to the top of the loftydoor. 

The scene was dazzling; the ruins piled-up with the white snow, themountains completely transformed as they glittered in the sun, and aboveall the sky seemed to be of the purest blue. 

The cold was intense, but it was a healthy inspiriting cold, and thedisappointment and confinement of the past days were forgotten as theglorious sunshine sent hope and life into every heart. 

In the course of the day the chief came, bringing with him piled on theshoulders of a lad more rugs and fur coats for his prisoners; and a longconversation ensued, in which he told them through Yussuf that heexpected his messengers would have been back before now, but they hadprobably been stopped by the snow, and they must wait patiently now fortheir return. 

A further conversation took place at the door between the chief andYussuf, and then the former departed. 

"Well, Yussuf, " said Mr Preston anxiously; "what does he say? Notexecution yet from his manner?"

"No, excellency; it is as I feared. "

"Feared?" cried Mrs Chumley excitedly; "are we to be kept closerprisoners?"

"No, madam; you are to have greater freedom now. "

"Freedom?" all chorused. 

"Yes, " said Yussuf; "you are to be at liberty to go where you please inthe old city, but it will not be far, on account of the snow. "

"And outside the town?" said the professor. 

"Outside the town, excellency, " said Yussuf sadly. "You do not realisethat we had a narrow escape that night. "

"Escape?"

"Yes, of being destroyed; the snow everywhere is tremendous. Even if nomore comes, we shall be shut in here, perhaps, for months. "

"Shut in?"

"Yes; the mountains are impassable, and there is nothing for it but tosubmit to fate. "

"But the snow will soon melt in this sunshine. "

"No, excellency, only on the surface, unless there is a general thaw. You forget where we are, high up in the Dagh. Even where the snowmelts, it will freeze every night, and make the roads more impassable. As to our path by the side of the precipice it will not be available formonths. "

There was a serious calm in Yussuf's words that was most impressive. Itseemed so hard, too, just as they had been on the point of escaping, forthe winter to have closed in upon them so soon, and with such terribleseverity; but that their case was hopeless seemed plain enough, for theguards were withdrawn from their door, and in the afternoon theyrelieved the tedium of their confinement by walking along the cuttingsthat had been made. 

On every hand it could be seen that the brigands were accustomed to suchevents as this; firing and food had been laid up in abundance, andwhether the winter, or an enemy in the shape of the government troops, made the attack, they were prepared. 

"There is nothing for it, Lawrence, but to accept our position, Isuppose, " said the professor. 

"No, " said Mr Burne, who overheard the remark; "but suppose my snuffdoes not hold out, what then?"

Before anyone could answer, he made a suggestion of his own. 

"Necessity is the mother of invention, " he said. "I should have to bakesome of this Turkish tobacco, and grind it between stones. "

Then a week glided away, and during that time, being left so much totheir own devices, the brigands keeping in the shelter of their homes, the professor visited the ancient passage with Yussuf, and carefullyexplored it. 

"Ancient Greek, " he said when he returned, "like the greater part ofthis old city. Some of it has been modernised by the Romans, but thatpassage is certainly ancient Greek, about--"

"But the way out--the way to escape, Mr Preston, " said Mrs Chumleyeagerly, "surely that is of more consequence than your dates. "

"To be sure, yes; I forgot, ma'am. Yussuf made a careful investigationof the mouth of the passage where it opens upon the side of theprecipice; in fact, I went out with him. The track is many feet deep insnow, and it would be utter folly to attempt to escape. "

"Oh, dear me!" sighed Mrs Chumley. 

"We must bear our lot patiently till the first thaw comes, and then tryand make our way over the mountains. "

These were the words of wisdom, and for long weary weeks the prisonershad to be content with their position. The brigands did a littlesnow-cutting, and then passed the rest of their time sleeping by thefires they kept up night and day. Food was plentiful, and the chiefbehaved civilly enough, often paying his prisoners a visit, after whichthey were entirely left to their own resources. 

"We ought to be low-spirited captives, " Mr Burne used to say, as hebeat his hands together to keep them warm; "but somehow nobody seemsvery miserable. "

And this was a fact, for every day the professor kept them busy withshovels digging away the snow from some piece of ruin he wished tomeasure and draw, while after the chief had been, and noted what wasdone, he said something half contemptuously to his men, and nointerference took place. 

Day after day, with a few intervals of heavy snow and storm, thedazzling sunshine continued, with the brilliant blue sky, and themountains around looking like glistening silver. 

Everywhere the same deep pure white snow, in waves, in heaps, in drifts, and deep furrows, silvery in the day, and tinged with rose, purple, scarlet, and gold as the sun went down. 

They were so shut in that an army of men could not have dug a way tothem; and, knowing this, the brigands dropped into a torpid state, likeso many hibernating bears, while the professor's work went on. 

"Do you know, Lawrence, " he said one day, laying down his pencil to rubhis blue fingers, "I think I shall make a great book of this when I havefinished it. I have got the castle done, the principal walls, thewatch-towers and gates, and if there was not so much snow I should havefinished the temple; but, bless my heart, boy, how different you dolook!"

"Different, sir!" said Lawrence laughing. "Oh, I suppose the wind hasmade my nose red. "

"I did not mean that: I meant altogether. You look so well. "

Lawrence had been handling a shovel, throwing snow away from the base ofan old Greek column, and he smiled as he said:

"Oh, I feel very well, sir. "

He need not have spoken, for the mountain air had worked wonders. Nature was proving the best doctor, and the enforced stay in that clearpure air, with the incessant exercise, had completely changed the lad. 

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR. 

THE EVASION. 

Three months had passed away, and though the hopes of the prisoners hadbeen raised several times by the commencement of a thaw, this had beensucceeded again and again by heavy falls of snow, and by repeated frostswhich bound them more closely in the stronghold. 

But at last the weather completely changed. The wind came one daycloud-laden, and with a peculiar sensation of warmth. Thick mists hidthe mountain tops, and filled up the valleys, and a few hours later theprofessor and his companions had to make a rush for the shelter of thegreat hall that was their prison, for a terrific downpour commenced, andfor the next fortnight continued almost incessantly. 

The change that took place was astounding; the mountain sides seemed tobe covered with rills, which rapidly grew, as they met, into mountaintorrents, which swirled and foamed and cut their way through the densemasses of snow, till they were undermined and fell with loud reports;every now and then the loosened snow high up began to slide, andgathered force till it rushed down as a mighty avalanche, which crashedand thundered on its course, bearing with it rock and tree, and quitescraping bare places that had been covered with forest growth. 

At first the prisoners started up in alarm as they heard some terriblerush, but where they were placed was out of danger; and by degrees theygrew used to the racing down of avalanche, and the roar of the leapingand bounding torrents, and sat talking to Yussuf all through that wetand comfortless time about the probabilities of their soon being able toescape. 

"The snow is going fast, " he said; "but for many days the mountaintracks will be impassable. We must wait till the torrents havesubsided: we can do nothing till then. "

Nearly four months had passed, since they had met the brigands first, before Yussuf announced that he thought they might venture to make a newattempt. The snow had pretty well gone, and the guards were returningto their stations at the great gate. There was an unwonted hum in thesettlement, and when the chief came he seemed to take more interest inhis prisoners, as if they were so many fat creatures which he had beenkeeping for sale, and the time had nearly come for him to realise them, and take the money. 

In fact, one day Yussuf came in hastily to announce a piece of news thathe had heard. 

The messengers were expected now at any moment, for a band of thebrigands had been out on a long foraging excursion, and had returnedwith the news that the passes were once more practicable, for the snowhad nearly gone, save in the hollows, and the torrents had sunk prettynearly to their usual state. 

"Then we must be going, " said Mr Burne, "eh?"

"Yes, effendi, " said the guide, "before they place guards again at ourdoor. We have plenty of provisions saved up, and we will make theattempt to-night. "

This announcement sent a thrill through the little party, and for therest of the day everyone was pale with excitement, and walked or satabout waiting eagerly for the coming of night. 

There was no packing to do, except the tying up of the food in theroughly-made bags they had prepared, and the rolling up of theprofessor's drawings--for they had increased in number, the brigandchief having, half-contemptuously, given up the paper that had beenpacked upon the baggage-horses. 

Mr Preston was for making this into a square parcel, but Yussufsuggested the rolling up with waste paper at the bottom, and did this sotightly that the professor's treasure, when bound with twine, assumedthe form of a stout staff--"ready, " Mr Burne said with a chuckle, "foroutward application to the head as well as inward. "

All through the rest of that day the motions of the people were watchedwith the greatest of anxiety, and a dozen times over the appearance ofone of the brigands was enough to suggest that suspicion had beenaroused, and that they were to be more closely watched. 

But the night came at last--a dark still night without a breath of air;and as, about six o'clock as near as they could guess, everything seemedquiet, Yussuf went out and returned directly to say that there were noguards placed, and that under these circumstances it would be better togo at once. No one was likely to come again, so they might as well savea few hours and get a longer start. 

This premature announcement startled Mrs Chumley, so that she turnedfaint with excitement, and unfortunately the only thing they could offerher as a restorative was some grape treacle. 

This stuff Chumley insisted upon her taking, and the annoyance rousedher into making an effort, and she rose to her feet. 

"I'm ready, " she said shortly; and then in a whisper to her husband, "Oh, Charley, I'll talk to you for this. "

"Silence!" whispered Yussuf sternly. "Are you all ready?"

"Yes. "

"Then follow as before, and without a word. "

He drew aside the rug, and the darkness was so intense that they couldnot see the nearest building as they stepped out; but, to the horror ofall, they had hardly set off when a couple of lanterns shone out. Aparty of half a dozen men, whose long gun-barrels glistened in thelight, came round one of the ruined buildings, and one of them, whosevoice sent a shudder through all, was talking loudly. 

The voice was that of the chief, and as the fugitives crouched down, Yussuf heard him bid his men keep a very stringent look-out, for theprisoners might make an attempt to escape. 

Yussuf caught Lawrence's hand and drew him gently on, while, as he hadMrs Chumley's tightly grasped, she naturally followed, and the otherscame after. 

"Quick!" whispered Yussuf, "or we shall be too late. "

The darkness was terrible, but it was in their favour, so long as theycould find the way to the old temple; and they needed its protection, for they had not gone many yards among the ruins before there was anoutcry from the prison, then a keen and piercing whistle twice repeated, and the sounds of hurrying feet. 

Fortunately the old temple lay away from the inhabited portion: and asthey hurried on, to the great joy of all they found that the chief andhis men were not upon their track, but were hurrying toward the greatrock gates, thus proving at once, so it seemed, that they were ignorantof any other way out of the great rock-fortress. 

Once or twice Yussuf was puzzled in the darkness, but he caught up thetrail again, and in a few minutes led them to the columned entrance ofthe temple, into whose shelter they passed with the noise and turmoilincreasing, and lights flashing in all directions. 

"Hadn't we better give up, " said Mr Chumley, with his teeth chatteringfrom cold or dread. 

"Give up! What for?" cried Mr Burne. 

"They may shoot us, " whispered the little man. "I don't mind, but--mywife. "

"Silence!" whispered Yussuf, for the noise seemed to increase, and itwas evident that the people were spreading all over the place in thesearch. 

As Yussuf spoke he hurried them on, and in a minute or two reached thestone that led to the passage in the rift. 

It was quite time he did, for some of the people, who knew how they hadaffected that place, were making for the temple. 

But Yussuf lost no time. He turned up the stone in an instant, andstood holding it ready. 

"Go first, Lawrence effendi, " he whispered; "help Lady Chumley and leadthe way. "

Lawrence dropped down at once, and Mrs Chumley followed with unexpectedagility; then Chumley, Mr Burne, the professor; and as Yussuf wasfollowing, lights flashed through the old building, and lit up the roof. 

Fortunately the ruins of the ancient altar sheltered the guide, as hestepped down and carefully lowered the stone over his head as hedescended; and so near was he to being seen that, as the stone sankexactly into its place, a man ran over it, followed by half a dozenmore, their footsteps sounding hollow over the fugitives' heads. 

Meanwhile Lawrence hurried Mrs Chumley down, the others followingclosely, till the bottom of the steps and slopes was reached, and thecool night air came softly in through the opening. 

There they stopped for Yussuf to act as guide; but, though his name wasrepeated in the darkness again and again, there was no answer, and itsoon became evident that he was not with the party. 

"We cannot go without him, " said Mr Preston sternly. "Stop here, allof you, and I will go back and try to find him. " But there was no need, for just then they heard him descending. 

"I stopped to listen, " he said. "They have not yet found our track, andperhaps they may not; but they are searching the temple all over, forthey have found something, and I don't know what. "

"My bag of bread and curd!" said Mr Chumley suddenly. "I dropped itnear the door. "

"Hah!" ejaculated Yussuf; but no one else said a word, though theythought a great deal, while Mr Chumley uttered a low cry in thedarkness, such a cry as a man might give who was suffering from a sharppinch given by his wife. 

The next moment the guide passed them, and they heard him thrust out astone, which went rushing down the precipice, and fell after somemoments, as if at a great distance, with a low pat. Then Yussuf badethem follow, and one by one they passed out on to a narrow rocky shelf, to stand listening to the buzz of voices and shouting far above theirheads, where a faint flickering light seemed to be playing, while theywere in total darkness. 

"Be firm and there is no danger, " said Yussuf; "only follow me closely, and think that I am leading you along a safe road. "

The darkness was, on the whole, favourable, for it stayed the fugitivesfrom seeing the perilous nature of the narrow shelf, where a false stepwould have plunged them into the ravine below; but they followedsteadily enough, with the way gradually descending. Sometimes they hadto climb cautiously over the rocks which encumbered the path, whiletwice over a large stone blocked their way, one which took all Yussuf'sstrength to thrust it from the narrow path, when it thundered into thegorge with a noise that was awful in the extreme. 

Then on and on they went in the darkness, and almost in silence, hourafter hour, and necessarily at a very slow pace. But there was thisencouragement, that the lights and sounds of the rock-fortress graduallydied out upon vision and ear, and after turning a sharp corner of therocks they were heard no more. 

"I begin to be hopeful that they have not found out our way of escape, "said Mr Preston at last in a cheerful tone; but no one spoke, and thedepressing walk was continued, hour after hour, with Yussuf untiringlyleading the way, and ever watchful of perils. 

From time to time he uttered a few words of warning, and planted himselfat some awkward spot to give a hand to all in turn before resuming hisplace in front. 

More than once there was a disposition to cry halt and rest, for thewalk in the darkness was most exhausting; but the danger of beingcaptured urged all to their utmost endeavours, and it was not tilldaybreak, which was late at that season of the year, that Yussuf calleda halt in a pine-wood in a dip in the mountains, where the pine needleslay thick and dry; and now, for the first time, as the little partygazed back along the faint track by which they had come through thenight, they thoroughly realised the terrible nature of their road. 

"Everyone lie down and eat, " said Yussuf in a low voice of command. "Before long we must start again. "

He set the example, one which was eagerly followed, and soon after, inspite of the peril of their position and the likelihood of beingfollowed and captured by the enraged chief, everyone fell fast asleep, and felt as if his or her eyes had scarcely been closed when, with thesun shining brightly, Yussuf roused them to continue their journey. 

The path now seemed so awful in places, as it ran along by theperpendicular walls of rock, that Chumley and Lawrence both hesitated, till the latter saw Yussuf's calm smile, full of encouragement, when thelad stepped out firmly, and seeing that his wife followed, the littleman drew a long breath and walked on. 

Now they came to mountain torrents that had to be crossed; now they hadto go to the bottom of some deep gorge; now to ascend; but their coursewas always downwards in the aggregate, and at nightfall, when Yussufselected another pine-wood for their resting-place, the air wasperceptibly warmer. 

The next morning they continued along the faintly marked track, whichwas kept plain by the passage of wild animals; but it disappeared afterdescending to a stream in a defile; and this seemed to be its limit, forno trace of it was seen again. 

For six days longer the little party wandered in the mazes of thesemountains, their guide owning that he was completely at fault, buturging, as he always led them down into valleys leading to the south andwest, that they must be getting farther away from danger. 

It was this thought which buoyed them up during that nightmare-likewalk, during which they seemed to be staggering on in their sleep andgetting no farther. 

It seemed wonderful that they should journey so far, through a countrythat grew more and more fertile as they descended from the mountains, without coming upon a village or town; but, though they passed theremains of three ancient places, which the professor was too weary toexamine, it was not until the seventh day that they reached agoodly-sized village, whose head-man proved to be hospitable, and, onfinding the state to which the travellers had been reduced and theperils through which they had passed, he made no difficulty aboutsending a mounted messenger to Ansina, ninety miles away, with lettersasking for help. 

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE. 

HOMEWARD BOUND. 

Exhausted as the travellers were, sleep, good food, and the soft sweetair soon restored them, and they were ready to continue their journeylong before their messenger returned, to bring faithfully the means fora fresh start, with fresh ponies, and the necessaries they required, though these were hard to obtain in so out-of-the-way a place. 

The weather was threatening as they started at last for Ansina, theChumleys electing to accompany them. In fact, on parting, their host, who had been amply recompensed for his kindness, warned them to hastenon to the port, for snow, he said, would fall before the week was out, and then the famished wolves would descend from the mountains and theplain become dangerous. 

The advice was readily taken, for all were quite satisfied that theirtravels in Asia Minor would be better ended for the present. 

In this spirit they made the best of their way to the port, where theyarrived with the snow falling slightly, though high up in the mountainsthere was a heavy storm. They took up their quarters at the best hotelin the place, and could have gone on at once by the steamer fromBeyrout, but at Lawrence's wish the departure was put off till thecoming of the next boat, a fortnight later. 

"You do not feel so well?" said Mr Preston anxiously. 

"Eh, what, not so well?" cried Mr Burne, turning to look at Lawrence. "Look here, don't say that. I thought we had cured him. "

"Oh, I'm quite well and strong, " cried Lawrence quickly. 

"But you seem so dull, " said the professor. 

Lawrence did not answer, but turned away his head. 

"I wish we had gone on, " said Mr Preston anxiously. "There would havebeen good medical advice on board. "

"No, no, I am not ill, " said Lawrence; and then in a broken voice, hecried excitedly, "I wanted to put it off as long as I could. "

"What! going home, my dear lad?" said Mr Burne eagerly. "You areafraid of our climate again. Then let's stay. "

"No, no; it was not that, " said Lawrence. "I--I--there, I must say it. Yussuf has--has been such a good fellow, and we shall have to saygood-bye at Smyrna. "

The professor was silent for a few minutes. 

"Perhaps not for always, " he said at last. "Yes: he has been athoroughly good fellow, and I, for one, should like to come out and haveanother trip with him. What do you say?"

"Yes, yes, " cried Lawrence eagerly; and he rushed out of the room, to beseen the next minute holding on by the grave-looking Turk's arm andtelling him the news. 

"Look at that, " whispered Mr Burne to the professor, as he eagerlywatched Yussuf's countenance. "Now, if ever anyone tells me in thefuture that the Turks always hate the Christians, I can give him aninstance to the contrary. "

The time soon glided by for the coming of the next boat, and in duecourse they landed at Smyrna, where the parting with Yussuf was morethat of friends and friend, than of the employer and employed. 

"If you do come out again, excellencies, and I am living, nothing shallstay me from being your faithful guide, " he said, as he stood at thegangway of the steamer; "and as for you, Lawrence effendi, may theblessings spoken of by the patriarchs be with you in your goings out andcomings in, and may the God of your fathers give you that greatest ofhis blessings, health. "

Lawrence did not speak, but clung to the faithful hand till the Turkdescended into the boat; and he then stood gazing over the gangway tillthe grave, thickly-bearded countenance grew less and less and at lastdied from his sight. 

The little party landed at Trieste, where they parted from the Chumleys, who were going home; but Lawrence and his friends, after repairing thedamages to their wardrobes, went by rail to Rome, and made that theirhome till the rigour of the English spring had passed away. 

It was one fine morning at the beginning of June, that a cab laden withluggage stopped at the old home in Guilford Street, where the door wasopened by Mrs Dunn, who stared with astonishment at the sturdy youthwho bounded up the steps into the hall, and then clasped her in hisarms. 

"Why, my dear, dear boy!" she cried, "I had brought blankets down towrap you in, and a warm bath ready, and asked cook's husband to be inwaiting to carry you upstairs. "

"Why, nurse, I could carry you up, " cried Lawrence merrily. "How wellyou look! Ah, Doctor Shorter. "

"Why, you wicked young impostor, " cried the doctor; "here have Ineglected two patients this afternoon on purpose to come and attend onyou. I came as soon as nurse Dunn told me she had received the telegramfrom Folkestone. Bless my heart, how you have changed!"

"Changed, sir?" cried Mr Burne, "I should think he has changed. He hasbeen giving up physic, and trusting to the law, sir. See what we havedone!"

"Yes, doctor, " said the professor, shaking hands warmly. "I think youmay give him up as cured. "

"Cured? That he is!" cried the doctor. "Well, live and learn. I shallknow what to do with my next patient, now. "

"And if here isn't Mrs Dunn crying with vexation, because she has nooccasion to make gruel and mix mustard plaisters for the poor boy, "cried Mr Burne banteringly. 

"No, no, no, sir, " said the old woman sobbing; "it is out of thethankfulness of my poor old heart at seeing my dear boy once more welland strong. "

The doctor took out his notebook, and made a memorandum as Lawrenceflung his arms round the tender-hearted old woman's neck; the professorwalked to the window; and Mr Burne whisked out the yellow handkerchiefhe had worn round his fez, and over which he had made his only joke, that he was so yellow and red, he looked like a fezzan, and blew hisnose till the room echoed. After which he was obliged to calm himselfwith a pinch of snuff. 

"Well, Lawrence, " said the professor, after they had all dined together. "You remember what you said at Ansina?"

"Yes. "

"What do you say now? Would you go through all those wearinesses andrisks again if I asked you?"

"Yes, sir, at any time, if Yussuf is to be our guide. "

"And so say I, " cried Mr Burne, "if you would have such a cantankerousold man. "

"Ah, well, " said the professor. "I am not half satisfied. We shallsee. "

And so it was left. 

THE END.