The Boy Slaves, by Captain Mayne Reid. 

________________________________________________________________________This is an excellent book, telling of the adventures of three midshipmenand a much older sailor from a British warship that goes aground off thecoast of Africa, well offshore, and sinks with all hands. However thesefour find themselves afloat on a spar, which they paddle with theirhands for several days until they reach the shore of Africa. Shortlyafter this they are taken prisoner by some Arabs, who intend to takethem north to a town where they can be sold as slaves. 

The book deals with their adventures as they are driven north to besold. In those days Arab pirate ships, known as Barbary pirates, andalso Algerine pirates, used to capture European vessels and make theirwhite crews and passengers into slaves, demanding ransoms from theirfamilies. Even if the ransom was received, the captors usuallypretended it hadn't been. The practice had been going on for centuries, and was terminated in 1816 when Admiral Lord Exmouth attacked Algiers, and obtained the release of 1300 white slaves. Following this theFrench were charged with the responsibility of keeping the Arabs ofNorth Africa in order. The date of 1816 is wrongly given as 1856 onpage xi of Guy Pocock's introduction to the Everyman Edition of thebook. 

The audiobook takes about ten hours to play. ________________________________________________________________________THE BOY SLAVES, BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID. 

CHAPTER ONE. 

THE LAND OF THE SLAVE. 

Land of Ethiope! whose burning centre seems unapproachable as the frozenPole!

Land of the unicorn and the lion, of the crouching panther and thestately elephant, of the camel, the camel-leopard, and the camel-bird!Land of the antelopes, of the wild gemsbok, and the gentle gazelle, landof the gigantic crocodile and huge river-horse, land teeming with animallife, and, last in the list of my apostrophic appellations--last, andthat which must grieve the heart to pronounce it, land of the slave!

Ah; little do men think, while thus hailing thee, how near may be thedread doom to their own hearths and homes! Little dream they, whileexpressing their sympathy--alas! too often, as of late shown in England, a hypocritical utterance--little do they suspect, while gliblycommiserating the lot of thy sable-skinned children, that hundreds, aythousands, of their own colour and kindred are held within thy confines, subject to a lot even lowlier than these--a fate far more fearful. 

Alas! it is even so. While I write, the proud Caucasian, despite hisboasted superiority of intellect, despite the whiteness of his skin, maybe found by hundreds in the unknown interior, wretchedly toiling, theslave not only of thy oppressors, but the slave of thy slaves!

Let us lift that curtain which shrouds thy great Saara, and look uponsome pictures that should teach the son of Shem, while despising hisbrothers Ham and Japhet, that he is not master of the world. 

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Dread is that shore between Susa and Senegal, on the western edge ofAfrica--by mariners most dreaded of any other in the world. The verythought of it causes the sailor to shiver with affright. And no wonder;on that inhospitable seaboard thousands of his fellows have found awatery grave; and thousands of others a doom far more deplorable thandeath!

There are two great deserts: one of land, the other of water--the Saaraand the Atlantic--their contiguity extending through ten degrees of theearth's latitude--an enormous distance. Nothing separates them, save aline existing only in the imagination. The dreary and dangerouswilderness of water kisses the wilderness of sand--not less dreary ordangerous to those whose misfortune it may be to become castaways onthis dreaded shore. 

Alas! it has been the misfortune of many--not hundreds, but thousands. Hundreds of ships, rather than hundreds of men, have suffered wreck andruin between Susa and Senegal. Perhaps were we to include Roman, Phoenician, and Carthaginian, we might say thousands of ships also. 

More noted, however, have been the disasters of modern times, duringwhat may be termed the epoch of modern navigation. Within the period ofthe last three centuries, sailors of almost every maritime nation--atleast all whose errand has led them along the eastern edge of theAtlantic--have had reason to regret approximation to those shores, knownin ship parlance as the Barbary coast; but which, with a slightalteration in the orthography, might be appropriately styled"Barbarian. "

A chapter might be written in explanation of this peculiarity ofexpression--a chapter which would comprise many parts of two sciences, both but little understood--ethnology and meteorology. 

Of the former we may have a good deal to tell before the ending of thisnarrative. Of the latter it must suffice to say: that the frequentwrecks occurring on the Barbary coast, or, more properly on that of theSaara south of it, are the result of an Atlantic current settingeastwards against that shore. 

The cause of this current is simple enough, though it requiresexplanation: since it seems to contradict not only the theory of the"trade" winds, but of the centrifugal inclination attributed to thewaters of the ocean. 

I have room only for the theory in its simplest form. The heating ofthe Saara under a tropical sun; the absence of those influences, moisture and verdure, which repel the heat and retain its opposite; theascension of the heated air that hangs over this vast tract of desert;the colder atmosphere rushing in from the Atlantic Ocean; the consequenteastward tendency of the waters of the sea. 

These facts will account for that current which has proved a deadlymaelstrom to hundreds, ay thousands, of ships, in all ages, whosemisfortune it has been to sail unsuspectingly along the western shoresof the Ethiopian continent. 

Even at the present day the castaways upon this desert shore are by nomeans rare; notwithstanding the warnings that at close intervals havebeen proclaimed for a period of three hundred years. 

While I am writing, some stranded brig, barque, or ship may be going topieces between Bojador and Blanco; her crew making shorewards in boatsto be swamped among the foaming breakers; or, riding three or fourtogether upon some severed spar, to be tossed upon a desert strand, thateach may wish, from the bottom of his soul, should prove uninhabited!

I can myself record a scene like this that occurred not ten years ago, about midway between the two headlands above named--Bojador and Blanco. The locality may be more particularly designated by saying: that, athalf distance between these noted capes, a narrow strip of sand extendsfor several miles out into the Atlantic, parched white under the rays ofa tropical sun, like the tongue of some fiery serpent, well representedby the Saara, far stretching to seaward; ever seeking to cool itself inthe crystal waters of the sea. 

CHAPTER TWO. 

TYPES OF THE TRIPLE KINGDOM. 

Near the tip of this tongue, almost within "licking" distance, on anevening in the month of June, 18--, a group of the kind last alludedto--three or four castaways upon a spar--might have been seen by any eyethat chanced to be near. 

Fortunately for them, there was none sufficiently approximate to makeout the character of that dark speck, slowly approaching the whitesandspit, like any other drift carried upon the landward current of thesea. 

It was just possible for a person standing upon the summit of one of thesand "dunes" that, like white billows, rolled off into the interior ofthe continent, it was just possible for a person thus placed to havedistinguished the aforesaid speck without the aid of a glass; thoughwith one it would have required a prolonged and careful observation tohave discovered its character. 

The sandspit was full three miles in length. The hills stood back fromthe shore another. Four miles was sufficient to screen the castawaysfrom the observation of any one who might be straying along the coast. 

For the individuals themselves it appeared very improbable that therecould be any one observing them. As far as eye could reach--east, north, and south, there was nothing save white sand. To the west, nothing but the blue water. No eye could be upon them, save that of theCreator. Of his creatures, tame or wild, savage or civilised, thereseemed not one within a circuit of miles: for within that circuit therewas nothing visible that could afford subsistence either to man oranimal, bird or beast. In the white substratum of sand, gently shelvingfar under the sea, there was not a sufficiency of organic matter to haveafforded food for fish--even for the lower organisms of _mollusca_. Undoubtedly were these castaways alone; as much so as if their localityhad been the centre of the Atlantic, instead of its coast!

We are privileged to approach them near enough to comprehend theircharacter, and learn the cause that has thus isolated them so far fromthe regions of animated life. 

There are four of them, astride a spar; which also carries a sail, partially reefed around it, and partially permitted to drag looselythrough the water. 

At a glance a sailor could have told that the spar on which they aresupported is a topsail-yard, which has been detached from its masts insuch a violent manner as to unloose some of the reefs that had held thesail--partially releasing the canvas. But it needed not a sailor totell why this had been done. A ship has foundered somewhere near coast. There has been a gale two days before. The spar in question, withthose supported upon it, is but a fragment of the wreck. There mighthave been other fragments, other of the crew escaped, or escaping inlike manner, but there are no others in sight. The castaways slowlydrifting towards the sandspit are alone. They have no companions on theocean, no spectators on its shore. 

As already stated, there are four of them. Three are strangely alike, at least, in the particulars of size, shape, and costume. In age, too, there is no great difference. All three are boys: the eldest not overeighteen, the youngest certainly not a year his junior. 

In the physiognomy of the three there is similitude enough to declarethem of one nation, though dissimilarity sufficient to prove a distinctprovinciality both in countenance and character. Their dresses of darkblue cloth, cut pea-jacket shape, and besprinkled with buttons ofburnished yellow, their cloth caps of like colour, encircled by bands ofgold lace, their collars, embroidered with the crown and anchor, declarethem, all three, to be officers in the service of that great maritimeGovernment that has so long held undisputed possession of the sea--midshipmen of the British navy. Rather should we say, had been. Theyhave lost this proud position, along with the frigate to which they hadbeen attached; and they now only share authority upon a dismasted spar, over which they are exerting some control, since with their bodies bentdownwards, and their hands beating the water, they are propelling it inthe direction of the sandspit. 

In the countenances of the three castaways thus introduced, I haveadmitted a dissimilitude something more than casual; something more, even, than what might be termed provincial. Each presented a type thatcould have been referred to that wider distinction known as anationality. 

The three "middies" astride of that topsail-yard were, of course, castaways from the same ship, in the service of the same Government, though each was of a different nationality from the other two. Theywere the respective representatives of Jack, Paddy, and Sandy, or, tospeak more poetically of the Rose, Shamrock, and Thistle, and had thethree kingdoms from which they came had been searched throughout theirwhole extent, there could scarcely have been discovered purerrepresentative types of each, than the three reefers on that spardrifting towards the sandspit between Bojador and Blanco. 

Their names were Harry Blount, Terence O'Connor, and Colin Macpherson. 

The fourth individual, who shared with them their frail embarkation, differed from all three in almost every respect, but more especially inyears. The ages of all three united would not have numbered his; andtheir wrinkles, if collected together, would scarce have made so many ascould have been counted in the crowsfeet indelibly imprinted in thecorners of his eyes. 

It would have required a very learned ethnologist to have told to whichof his three companions he was compatriot; though there could be nodoubt about his being either English, Irish, or Scotch. 

Strange to say, his tongue did not aid in the identification of hisnationality. It was not often heard; but even when it was, itsutterance would have defied the most linguistic ear; and neither fromthat, nor other circumstance known to them, could any one of his threecompanions lay claim to him as a countryman. When he spoke--a rareoccurrence already hinted--it was with a liberal misplacement of "h's"that should have proclaimed him an Englishman of purest Cockney type. At the same time his language was freely interspersed with Irish "ochs"and "shures"; while the "wees" and "bonnys", oft recurring in hisspeech, should have proved him a sworn Scotchman. From his countenanceyou might have drawn your own inference and believed him any of thethree; but not from his tongue. Neither in its accent, nor the wordsthat fell from him, could you have told which of the three kingdoms hadthe honour of giving him birth. 

Whichever it was, it had supplied to the Service a true British tar: foralthough you might mistake the man in other respects, his appearanceforbade all equivocation upon this point. 

His costume was that of a common sailor, and, as a matter of course, hisname was "Bill". But as he had only been one among many "Bills" ratedon the man-o'-war's books (now gone to the bottom of the sea) he carrieda distinctive appellation, no doubt earned by his greater age. Aboardthe frigate he had been known as "Old Bill"; and the soubriquet stillattached to him upon the spar. 

CHAPTER THREE. 

THE SERPENT'S TONGUE. 

The presence of a ship's topsail-yard thus bestridden plainly proclaimedthat a ship had been wrecked--although no other evidence of the wreckwas within sight. Not a speck was visible upon the sea to the utmostverge of the horizon; and if a ship had foundered within that field ofview, her boats and every vestige of the wreck must either have gone tothe bottom, or in some other direction than that taken by thetopsail-yard, which supported the three midshipmen and the sailor Bill. 

A ship had gone to the bottom--a British man-of-war, --a corvette on herway to her cruising ground, on the Guinea coast. Beguiled by thedangerous current that sets towards the seaboard of the Saara, in a darkstormy night she had struck upon a sand-bank; got bilged; and sankalmost instantly among the breakers. Boats had been got out, and menhad been seen crowding hurriedly into them; others had taken to suchrafts, or spars, as could be detached from the sinking vessel; butwhether any of these, or the overladen boats, had succeeded in reachingthe shore, was a question which none of the four astride thetopsail-yard were able to answer. 

They only knew that the corvette had gone to the bottom--they saw her godown, shortly after drifting away from her side; but saw nothing moreuntil morning, when they perceived themselves alone upon the ocean. They had been drifting throughout the remainder of that long, darknight, often entirely under water, when the sea swelled over them--andone and all of them many times on the point of being washed from theirfrail embarkation. 

By daybreak the storm had ceased, and was succeeded by a clear, calmday; but it was not until a late hour that the swell had subsidedsufficiently to enable them to take any measures for propelling thestrange craft that carried them. Then, using their hands as oars, orpaddles, they commenced making some way through the water. 

There was nothing in sight, neither land nor any other object, save thesea, the sky, and the sun. It was the east which guided them as todirection. But for it there could have been no object in making waythrough the water; but, with the sun now sinking in the west, they couldtell the east; and they knew that in that point alone land might beexpected. 

After the sun had gone down, the stars became their compass, andthroughout all the second night of the shipwreck they had continued topaddle the spar in an easterly direction. 

Day again dawned upon them; but without gratifying their eyes by thesight of land, or any other object, to inspire them with a hope. 

Famished with hunger, tortured with thirst, and wearied with theircontinued exertions, they were about to surrender to despair when, asthe sun once more mounted up to the sky, and his bright beams piercedthe crystal water upon which they were floating, they saw beneath themthe sheen of white sand. It was the bottom of the sea, and at no greatdepth, not more than a few fathoms below their feet. 

Such shallow water could not be far from the shore. Reassured, andencouraged by the thought, they once more renewed their exertions, andcontinued to paddle the spar, taking only short intervals of restthroughout the whole of the morning. 

Long before noon they were compelled to desist. They were close to thetropic of Cancer, almost under its line. It was the season ofmidsummer; and of course at meridian hour the sun was right over theirheads. Even their bodies cast no shadow, except upon the white sanddirectly underneath them, at the bottom of the sea. The sun could nolonger guide them; and, as they had no other index, they were compelledto remain stationary, or drift in whatever direction the breeze or thecurrents might carry them. 

There was not much movement any way; and for several hours before andafter noon they lay almost becalmed upon the ocean. This period waspassed in silence and inaction. There was nothing for them to talkabout but their forlorn situation; and this topic had been exhausted. There was nothing for them to do. Their only occupation was to watchthe sun until, by its sinking lower in the sky, they might discover itswesting. 

Could they at that moment have elevated their eyes only three feethigher, they would not have needed to wait for the declination of theorb of day. They would have seen land, such land as it was, but sunk astheir shoulders were, almost to the level of the water, even the summitsof the sand-dunes were not visible to their eyes. 

When the sun began to go down towards the horizon they once more pliedtheir palms against the liquid wave, and sculled the spar eastward. Thesun's lower limb was just touching the western horizon, when his redrays, glancing over their shoulders, showed them some white spots thatappeared to rise out of the water. 

Were they clouds? No! Their rounded tops, cutting the sky with a clearline, forbade this belief. They should be hills, either of snow or ofsand. It was not the region for snow: they could only be sand-hills. 

The cry of "land" pealed simultaneously from the lips of all--thatcheerful cry that has so oft given gladness to the despairing castaway, and, redoubling their exertions, the spar was propelled through thewater more rapidly than ever. 

Reinvigorated by the prospect of once more setting foot upon land, theyforgot for the moment thirst, hunger, and weariness; and only occupiedthemselves in sculling their craft towards the shore. 

Under the belief that they had still several miles to make before thebeach could be attained, they were one and all working with eyes turneddownward. At that moment old Bill, chancing to look up, gave utteranceto a shout of joy, which was instantly echoed by his youthfulcompanions: all had at the same time perceived the long sandspitprojecting far out into the water; and which looked like the hand ofsome friend held out to bid them welcome. 

They had scarce made this discovery before another of like pleasantnature came under their attention. That was, that they were touchingbottom! Their legs, bestriding the spar, hung down on each side of it;and, to the joy of all, they now felt their feet scraping along thesand. 

As if actuated by one impulse all four dismounted from the irksome seatthey had been so long compelled to keep; and, bidding adieu to the spar, they plunged on through the shoal water, without stop or stay, untilthey stood high and dry upon the extreme point of the peninsula. 

By this time the sun had gone down; and the four dripping forms, dimlyoutlined in the purple twilight, appeared like four strange creatureswho had just emerged from out the depths of the ocean. 

"Where next?"

This was the mental interrogatory of all four; though by none of themshaped into words. 

"Nowhere to-night" was the answer suggested by the inclination of each. 

Impelled by hunger, stimulated by thirst, one would have expected themto proceed onward in search of food and water to alleviate this doublesuffering. But there was an inclination stronger than either, toostrong to be resisted--sleep: since for fifty hours they had beenwithout any; since to have fallen asleep on the spar would have been tosubject themselves to the danger, almost the certainty, of dropping off, and getting drowned; and, notwithstanding their need of sleep, increasedby fatigue, and the necessity of keeping constantly on the alert--up tothat moment not one of them had obtained any. The thrill of pleasurethat passed through their frames as they felt their feet upon _terrafirma_ for a moment aroused them. But the excitement could not besustained. The drowsy god would no longer be deprived of his rights;and one after another, though without much interval between, sank downupon the soft sand, and yielded to his balmy embrace. 

CHAPTER FOUR. 

'WARE THE TIDE!

Through that freak, or law, of nature by which peninsulas are shaped, the point of the sandspit was elevated several feet above the level ofthe sea; while its neck, nearer the land, scarce rose above the surfaceof the water. 

It was this highest point, where the sand was thrown up in a "wreath"like snow in a storm, that the castaways had chosen for their couch. But little pains had been taken in selecting the spot. It was the mostconspicuous, as well as the driest; and, on stepping out of the water, they had tottered towards it, and half mechanically chosen it for theirplace of repose. 

Simple as was the couch, they were not allowed to occupy it for long. They had been scarce two hours asleep, when one and all of them wereawakened by a sensation that chilled, and, at the same time, terrifiedthem. Their terror arose from a sense of suffocation: as if salt waterwas being poured down their throats, which was causing it. In short, they experienced the sensation of drowning; and fancied they werestruggling amid the waves from which they had so lately escaped. 

All four sprang to their feet, if not simultaneously, at least in quicksuccession, and all appeared equally the victims of astonishment, closely approximating to terror. Instead of the couch of soft, drysand, on which they had stretched their tired frames, they now stood upto their ankles in water, which was soughing and surging around them. It was this change in their situation that caused their astonishment;though the terror quick following sprang from quite another cause. 

The former was short-lived: for it met with a ready explanation. In theconfusion of their ideas, added to their strong desire for sleep, theyhad forgotten the tide. The sand, dust-dry under the heat of a burningsun, had deceived them. They had lain down upon it, without a thoughtof its ever being submerged under the sea; but now to their surprisethey perceived their mistake. Not only was their couch completely underwater; but, had they slept a few minutes longer, they would themselveshave been quite covered. Of course the waves had awakened them; and nodoubt would have done so half an hour earlier, but for the profoundslumber into which their long watching and weariness had thrown them. The contact of the cold water was not likely to have much effect: sincethey had been already exposed to it for more than forty hours. Indeed, it was not that which had aroused them; but the briny fluid getting intotheir mouths, and causing them that feeling of suffocation that verymuch resembled drowning. 

More then one of the party had sprung to an erect attitude, under thebelief that such was in reality the case; and it is not quite correct tosay that their first feeling was one of mere astonishment. It wasstrongly commingled with terror. 

On perceiving how matters stood, their fears subsided almost as rapidlyas they had arisen. It was only the inflow of the tide; and to escapefrom it would be easy enough. They would have nothing more to do thankeep along the narrow strip of sand, which they had observed beforelanding. This would conduct them to the true shore. They knew this tobe at some distance; but, once there, they could choose a more elevatedcouch on which they could recline undisturbed till the morning. 

Such was their belief, conceived the instant after they had got upontheir legs. It was soon followed by another--another consternation--which, if not so sudden as the first, was, perhaps, ten times moreintense. 

On turning their faces towards what they believed to be the land, therewas no land in sight, neither sand-hills nor shore, nor even the narrowtongue upon whose tip they had been trusting themselves! There wasnothing visible but water; and even this was scarce discernible at thedistance of six paces from where they stood. They could only tell thatwater was around them, by hearing it hoarsely swishing on every side, and seeing through the dim obscurity the strings of white froth thatfloated on its broken surface. 

It was not altogether the darkness of the night that obscured theirview, though this was of itself profound; it was a thick mist or fog, that had arisen over the surface of the ocean, and which enveloped theirbodies; so that, though standing almost close together, each appeared tothe others like some huge spectral form at a distance. 

To remain where they were was to be swallowed up by the sea. Therecould be no uncertainty about that; and therefore no one thought ofstaying a moment longer on the point of the sandspit, now utterlysubmerged. 

But in what direction were they to go? That was the question thatrequired to be solved before starting; and in the solution of which, perhaps, depended the safety of their lives. 

We need scarce say, perhaps. Rather might we say, for certain. Bytaking a wrong direction they would be walking into the sea, where theywould soon get beyond their depth, and be in danger of drowning. Thiswas all the more likely, that the wind had been increasing ever sincethey had laid down to rest, and was now blowing with considerableviolence. Partly from this, and partly by the tidal influence, bigwaves had commenced rolling around them; so that, even in the shoalwater, where they stood, each successive swell was rising higher andhigher against their bodies. 

There was no time to be lost. They must find the true direction for theshore and follow it quickly too, or perish amid the breakers. 

CHAPTER FIVE. 

A FALSE GUIDE. 

Which way to the shore?

That was the question that arose to the lips of all. 

You may fancy it could have been easily answered. The direction of thewind and waves was landward. It was the sea-breeze, which at night, asevery navigator is aware, blows habitually towards the land--at least inthe region of the tropics, and more especially towards the hot Saara. 

The tide itself might have told them the direction to take. It was thein-coming tide, and therefore swelling towards the beach. 

You may fancy they had nothing to do but follow the waves, keeping thebreeze upon their back. 

So they fancied, at first starting for the shore; but they were not longin discovering that this guide, apparently so trustworthy, was not to berelied upon; and it was only then they became apprised of the realdanger of their situation. Both wind and waves were certainlyproceeding landward, and in a direct line; but it was just this directline the castaways dared not, in fact could not, follow; for they hadnot gone a hundred fathoms from the point of the submerged peninsulawhen they found the water rapidly deepening before them; and a fewfathoms farther on they stood up to their armpits!

It was evident that, in the direction in which they were proceeding, itcontinued to grow deeper; and they turned to try another. 

After floundering about for a while they found shoal water again, reaching up only to their knees; but, wherever they attempted to followthe course of the waves, they perceived that the shoal trended graduallydownward. 

This at first caused them surprise, as well as alarm. The formeraffected them only for an instant. The explanation was sought for, andsuggested to the satisfaction of all. The sandspit did not projectperpendicularly from the line of the coast, but in a diagonal direction. It was, in fact, a sort of natural breakwater, forming one side of alarge cone, or embayment, lying between it and the true beach. Thisfeature had been observed on their first setting foot upon it, though atthe time they were so much engrossed with the joyous thought of havingescaped from the sea, that it had made no impression upon their memory. 

They now remembered the circumstance, though not to their satisfaction, for they saw at once that the guide in which they had been trustingcould no longer avail them. 

The waves were rolling on over that bay, whose depth they had tried, only to find it unfordable. 

This was a new dilemma. To escape from it there appeared but one way. They must keep their course along the combing of the peninsula, if theycould. But their ability to do so had now become a question, eachinstant growing more difficult to answer. 

They were no longer certain that they were on the spit; but, whether ornot, they could find no shallower water by trying on either side. Eachway they went it seemed to deepen; and even if they stood still but fora few moments, as they were compelled to do while hesitating as to theircourse, the water rose perceptibly upon their limbs. 

They were now well aware that they had two enemies to contend with, timeand direction. The loss of either one or the other might end in theirdestruction. A wrong direction would lead them into deep water; a wasteof time would bring deep water around them. The old adage about timeand tide, which none of them could help having heard, might have beenringing in their ears at that moment. It was appropriate to theoccasion. 

They thought of it; and the thought filled them with apprehension. Fromthe observations they had made before sunset, they knew that the shorecould not be near, not nearer than three miles, perhaps four. 

Even with free footing, the true direction, and a clear view of thepath, it might have been a question about time. They all knew enough ofthe sea to be aware how rapidly the tide sets in, especially on someforeign shores, and there was nothing to assure them that the seaboardof the Saara was not beset by the most treacherous of tides. On thecontrary, it was just this, a tidal current, that had forced theirvessel among the breakers, causing them to become what they now were, castaways!

They had reason to dread the tides of the Saara's shore; and dread themthey did, their fears at each moment becoming stronger as they felt thedark waters rising higher and higher around them!

CHAPTER SIX. 

WADE OR SWIM?

Foe a time they floundered on, the old sailor in the lead, the threeboys strung out in a line after him. Sometimes they departed from thisformation, one or another trying towards the flank for shallower water. 

Already it clasped them by the thighs; and just in proportion as it roseupon their bodies, did their spirits become depressed. They knew thatthey were following the crest of the sandspit. They knew it by thedeepening of the sea on each side of them: but they had by this timediscovered another index to their direction. Old Bill had kept his"weather-eye" upon the waves; until he had discovered the angle at whichthey broke over the "bar", and could follow the "combing" of the spit, as he called it, without much danger of departure from the true path. 

It was not the direction that troubled their thoughts any longer; butthe time and the tide. 

Up to their waists in water, their progress could not be otherwise thanslow. The time would not have signified could they have been sure ofthe tide, that is, sure of its not rising higher. 

Alas! they could not be in doubt about this. On the contrary, they weretoo well assured that it was rising higher; and with a rapidity thatthreatened soon to submerge them under its merciless swells. These cameslowly sweeping along, in the diagonal direction, one succeeding theother, and each new one striking higher up upon the bodies of the nowexhausted waders. 

On they floundered, despite their exhaustion; on along the subaqueousridge, which at every step appeared to sink deeper into the water, as ifthe nearer to land the peninsula became all the more depressed. This, however, was but a fancy. They had already passed the neck of thesandspit where it was lowest. It was not that, but the fast flowingtide that was deepening the water around them. 

Deeper and deeper, deeper and deeper, till the salt sea clasped themaround the armpits, and the tidal waves began to break over their heads!

There seemed but one way open to their salvation, but one course bywhich they could escape from the engulfment that threatened. This was, to forego any further attempt at wading, to fling themselves boldly uponthe waves, and swim ashore. 

Now that they were submerged to their necks, you may wonder at their notat once adopting this plan. It is true they were ignorant of thedistance they would have to swim before reaching the shore. Still theyknew it could not be more than a couple of miles, for they had alreadytraversed quite that distance on the diagonal spit. But two miles needscarce have made them despair, with both wind and tide in their favour. 

Why, then, did they hesitate to trust themselves to the quick boldstroke of the swimmer, instead of the slow, timid, tortoise-like treadof the wader?

There are two answers to this question; for there were two reasons forthem not having recourse to the former alternative. The first wasselfish; or rather, should we call it self-preservative. There was adoubt in the minds of all, as to their ability to reach the shore byswimming. It was a broad bay that had been seen before sundown; andonce launched upon its bosom, it was a question whether any of themwould have strength to cross it. Once launched upon its bosom therewould be no getting back to the shoal water through which they werewading: the tidal current would prevent return. 

This consideration was backed by another, a lingering belief or hopethat the tide might already have reached its highest, and would soon beon the "turn". This hope, though faint, exerted an influence on thewaders, as yet sufficient to restrain them from becoming swimmers. Buteven after this could no longer have prevailed, even when the wavesbegan to surge over, threatening at each fresh "sea" to scatter theshivering castaways and swallow them one by one, there was anotherthought that kept them together. 

It was a thought neither of self nor self-preservation, but a generousinstinct, that even in that perilous crisis was stirring within theirhearts. 

Instinct! No. It was a thought, an impulse if you will; but somethinghigher than an instinct. 

Shall I declare it? Undoubtedly, I shall. Noble emotions should not beconcealed; and the one which at that moment throbbed within the bosomsof the castaways, was truly noble. 

There were but three of them who felt it. The fourth could not: hecould not swim!

Surely the reader needs no further explanation?

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

A COMPULSORY PARTING. 

One of the four castaways could not swim. Which one? You will expectto hear that it was one of the three midshipmen; and will beconjecturing whether it was Harry Blount, Terence O'Connor, or ColinMacpherson. 

My English boy-readers would scarce believe me, were I to say that itwas Harry who was wanting in this useful accomplishment. Equallyincredulous would be my Irish and Scotch constituency, were I to denythe possession of it to the representatives of their respectivecountries, Terence and Colin. 

Far be it from me to offend the natural _amour propre_ of my youngreaders; and in the present case I have no fact to record that wouldimply any national superiority or disadvantage. The castaway who couldnot swim was that peculiar hybrid, or _tribrid_, already described; who, for any characteristic he carried about him, might have been born eitherupon the banks of the Clyde, the Thames, or the Shannon!

It was "Old Bill" who was deficient in natatory prowess--Old Bill, thesailor. 

It may be wondered that one who has spent nearly the whole of his lifeon the sea should be wanting in an accomplishment, apparently, andreally, so essential to such a calling. Cases of the kind, however, areby no means uncommon; and in a ship's crew there will often be found alarge number of men, sometimes the very best sailors, who cannot swim astroke. 

Those who have neglected to cultivate this useful art, when boys, rarelyacquire it after they grow up to be men; or, if they do, it is only inan indifferent manner. On the sea, though it may appear a paradox, there are far fewer opportunities for practising the art of swimmingthan upon its shores. Aboard a ship, on her course, the chances of"bathing" are but few and far between; and, while in port, the sailorhas usually something else to do than spend his idle hours in disportinghimself upon the waves. The sailor, when ashore, seeks some sport moreattractive. 

As Old Bill had been at sea ever since he was able to stand upon thedeck of a ship, he had neglected this useful art; and though in everyother respect an accomplished sailor, rated A. B. , Number 1, he could notswim six lengths of his own body. 

It was a noble instinct which prompted his three youthful companions toremain by him in that critical moment, when, by flinging themselves uponthe waves, they might have gained the shore without difficulty. 

Although the bay might be nearly two miles in width, there could not bemore than half that distance beyond their depth, judging by the shoalappearance which the coast had exhibited as they were approaching itbefore sundown. 

All three felt certain of being able to save themselves; but what wouldbecome of their companion the sailor?

"We cannot leave you, Bill!" cried Harry; "we will not!"

"No, that we can't: we won't!" said Terence. 

"We can't and won't, " asseverated Colin, with like emphasis. 

These generous declarations were in answer to an equally generousproposal in which the sailor had urged them to make for the shore, andleave him to his fate. 

"Ye must, my lads!" he cried out, repeating his proposition. "Don'tmind about me; look to yersels! Och! shure I'm only a weather-washed, worn-out old salt, 'ardly worth savin'. Go now, off wi' ye at onest. The water'll be over ye, if ye stand 'eer tin minutes longer. "

The three youths scrutinised each other's faces, as far as the darknesswould allow them. Each tried to read in the countenances of the othertwo some sign that might determine him. The water was already washingaround their shoulders; it was with difficulty they could keep theirfeet. 

"Let loose, lads!" cried old Bill; "let loose, I say! and swim richt forthe shore. Don't think o' me; it bean't certain I shan't weather ityet. I'm the whole av my head taller than the tallest av ye. The tidemayn't full any higher; an' if it don't I'll get safe out after all. Let loose, lads, let loose, I tell ye!"

This command of the old sailor for his young comrades to forsake him wasbacked by a far more irresistible influence, one against which eventheir noble instincts could no longer contend. 

At that moment a wave, of greater elevation than any that had precededit, came rolling along; and the three midshipmen, lifted upon its swell, were borne nearly half a cable's length from the spot where they hadbeen standing. 

In vain did they endeavour to recover their feet. They had been carriedinto deep water, where the tallest of them could not touch bottom. 

For some seconds they struggled on the top of the swell, their facesturned towards the spot from which they had been swept. They were closetogether. All three seemed desirous of making back to that dark, solitary speck, protruding above the surface, and which they knew to bethe head of Old Bill. Still did they hesitate to forsake him. 

Once more his voice sounded in their ears. 

"Och, boys!" cried he, "don't thry to come back. It's no use whatever. Lave me to my fate, an' save yersels! The tide's 'ard against ye. Turn, an' follow it, as I tell ye. It'll carry ye safe to the shore;an' if I'm washed afther ye, bury me on the bache. Farewell, braveboys, farewell!"

To the individuals thus apostrophised it was a sorrowful adieu; and, could they have done anything to save the sailor, there was not one ofthe three who would not have risked his life over and over again. Butall were impressed with the hopelessness of rendering any succour; andunder the still further discouragement caused by another huge wave, thatcame swelling up under their chins, they turned simultaneously in thewater; and, taking the tidal current for their guide, swam with alltheir strength towards the shore. 

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

SAFE ASHORE. 

The swim proved shorter than any of them had anticipated. They hadscarce made half a mile across the bay, when Terence, who was the worstswimmer of the three, and who had been allowing his legs to droop, struck his toes against something more substantial than salt water. 

"I' faith!" gasped he, with exhausted breath, "I think I've touchedbottom. Blessed be the Virgin, I have!" he continued, at the same timestanding erect, with head and shoulders above the surface of the water. 

"All right!" cried Harry, imitating the upright attitude of the youngHibernian. "Bottom it must be, and bottom it is. Thank God for it!"

Colin, with a similar grateful ejaculation, suspended his stroke, andstood upon his feet. 

All three instinctively faced seaward, as they did so, exclaiming:

"Poor Old Bill!"

"In troth, we might have brought him along with us!" suggested Terence, as soon as he had recovered his wind; "might we not?"

"If we had but known it was so short a swim, " said Harry, "it ispossible. "

"How about our trying to swim back? Do you think we could do it?"

"Impossible!" asserted Colin. 

"What, Colin, you are the best swimmer of us all! Do you say so?" askedthe others, eager to make an effort for saving the old salt, who hadbeen the favourite of every officer aboard the ship. 

"I say impossible, " replied the cautious Colin; "I would risk as much asany of you, but there is not a reasonable chance of saving him, andwhat's the use of trying impossibilities? We'd better make sure thatwe're safe ourselves. There may be more deep water between us and theshore. Let us keep on till we've set our feet on something more liketerra firma. "

The advice of the young Scotchman was too prudent to be rejected; andall three, once more turning their faces shoreward, continued to advancein that direction. 

They only knew that they were facing shoreward by the inflow of thetide, but certain that this would prove a tolerably safe guide, theykept boldly on, without fear of straying from the track. 

For a while they waded; but, as their progress was both slower and moretoilsome, they once more betook themselves to swimming. Whenever theyfelt fatigued, by either mode of progress, they changed to the other;and partly by wading and partly by swimming, they passed through anothermile of the distance that separated them from the shore. The water thenbecame so shallow that swimming was no longer possible; and they wadedon, with eyes earnestly piercing the darkness, each moment expecting tosee something of the land. 

They were soon to be gratified by having this expectation realised. Thecurving lines that began to glimmer dimly through the obscurity, werethe outlines of rounded objects that could not be ocean waves. Theywere too white for these. They could only be the sand-hills, which theyhad seen before the going down of the sun. As they were now butknee-deep in the water, and the night was still misty and dark, theseobjects could be at no great distance and deep water need no longer bedreaded. 

The three castaways considered themselves as having reached the shore. 

Harry and Terence were about to continue on to the beach, when Colincalled to them to come to a stop. 

"Why?" inquired Harry. 

"What for?" asked Terence. 

"Before touching dry land, " suggested the thoughtful Colin, "suppose wedecide what has been the fate of poor Old Bill. "

"How can we tell that?" interrogated the other two. 

"Stand still a while; we shall soon see whether his head is yet abovewater. "

Harry and Terence consented to the proposal of their comrade, butwithout exactly comprehending its import. 

"What do you mean, Colly?" asked the impatient Hibernian. 

"To see if the tide's still rising, " was the explanation given by theScotch youth. 

"And what if it be?" demanded Terence. 

"Only, that if it be, we will never more see the old sailor in the landof the living. We may look for his lifeless corpse after it has beenwashed ashore. "

"Ah! I comprehend you, " said Terence. 

"You're right, " added Harry. "If the tide be still rising, Old Bill isunder it by this time. I dare say his body will drift ashore beforemorning. "

They stood still, all three of them. They watched the water, as itrippled up against their limbs, taking note of its ebbing and flowing. They watched with eyes full of anxious solicitude. They continued thiscurious vigil for full twenty minutes. They would have patientlyprolonged it still further had it been necessary. But it was not. Nofurther observation was required, to convince them that the tidalcurrent was still carried towards the shore; and that the water was yetdeepening around them. 

The data thus obtained were sufficient to guide them to the solution ofthe sad problem. During that interval, while they were swimming andwading across the bay, the tide must have been continually on theincrease. It must have risen at least a yard. A foot would besufficient to have submerged the sailor, since he could not swim. Therewas but one conclusion to which they could come. Their companion musthave been drowned. 

With heavy hearts they turned their faces towards the shore, thinkingmore of the sad fate of the sailor than their own future. 

Scarce had they proceeded a dozen steps when a shout heard from behindcaused them to come to a sudden stop. 

"Avast there!" cried a voice that seemed to rise from out of the depthsof the sea. 

"It's Bill!" exclaimed all three in the same breath. 

"'Old on, my hearties, if that's yerselves that I see!" continued thevoice. "Arrah, 'old on there. I'm so tired wadin', I want a shortspell to rest myself. Wait now, and I'll come to yez as soon as I cantake a reef out of my tops'ls. "

The joy caused by this greeting, great as it was, was scarce equal tothe surprise it inspired. They who heard it were for some secondsincredulous. The sound of the sailor's voice, well-known as it was, with something like the figure of a human being dimly seen through theuncertain mist that shadowed the surface of the water, was proof that hestill lived; while, but the moment before, there appeared substantialproof that he must have gone to the bottom. Their incredulity evencontinued till more positive evidence to the contrary came before them, in the shape of the old man-o'-war's-man himself; who, rapidly splashingthrough the more shallow water, in a few seconds stood face to face withthe three brave boys whom he had so lately urged to abandon him. 

"Bill, is it you?" cried all three in a breath. 

"Auch! and who else would yez expect it to be? Did yez take me for ouldNeptune risin' hout of the say? Or did yez think I was a mare-maid?Gee mee a grip o' yer wee fists, ye bonny boys. Ole Bill warn't born tobe drowned!"

"But how did ye come, Bill? The tide's been rising ever since we leftyou. "

"Oh!" said Terence, "I see how it is; the bay isn't so deep after all:you've waded all the way. "

"Avast there, master Terry! not half the way, though I've waded part ofit. There's wather between here and where you left me deep enough todrown Phil Macool. I didn't crass the bay by wading at all, at all. "

"How then?"

"I was ferried on a nate little craft, as yez all knows of, the samethat carried us safe to the sandspit. "

"The spar?"

"Hexactly as ye say. Just as I was about to gee my last gasp, somethingstruck me on the back o' the head, making me duck under the wather. What was that but the tops'l yard. Hech! I wasna long in mountin' onto it. I've left it out there afther I feeled my toes trailin' alongthe bottom. Now, my bonny babies, that's how Old Bill's been able torejoin ye. Flippers all round once more; and then let's see what sorto' a shore we've got to make port upon. "

An enthusiastic shake of the hands passed between the old sailor and hisyouthful companions; after which the faces of all were turned towardsthe shore, still only dimly distinguishable, and uninviting as seen, butmore welcome to the sight than the wilderness of water stretching as ifto infinity behind them. 

CHAPTER NINE. 

UNCOMFORTABLE QUARTERS. 

The waders had still some distance to go before reaching dry land; but, after splashing for about twenty minutes longer, they at length stoodupon the shore. As the tide was still flowing in they continued up thebeach; so as to place themselves beyond the reach of the water, in theevent of its rising still higher. 

They had to cross a wide stretch of wet sand before they could find aspot sufficiently elevated to secure them against the further influx ofthe tide. Having at length, discovered such a spot, they stopped todeliberate on what was best to be done. 

They would fain have had a fire to dry their dripping garments; for thenight had grown chilly under the influence of the fog. 

The old sailor had his flint, steel, and tinder, the latter still safein its water-tight tin box; but there was no fuel to be found near. Thespar, even if they could have broken it up, was still floating, orstranded, in the shoal water, more than a mile to seaward. 

In the absence of a fire they adopted the only other mode they couldthink of to get a little of the water out of their clothes. Theystripped themselves to the skin, wrung out each article separately; andthen, giving each a good shake, put them on again, leaving it to thenatural warmth of their bodies to complete the process of drying. 

By the time they had finished this operation, the mist had becomesensibly thinner; and the moon, suddenly emerging from under a cloud, enabled them to obtain a better view of the shore upon which they hadset foot. 

Landward, as far as they could see, there appeared to be nothing butwhite sand, shining like silver under the light of the moon. Up anddown the coast the same landscape could be dimly distinguished. 

It was not a level surface that was thus covered with sand; but aconglomeration of hillocks and ridges, blending into each other andforming a labyrinth, that seemed to stretch interminably on all sides, except towards the sea itself. 

It occurred to them to climb to the highest of the hillocks. From itssummit they would have a better view of the country beyond; and perhapsdiscover a place suitable for an encampment; perhaps some timber mightthen come into view, from which they would be able to obtain a fewsticks. 

On attempting to scale the "dune", they found that their wading was notyet at an end. Though no longer in the water, they sank to their kneesat every step, in soft yielding sand. 

The ascent of the hillock, though scarce a hundred feet high, provedexceedingly toilsome, much more so than wading knee-deep in water, butthey floundered on, and at length reached the summit. 

To the right, to the left, in front of them, far as the eye could reach, nothing but hills and ridges of sand, that appeared under the moonlightof a whiteness approaching to that of snow. In fact, it would not havebeen difficult to fancy that the country was covered with a heavy coatof snow, as often seen in Sweden, or the northern parts of Scotland, drifted into "wreaths", and spurred hillocks, of every imaginable form. 

It was pretty, but soon became painful from its monotony; and the eyesof that shipwrecked quartette were even glad to turn once more to thescarce less monotonous blue of the ocean. 

Inland, they could perceive other sand-hills, higher than that to whichthey had climbed, and long crested "combings", with deep valleysbetween; but not one object to gladden their sight, nothing that offeredpromise of either food, drink, or shelter. 

Had it not been for their fatigue, they might have gone farther. Sincethe moon had consented to show herself, there was light enough to travelby; and they might have proceeded on, either through the sand-dunes oralong the shore. But of the four there was not one, not even the toughold tar himself, who was not regularly done up, both with weariness ofbody and spirit. The short slumber upon the spit, from which they hadbeen so unexpectedly startled, had refreshed them but little; and, asthey stood upon the summit of the sand-hill, all four felt as if theycould drop down, and go to sleep on the instant. 

It was a couch sufficiently inviting, and they would at once haveavailed themselves of it, but for a circumstance that suggested to themthe idea of seeking a still better place for repose. 

The land-wind was blowing in from the ocean, and, according to theforecast of Old Bill, a great practical meteorologist, it promised erelong to become a gale. It was already sufficiently violent, and chillto boot, to make the situation on the summit of the dune anything butcomfortable. There was no reason why they should make their couch uponthat exposed prominence. Just on the landward side of the hillockitself, below at its base, they perceived a more sheltered situation;and why select that spot for their resting-place?

There was no reason why they should not. Old Bill proposed it; therewas no opposition offered by his young companions, and, without furtherparley, the four went floundering down the sloping side of thesand-hill, into the sheltered convexity at its base. 

On arriving at the bottom, they found themselves in the narrowest ofravines. The hillock from which they had descended was but the highestsummit of a long ridge, trending in the same direction as the coast. Another ridge, of about equal height, ran parallel to this on thelandward side. The bases of the two approached so near that theirsloping sides formed an angle with each other. On account of the abruptacclivity of both, this angle was almost acute, and the ravine betweenthe two resembled a cavity out of which some great wedge had been cut, like a section taken from the side of a gigantic melon. 

It was in this re-entrant angle that the castaways found themselves, after descending the side of the dune, and where they had proposedspending the remainder of the night. 

They were somewhat disappointed on reaching their sleeping-quarters, andfinding them so limited as to space. In the bottom of the ravine therewas not breadth enough for a bed, even for the shortest of the party, supposing him desirous of sleeping in a horizontal position. 

There were not six feet of surface, nor even three, that could strictlybe called horizontal. Even longitudinally, the bottom of the "gully"had a sloping inclination; for the ravine itself tended upwards until itbecame extinguished in the convergence of its inclosing ridges. 

On discovering the unexpected "strait" into which they had launchedthemselves, our adventurers were for a time nonplussed. They feltinclined to proceed farther in search of a "better bed", but theirweariness outweighed this inclination; and, after some hesitation, theyresolved to remain in the "ditch" into which they had so unwillinglydescended. They proceeded therefore to encouch themselves. 

Their first attempt was made by placing themselves in a half-standingposition, their backs supported upon the sloping sides of one of theridges, with their feet resting against the other. So long as they keptawake, this position was both easy and pleasant; but the moment any oneof them closed his eyes in sleep, and this was an event almostinstantaneous, his muscles, relaxed by slumber, would no longer have thestrength to sustain him; and the consequence would be an uncomfortablecollapse to the bottom of the "gully", where anything like a position ofrepose was out of the question. 

This vexatious interruption of their slumbers happening repeatedly, atlength roused all four to take fresh counsel as to choosing a freshcouch. 

Terence had been especially annoyed by these repeated disturbances; andproclaimed his determination not to submit to them any longer. He wouldgo in search of more "comfortable quarters. "

He had arisen to his feet, and appeared in the act of starting off. 

"We had better not separate, " suggested Harry Blount. "If we do, we mayfind it difficult to come together again. "

"There's something in what you say, Hal, " said the young Scotchman. "Itwill not do for us to lose sight of one another. What does Bill say toit?"

"I say stay here, " put in the voice of the sailor. "It won't do tostray the wan from the tother. No, it won't. Let us hold fast, thin, where we're already belayed. "

"But who the deuce can sleep here?" remonstrated the son of Erin. "Ahard-worked horse can sleep standing; and so can an elephant, they say;but, for me, I'd prefer six feet of the horizontal, even if it were ahard stone, to this slope of the softest sand. "

"Stay, Terry!" cried Colin. "I've captured an idea. "

"Ah! you Scotch are always capturing something, whether it be an idea, aflea, or the itch. Let's hear what it is. "

"After that insult to ma kintree, " good-humouredly rejoined Colin; "Idinna know whuther I wull. "

"Come, Colin!" interrupted Harry Blount, "if you have any good counselto give us, pray don't withhold it. We can't get sleep, standing at anangle of forty-five degrees. Why should we not try to change ourposition by seeking another place?"

"Well, Harry, as you have made the request, I'll tell you what's justcome into my mind. I only feel astonished it didn't occur to any of ussooner. "

"Mother av Moses!" cried Terence, jocularly adopting his native brogue;"and why don't you out with it at wanse? You Scatch are the thrue_rid-tape_ of society. "

"Never mind, Colly!" interposed Blount; "there's no time to listen toTerry's badinage. We're all too sleepy for jesting: tell us what you'vegot in your mind?"

"All of ye do as you see me, and I'll be your bail, ye'll sleep soundtill the dawn o' the day. Goodnight!"

As Colin pronounced the salutation he sank down to the bottom of theravine, where, stretched longitudinally, he might repose, without theslightest danger of being awakened by slipping from his couch. 

On seeing him thus disposed, the others only wondered they had notthought of the thing before. 

They were too sleepy to speculate long upon their own thoughtlessness;and one after the other, imitating the example set them by the youngScotchman, laid their bodies lengthwise along the bottom of the ravine, and entered upon the enjoyment of a slumber from which all thekettle-drums in creation would scarce have awaked them. 

CHAPTER TEN. 

'WARE THE SAND. 

As the gully in which they had gone to rest was too narrow to permit ofthem lying side by side, they were disposed in a sort of lengthenedchain, with their heads all turned in the same direction. The bottom ofthe ravine, as already stated, had a slight inclination; and they had, of course, placed themselves so that their heads should be higher thantheir feet. 

The old sailor was at the lower end of this singular series, with thefeet of Harry Blount just above the crown of his head. Above the headof Harry were the heels of Terence O'Connor; and, at the top of all, reclined Colin, in the place where he had first stretched himself. 

On account of the slope of the ground, the four were thus disposed in asort of _echelon_ formation, of which Old Bill was the base. They haddropped into their respective positions, one after the other, as theylay. 

The sailor had been the last to commit himself to this curious couch; hewas also the last to surrender to sleep. For some time after the othershad become unconscious of outward impressions, he lay listening to the"sough" of the sea, and the sighing of the breeze, as it blew along thesmooth sides of the sand-hills. 

He did not remain awake for any great length of time. He was wearied, as well as his young comrades; and soon also yielded his spirit to theembrace of the god Somnus. 

Before doing so, however, he had made an observation, one of a characternot likely to escape the notice of an old mariner such as he. He hadbecome conscious that a storm was brewing in the sky. The suddenshadowing of the heavens; the complete disappearance of the moon, leaving even the white landscape in darkness, her red colour as she wentout of sight; the increased noise caused by the roaring of the breakers;and the louder "swishing" of the wind itself, which began to blow inquick, gusty puffs; all these sights and sounds admonished him that agale was coming on. 

He instinctively noted these signs; and on board ship would have heededthem, so far as to have alarmed the sleeping watch, and counselledprecaution. 

But stretched upon terra firma, not so very firm had he but known it, between two huge hills, where he and his companions were tolerably wellsheltered from the wind, it never occurred to the old salt that theycould be in any danger; and simply muttering to himself, "the storm beblowed!" he laid his weather-beaten face upon the pillow of soft sand, and delivered himself up to deep slumber. 

The silent prediction of the sailor turned out a true forecast. Sureenough there came a storm which, before the castaways had been half anhour asleep, increased to a tempest. It was one of those suddenuprisings of the elements common in all tropical countries, butespecially so in the desert tracts of Arabia and Africa, where theatmosphere, rarefied by heat, and becoming highly volatile, suddenlyloses its equilibrium and rushes like a destroying angel over thesurface of the earth. 

The phenomenon that had broken over the arenaceous couch, upon whichslept the four castaways, was neither more nor less than a "sandstorm";or, to give it its Arab title, a _simoom_. 

The misty vapour that late hung suspended in the atmosphere had beenswept away by the first puff of the wind; and its place was now occupiedby a cloud equally dense, though perhaps not so constant, a cloud ofwhite sand lifted from the surface of the earth, and whirled high uptowards heaven, even far out over the waters of the ocean. 

Had it been daylight, huge volumes, of what might have appeared dust, might have been seen rolling over the ridges of sand, here swirling intorounded pillar-like shapes, that could easily have been mistaken forsolid columns, standing for a time in one place, then stalking over thesummits of the hills, or suddenly breaking into confused and cumberingmasses; while the heavier particles, no longer kept in suspension by therotatory whirl, might be seen spilling back towards the earth, like asand shower projected downward through some gigantic "screen. "

In the midst of this turbulent tempest of wind and sand, with not asingle drop of rain, the castaways continued to sleep. 

One might suppose, as did the old man-o'-war's man before going tosleep, that they were not in any danger; not even as much as if theircouch had been under the roof of a house, or strewn amid the leaves ofthe forest. There were no trees to be blown down upon them, no bricksnor large chimney-pots to come crashing through the ceiling, and crushthem as they lay upon their beds. 

What danger could there be among the "dunes?"

Not much to a man awake, and with open eyes. In such a situation theremight be discomfort, but no danger. 

Different, however, was it with the slumbering castaways. Over them aperil was suspended, a real peril of which perhaps on that night not oneof them was dreaming, and in which perhaps not one of them would haveput belief but for the experience of it they were destined to be taughtbefore the morning. 

Could an eye have looked upon them as they lay, it would have beheld apicture sufficiently suggestive of danger. It would have seen fourhuman figures stretched along the bottom of a narrow ravine, longitudinally aligned with one another, their heads all turned one way, and in point of elevation slightly _en echelon_, it would have notedthat these forms were asleep, that they were already half buried insand, which, apparently descending from the clouds was still settlingaround them; and that, unless one or other of them awoke, all four mustcertainly become "smoored. "

What does this mean? Merely a slight inconvenience arising from havingthe mouth, ears, and nostrils obstructed by sand, which a littlechoking, and sneezing, and coughing would soon remove. 

Ask the Highland shepherd who has imprudently gone to sleep under the"blowin' sna"; question the Scandinavian, whose calling compels him toencamp on the open "fjeld"; interrogate Swede or Norwegian, Finn orLapp, and you may discover the danger of being "smoored. "

That would be in the snow, the light, vascular, porous, permeable snow, under which a human being may move, and through which he may breathe, though tons of it may be superpoised above his body, the snow that, while imprisoning its victim, also gives him warmth, and affords himshelter, perilous as that shelter may be. 

Ask the Arab what it is to be "smoored" by sand; question the wildBedouin of the Bled-el-Jereed, the Tuarick and Tiboo of the EasternDesert, they will tell you it is danger, often death!

Little dreamt the four sleepers as they lay unconscious under that swirlof sand, little even would they have suspected, if awake, that there wasdanger in the situation. 

There was for all that a danger, great as it was imminent; the danger, not only of their being "smoored", but stifled, suffocated, buriedfathoms deep under the sands of the Saara; for fathoms deep will oftenbe the drift of a single night. 

The Arabs say that, once "submerged" beneath the arenaceous "flood", aman loses the power to extricate himself. His energies are suspended, his senses become numbed and torpid, in short, he feels as one who goesto sleep in a snow-storm. It may be true; but, whether or no, it seemedas if the four English castaways had been stricken with thisinexplicable paralysis. Despite the hoarse roaring of the breakers, despite the shrieking and whistling of the wind, despite the dustconstantly being deposited on their bodies, and entering ears, mouth andnostrils, despite the stifling sensation one would suppose they musthave felt, and which should have awakened them, despite all, theycontinued to sleep. It seemed as if that sleep was to be eternal. 

If they heard not the storm that raged savagely above them, if they feltnot the sand that pressed heavily upon them, what was there to warn, what to arouse them from that ill-starred slumber?

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

A MYSTERIOUS NIGHTMARE. 

The four castaways had been asleep for a couple of hours, that is, fromthe time that, following the example of the young Scotchman, they hadstretched themselves along the bottom of the ravine. It was not quitean hour, however, since the commencement of the sandstorm; and yet, inthis short time, the arenaceous dust had accumulated to the thickness ofseveral inches upon their bodies; and a person passing the spot, or evenstepping right over them, could not have told that four human beingswere buried beneath; that is, upon the supposition that they would havelain still, and not got startled from their slumbers by the foot thustreading upon them. 

Perhaps it was a fortunate circumstance for them, that by such acontingency they might be awakened; and that by such they were awakened. 

Otherwise their sleep might have been protracted into that still deepersleep from which there is no awaking. 

All four had begun to feel, if any sensation while asleep can be socalled, a sense of suffocation, accompanied by a heaviness of the limbsand torpidity in the joints; as if some, immense weight was pressingupon their bodies, that rendered it impossible for them to stir eithertoe or finger. It was a sensation similar to that so well-known, and somuch dreaded, under the name of nightmare. It may have been the verysame; and was, perhaps, brought on as much by the extreme weariness theyall felt, as by the superincumbent weight of the sand. 

Their heads, lying higher than their bodies, were not so deeply buriedunder the drift; which, blown lightly over their faces, still permittedthe atmosphere to pass through it. Otherwise their breathing would havebeen stopped altogether; and death must have been the necessaryconsequence. 

Whether it was a genuine nightmare or no, it was accompanied by all thehorrors of this phenomenon. As they afterwards declared, all four feltits influence, each in his own way dreaming of some fearful fascinationfrom which he could make no effort to escape. Strange enough, theirdreams were different. Harry Blount thought he was falling over aprecipice; Colin that a gigantic ogre had got hold of and was going toeat him up; while the young Hibernian fancied himself in the midst of aconflagration, a dwelling-house on fire, from which he could not getout!

Old Bill's delusion was more in keeping with their situation, or atleast with that out of which they had lately escaped. He simplysupposed that he was submerged in the sea, and as he knew he could notswim, it was but natural for him to fancy that he was drowning. 

Still, he could make no struggle; and, as he would have done this, whether able to swim or not, his dream did not exactly resemble the realthing. 

The sailor was the first to escape from the uncomfortable incubus;though there was but an instant between the awakening of all. They werestartled out of their sleep, one after another, in the order in whichthey lay, and inversely to that in which they had lain down. 

Their awakening was as mysterious as the nightmare itself, and scarcerelieved them from the horror which the latter had been occasioning. 

All felt in turn, and in quick succession, a heavy crushing pressure, either on the limbs or body; which had the effect, not only to startlethem from their sleep, but caused them considerable pain. 

Twice was this pressure applied, almost exactly on the same spot; andwith scarce a second's interval between the applications. It could notwell have been repeated a third time with like exactness, even had suchbeen the design of whatever creature was causing it, for, after a secondsqueeze, each had recovered sufficient consciousness to know he was indanger of being crushed, and make a desperate effort to withdrawhimself. 

The exclamations, proceeding from four sets of lips, told that all werestill in the land of the living; but the confused questioning thatfollowed did nothing towards elucidating the cause of that sudden andalmost simultaneous uprising. 

There was too much sneezing and coughing to permit of anything likeclear or coherent speech. The _shumu_ was still blowing. There wassand in the mouths and nostrils of all four, and dust in their eyes. Their talk more resembled the jabbering of apes, who had unwiselyintruded into a snuff-shop, than the conversation of four rationalbeings. 

It was some time before anyone of them could shape his speech so as tobe understood by the others; and, after all had at length succeeded inmaking themselves intelligible, it was found that each had the samestory to tell. Each had felt two pressures on some part of his person;and had seen, though very indistinctly, some huge creature passing overhim, apparently a quadruped, though what sort of quadruped none of themcould tell. All they knew was that it was a gigantic, uncouth creature, with a narrow body and neck, and very long legs; and that it had feetthere could be no doubt, since it was these that had pressed so heavilyupon them. 

But for the swirl of the sandstorm, and the dust already in their eyes, they might have been able to give a better description of the creaturethat had so unceremoniously stepped upon them. These impediments, however, had hindered them from obtaining a fair view of it; and someanimal, grotesquely shaped, with a long neck, body, and legs, was theimage which remained in the excited minds of the awakened sleepers. 

Whatever it was, they were all sufficiently frightened to stand for sometime trembling. Just awakening from such dreams, it was but naturalthey should surrender themselves to strange imaginings; and, instead ofendeavouring to identify the odd-looking animal, if animal it was, theywere rather inclined to set it down as some creature of a supernaturalkind. 

The three midshipmen were but boys; not so long from the nursery as tohave altogether escaped from the weird influence which many a nurserytale had wrapped around them; and as for Old Bill, fifty years spent in"ploughing the ocean" had only confirmed him in the belief that the"black art" is not so mythical as philosophers would have us think. 

So frightened were all four that, after the first ebullition of theirsurprise had subsided, they no longer gave utterance to speech but stoodlistening, and trembling as they listened. Perhaps, had they known theservice which the intruder had done for them, they might have feltgratitude towards it, instead of the suspicion and dread that for somemoments kept them, as if spell-bound, in their places. It did not occurto any of the party that that strange summons from sleep, more effectivethan the half-whispered invitation of a _valet-de-chambre_, or theringing of a breakfast-bell, had, in all probability, rescued them froma silent but certain death. 

They stood, as I have said, listening. There were several distinctsounds that saluted their ears. There was the "sough" of the sea, as itcame swelling up the gorge; the "whish" of the wind, as it impinged uponthe crests of the ridges; and the "swish" of the sand as it settledround them. 

All these were voices of inanimate objects, phenomena of nature, easilyunderstood. But, rising above them, were heard sounds of a differentcharacter; which, though they might be equally natural, were not equallyfamiliar to those who listened to them. 

There was a sort of dull battering, as if some gigantic creature wasperforming a Terpsichorean feat upon the sand-bank above them; butsharper sounds were heard at intervals, screams commingled with shortsnortings, both proclaiming something of the nature of a struggle. 

Neither in the screams nor in the snortings was there anything that thelisteners could identify as sounds they had ever heard before. Theywere alike perplexing to the ears of English, Irish, and Scotch. EvenOld Bill, who had heard, some time or other, nearly every sound known increation, could not classify them. 

"Divil take him!" whispered he to his companions; "I dinna know what tomake av it. It be hawful to 'ear em!"

"Hark!" ejaculated Harry Blount. 

"Hish!" ejaculated Terence. 

"Wheesh!" muttered Colin. "It's coming nearer, whatever it may be. Wheesh!"

There could be no doubt about the truth of this conjecture; for as thecaution passed from the lips of the young Scotchman, the dull hammering, the snorts, and the unearthly screams were evidently drawing nearer;though the creature that was causing them was unseen through the thicksand-mist still surrounding the listeners. These however heard enoughto know that some heavy body was making a rapid descent down the slopinggorge, and with an impetuosity that rendered it prudent for them to getout of its way. 

More by an instinct, than from any correct appreciation of the danger, all four fell back from the narrow trench in which they had beenstanding; each as he best could retreating up the declivity of thesand-hill. 

Scarce were they able to obtain footing in their new position, when thesounds they had heard not only became louder and nearer, but thecreature that had been causing them passed close to their feet; so closethat most of them could have touched it with their toes. 

For all that, not one of the party could tell what it was; and after ithad passed, on its way down the ravine, and was once more lost to theirview amid the swirling sand, they were not a bit further advanced intheir knowledge of the strange creature that had come so near crushingout their existence with its ponderous weight!

All that they had been able to see was a conglomeration of dark objects, resembling the head, neck, body and limbs of some uncouth animal; whilethe sounds that proceeded from it were like utterances that might havecome from some other world; for certainly they had but slightresemblance to anything the castaways had ever heard in this, eitherupon sea or land!

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

THE MAHERRY. 

For some length of time they stood conjecturing, the boys with claspedhands, Old Bill near, but apart. 

During this time, at intervals, they continued to hear the sounds thathad so astonished them, the stamping, the snorts and the screaming, though they no longer saw the creature that caused them. 

The sand gully opened towards the sea in a diagonal direction. It couldnot be many yards to the spot where it debouched upon the level of thebeach; and the creature that had caused them such a surprise, and wasstill continuing to occupy their thoughts, must have reached this levelsurface, though not to suspend its exertions. Every now and then couldbe heard the same repetition of dull noises, as if some animal waskicking itself to death, varied by trumpet-like snorts and agonisingscreams which could be likened to the cry of no animal upon earth. 

But that the castaways knew they were on the coast of Africa, thatcontinent renowned for strange existences, they might have been evenmore disposed to a supernatural belief in what was near them; but as theminutes passed, and their senses began to return to them, they becamemore inclined to think what they had seen, heard, and felt, might beonly some animal, a heavy quadruped, that had trampled over them intheir sleep. 

The chief difficulty in reconciling this belief with the actualoccurrence was the odd behaviour of the animal. Why had it gone up thegorge, apparently _parenti passu_, to come tumbling down again in such aconfused fashion? Why was it still kicking and stumbling about at thebottom of the ravine--for such did the sounds proclaim it to be doing?

No answer could be given to either of these questions; and none wasgiven, until day dawned over the sand-hills. This was soon after; andalong with the morning light had come the cessation of the simoom. 

Then saw the castaways that creature that had so abruptly awakened themfrom their slumbers, and, by so doing, perhaps, saved their lives. Theysaw it recumbent at the bottom of the gorge, where they had so uneasilypassed the night. 

It proved to be, what, from the slight glimpse they got of it, they wereinclined to believe, an animal, and a quadruped; and if it had presentedan uncouth appearance, as it stepped over them in the darkness, not lessso did it appear as they now beheld it under the light of day. 

It was an animal of very large size, in height far exceeding a horse, but of such a grotesque shape as to be easily recognisable by any onewho had ever glanced into a picture book of quadrupeds. The longcraning neck, with an almost earless head and gibbous profile; the greatstraggling limbs, callous at the knees, and ending in broad, wide-splitting hoofs; the slender hindquarters, and tiny tufted tail, both ludicrously disproportioned, the tumid, misshapen trunk; but, aboveall, the huge hunch rising above the shoulders, at once proclaimed thecreature to be a dromedary. 

"Och! it's only a kaymal!" cried Old Bill, as soon as the daylightenabled him to get a fair view of the animal. "What on hearth is itdoin' ere?"

"Sure enough, " suggested Terence, "it was this beast that stepped overus while we were asleep! It almost squeezed the breath out of me, forit set its hoof right upon the pit of my stomach. "

"The same with me, " said Colin. "It sunk me down nearly a foot into thesand. Oh, we have reason to be thankful there was that drift-sand overour bodies at the time. If not, the great brute might have crushed usto death. "

There was some truth in Colin's observation; but for the covering ofsand, which acted as a cushion, and also from that which formed theircouch yielding underneath them, the foot of the great quadruped mighthave caused them serious injury. As it was, none of them had receivedany hurt, beyond the fright which the strange intruder had occasionedthem. 

The singular incident was yet only half explained. They saw it was acamel that had disturbed their slumbers; that the animal had been on itsway up the ravine, perhaps seeking shelter from the sandstorm, but whathad caused it to return so suddenly back down the slope? Above all, whyhad it made the downward journey in such a singular manner? Obscure ashad been their view of it, they could see that it did not go onall-fours, but apparently tumbling and struggling, its long limbskicking about in the air as if it was performing the descent by a seriesof somersaults. 

All this had been mysterious enough; but it was soon explained to thesatisfaction of the four castaways; who, as soon as they saw the camelby the bottom of the gorge, had rushed down and surrounded it. 

The animal was in a recumbent position, not as if it had been lain downto rest, but in a constrained attitude, with its long neck drawn intowards its fore-legs, and its head lying low and half buried in thesand. 

As it was motionless when they first perceived it, they fancied it wasdead; that something had wounded it above. This would have explainedthe fantastic fashion in which it had returned down the slope, as thesomersaults observed might have been only a series of death struggles. 

On getting around it, however, they perceived that it was not only stillalive, but in perfect health; and its late mysterious movements wereaccounted for at a single glance. A strong hair halter, firmly noosedaround its head, had got caught in the bifurcation of one of itsfore-hoofs, where a knot upon the rope had hindered it from slippingthrough the deep split. This had first caused it to trip up, and tumblehead over heels, inaugurating that series of struggles, which had endedin transporting it back to the bottom of the ravine, where it now laywith the trailing end of the long halter knotted inextricably around itslegs. 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 

A LIQUID BREAKFAST. 

Melancholy as was the situation of the self-caught camel, it was ajoyful sight to those who beheld it. Hungry as they were, its fleshwould provide them with food; and thirsting as they were, they knew thatinside its stomach would be found a supply of water. 

Such were their first thoughts as they came around it. 

They soon perceived, however, that to satisfy the latter appetite itwould not be necessary for them to kill the camel. Upon the top of itshump was a small flat pad or saddle--firmly held in its place by astrong leathern band passing under the animal's belly. This proved tobe a "maherry, " or riding camel--one of those swift creatures used bythe Arabs in their long rapid journeys across the deserts; and which arecommon among the tribes inhabiting the Saara. 

It was not this saddle that gratified the eyes of our adventurers, but abag, tightly strapped to it, and resting behind the hump of the maherry. This bag was of goat's-skin; and upon examination was found to benearly half full of water. It was in fact the "Gerba", or waterskin, belonging to whoever had been the owner of the animal--an article ofcamel equipment more essential than the saddle itself. 

The four castaways, suffering the torture of thirst, made no scrupleabout appropriating the contents of the bag; and, in the shortestpossible time, it was stripped from the back of the maherry, its stoppertaken out, and the precious fluid extracted from it by all four, ingreedy succession, until its light weight, and collapsed side declaredit to be empty. 

Their thirst being thus opportunely assuaged, a council was next held asto what they should do to appease the other appetite. 

Should they kill the camel?

It appeared to be their only chance; and the impetuous Terence hadalready unsheathed his midshipman's dirk--with the design of burying itin the body of the animal. 

Colin, however, more prudent in council, cried to him to hold his hand;at least until they should give the subject a more thoroughconsideration. 

On this suggestion they proceed to debate the point between them. Theywere of different opinions, and equally divided. Two, Terence and HarryBlunt, were for immediately killing the maherry and making theirbreakfast upon its flesh; while the sailor joined Colin in voting thatit should be reprieved. 

"Let us first make use of the animal to help carry us somewhere, " arguedthe young Scotchman. "We can go without food a day longer. Then, if wefind nothing, we can butcher this beast. "

"But what's to be found in such a country as this?" inquired HarryBlount. "Look around you! There's nothing green but the sea itself. There isn't anything eatable within sight--not so much as would make adinner for a dormouse!"

"Perhaps, " rejoined Colin, "when we've travelled a few miles, we maycome upon a different sort of country. We can keep along the coast. Why shouldn't we find shell-fish enough to keep us alive. See; yonder'sa dark place down upon the beach. I shouldn't wonder if there's somethere?"

The glances of all were instantly directed towards the beach, exceptingthose of Sailor Bill. His were fixed on a different object; and anexclamation that escaped him, as well as a movement that accompanied it, arrested the attention of his companions, causing them to turn theireyes upon him. 

"Shell-fish be blow'd!" cried Bill; "here's something far better forbreakfast than cowld oysters. Look!"

The sailor, as he spoke, pointed to an oval-shaped object, somethinglarger than a cocoa-nut, appearing between the hind legs of the maherry. 

"It's a shemale!" added he, "and's had a calf not long ago. Look at the`udder', and them tits. They're swelled wi' milk. There'll be enoughfor the whole of us I warrant yez. "

As if to make sure of what he said, the sailor dropped down upon hisknees by the hindquarters of the prostrate camel; and, taking one of theteats in his mouth, commenced drawing forth the lacteal fluid which theudder contained. 

The animal made no resistance. It might have wondered at the curious"calf" that had thus attached himself to his teats; but only at theoddness of his colour and costume; for no doubt it had often before beensimilarly served by its African owner. 

"Fust rate!" cried Bill, desisting for a moment to take breath. "Ayqualto the richest crame; if we'd only a bite av bred to go along wi' it, orsome av your Scotch porritch, Master Colin. But I forgets. My braveyoungsters, " continued he, rising up and standing to one side. "Yez beall hungrier than I am. Go it, wan after another; there'll be enoughfor yez all. "

Thus invited, and impelled by their hungry cravings, the three, oneafter another, knelt down as the sailor had done; and drank copiouslyfrom that sweet "fountain of the desert. "

Taking it in turns, they continued "sucking", until each had swallowedabout a pint and a half of the nutritious fluid; when, the udder of thecamel becoming dry, told that her supply of milk was, for the time, exhausted. 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN. 

THE SAILOR AMONG THE SHELL-FISH. 

It was no longer a question of slaying the camel. That would be killingthe goose that gave the golden eggs. Though they were still very hungrythe rich milk had to some extent taken the keen edge off theirappetites; and all declared they could now go several hours withouteating. 

The next question was: where were they to go?

The reader may wonder that this was a question at all. Having been toldthat the camel carried a saddle, and was otherwise caparisoned, it willnaturally be conjectured that the animal had got loose from some owner, and was simply straying. This was the very hypothesis that passedbefore the mind of our adventurers. How could they have conjecturedotherwise?

Indeed it was scarce a guess. The circumstances told them to acertainty that the camel must have strayed from its owner. The onlyquestion was, where that owner might be found. 

By reading, or otherwise, they possessed enough knowledge of the coaston which they had been cast away to know that the proprietor of the"stray" would be some kind of an Arab; and that he would be foundliving, not in a house or a town, but in a tent; in all likelihoodassociated with a number of other Arabs in an "encampment. "

It required not much reasoning to arrive at these conclusions, and ouradventurers had come to them almost on that instant when they first seteyes on the caparisoned camel. 

You may wonder that they did not instantly set forth in search of themaster of the maherry; or of the tent or encampment from which thelatter should have strayed. One might suppose that this would have beentheir first movement. 

On the contrary, it was likely to be their very last; and for sufficientreasons which will be discovered in the conversation that ensued afterthey had swallowed their liquid breakfasts. 

Terence had proposed adopting this course, that is, to go in search ofthe man from whom the maherry must have wandered. The young Irishmanhad never been a great reader, at all events no account of the many"lamentable shipwrecks on the Barbary coast" had ever fallen into hishands, and he knew nothing of the terrible reputation of its people. Neither had Bill obtained any knowledge of it from books; but, for allthat, thanks to many a forecastle yarn, the old sailor was well informedboth about the character of the coast on which they had sufferedshipwreck, and its inhabitants. Bill had the best of reasons fordreading the denizens of the Saaran desert. 

"Sure they're not cannibals?" urged Terence. "They won't eat us, anyhow?"

"In troth I'm not so shure av that, Masther Terry, " replied Bill. "Evensupposin' they won't ate us, they'd do worse. "

"Worse!"

"Ay, worse, I tell you. They'd torture us, till death would be ablissin'. "

"How do you know they would?"

"Ach! Masther Terry!" sighed the old sailor, assuming an air ofsolemnity, such as his young comrades had never before witnessed uponhis usually cheerful countenance; "I could tell yez something that 'udconvince ye av the truth av what I've been sayin', an' that'll gie ye ahidear av what we've got to expect if we fall into the 'ands av thesefeerocious Ayrabs. "

Bill had already hinted at the prospective peril of a encounter with thepeople of the country. 

"Tell us, Bill. What is it?"

"Well, young masthers, it beant much, only that my own brother waswrecked some 'ere on this same coast. That was ten years agone. Henever returned to owld Hingland. "

"Perhaps he was drowned?"

"Betther for 'im, poor boy, if he 'ad. No, he 'adn't that luck. Thecrew--it was a tradin' vessel, and there was tin o' them--all got safeashore. They were taken prisoners as they landed, by a lot o' Ayrabs. Only one av the tin got home to tell the tale; and he wouldn't a 'ad achance but for a Jew merchant at Mogador that found he 'ad richrelations as 'ud pay well to ransom him. I see him a wee while after hegot back to Hingland; and he tell me what he had to go through, and myhown brother as well; for Jim, that be my brother's name, was with thetribe as took 'im up the counthry. None o' yez iver heerd o' crueltieslike they 'ad to put up with. Death in any way would be aisy comparedto what they 'ad to hendure. Poor Jim! I suppose he's dead long ago. Tough as I be myself, I don't believe I could a stood it a week, letalone tin years. Talk o' knockin' about like a Turk's head. They wereknocked about an' beat an' bullied an' kicked an' starved worse than thelaziest lubber as ever skulked about the decks o' a ship. No, MastherTerry! we mustn't think av thryin' to find the owner av the beest; butdo everythink we can to keep out av the way av both him an' his. "

"What would you advise us to do, Bill?"

"I don't know much 'bout where we be, " replied the sailor; "butwheresomever it is, our best plan are to hug by the coast, an' keepwithin sight o' the water. If we go inard, we're sure to get lost oneway or t'other. By keepin' south'ard we may come to some thradin' portav the Portagee. "

"We'd better start at once, then, " suggested the impatient Terence. 

"No, Masther Terry, " said the sailor; "not afore night. We mustn'tleave 'eer till it gets dark. We'll 'ave to thravel betwane two days. "

"What!" simultaneously exclaimed the three midshipmen. "Stay here tillnight! Impossible!"

"Ay, lads! an' we must hide, too. Shure as you are livin' there'll besomebody afther this sthray kaymal, in a wee while, too, as ye'll see. If we ventured out durin' the daylight they'd be shure to see us fromthe 'ills. It's sayed, the thievin' schoundrels always keep watch whenthere's been a wreck upon the coast; an' I'll be bound this beestbelongs to some av them same wreckers. "

"But what shall we do for food?" asked one of the party; "we'll befamished before nightfall! The camel, having nothing to eat or drink, won't yield any more milk. "

This interrogative conjecture was probably too near the truth. No onemade answer to it. Colin's eyes were again turned towards the beach. Once more he directed the thoughts of his comrades to the shell-fish. 

"Hold your hands, youngsters, " said the sailor. "Lie close 'eer behindthe 'ill; an' I'll see if there's any shell-fish that we can make a mealav. Now that the sun's up, it won't do to walk down there. I must makea crawl av it. "

So saying, the old salt, after skulking some distance farther down thesand gully, threw himself flat upon his face, and advanced in thisattitude like some gigantic lizard crawling across the sand. 

The tide was out, but the wet beach, lately covered by the sea, commenced at a short distance from the base of the dunes. 

After a ten minutes' struggle, Bill succeeded in reaching thedark-looking spot, where Colin had conjectured there might beshell-fish. 

The old sailor was soon seen busily engaged about something; and fromhis movements it was evident that his errand was not to prove fruitless. His hands were extended in different directions; and then at shortintervals withdrawn, and plunged into the capacious pockets of hispea-jacket. 

After these gestures had been continued for about half an hour, he wasseen to "slew" himself round, and come crawling back towards thesand-hills. 

His return was effected more slowly than his departure; and it could beseen that he was heavily weighted. 

On getting back into the gorge, he was at once relieved of his load;which proved to consist of about three hundred "cockles", as he calledthe shell-fish he had collected, and which were found to be a species ofmussel. 

They were not only edible, but delicious, at least they seemed so tothose who were called upon to swallow them. 

This seasonable supply did a great deal towards allaying the appetitesof all; and even Terence now declared himself contented to remainconcealed until night should afford them an opportunity of escape fromthe monotony of their situation. 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN. 

KEEPING UNDER COVER. 

From the spot, where the camel still lay couched in his "entetherment", the sea was not visible to one lying along the ground. It was only bystanding erect and looking over a spur of the sand-ridge that the beachcould be seen, and the ocean beyond it. 

There would be no danger, therefore, of their being discovered, by anyone coming along the strand, provided they kept in a crouching attitudebehind the ridge, which, sharply crested, like a snow-wreath, formed asort of parapet in front of them. They might have been easily seen fromthe summit of any of the dunes to the rear; but there was not muchlikelihood of any one approaching them in that direction. The countryinward appeared to be a labyrinth of sand-hills, with no opening thatwould indicate a passage for either man or beast. The camel, in allprobability, had taken to the gorge, guided by its instincts, there toseek shelter from the sandstorm. The fact of its carrying a saddleshowed that its owner must have been upon the march at the time itescaped from him. Had our adventurers been better acquainted withSaaran customs, they would have concluded that this had been the case;for they would have known that, on the approach of a _shumu_, theforecasts of which are well-known, the Bedouins at once and in all hastebreak up their encampment and put themselves and their whole personalproperty in motion. Otherwise, they would be in danger of gettingsmoored under the settling sand-drift. 

Following the counsels of the sailor, whose desert knowledge appeared asextensive as if it, and not the sea, had been his habitual home, ouradventurers crouched down in such a way as not to be seen by any onepassing along the beach. 

Scarcely had they placed themselves in this humble attitude when OldBill, who had been keeping watch all the while, with only the upper halfof his head elevated above the combing of the sand-wreath, announced, bya low exclamation, that something was in sight. 

Two dark forms were seen coming along the shore, from the southward; butat so great a distance that it was impossible to tell what sort ofcreatures they might turn out. 

"Let me have a look, " proposed Colin. "By good luck, I've got my glass. It was in my pocket as we escaped from the ship; and I didn't think ofthrowing it away. "

As the young Scotchman spoke, he took from the breast of his dreadnoughtjacket, a small telescope, which, when drawn out to its full extent, exhibited a series of tubes, _en echelon_, about half a yard in length. Directing it upon the dark objects, at the same time taking theprecaution to keep his own head as low as possible, he at onceproclaimed their character. 

"They're two bonny bodies, " said he, "dressed in all the colours of therainbow. I can see bright shawls, and red caps and striped cloaks. Oneis mounted on a horse; the other bestrides a camel, just such a one asthis by our side. They're coming along slowly, and appear to be staringabout them. "

"Ah, that be hit, " said Old Bill. "It be the howners of this 'eerbrute. They be on the sarch for her. Lucky the drift-sand had coveredher tracks, else they'd come right on to us. Lie low, Masther Colin. We mayn't show our heeds over the combin' o' the sand. They'd be sureto see the size o' a saxpence. We maun keep awthegither oot o' sicht. "

One of the old sailor's peculiarities--or, perhaps, it may have been aneccentricity--was, that in addressing himself to his companions, he wasalmost sure to assume the national _patois_ of the individual spoken to. In anything like a continued conversation with Harry Blount, his "h's"were handled in a most unfashionable manner; and while talking withTerence, the Milesian came from his lips in a brogue almost as pure asTipperary could produce. 

In a _tete-a-tete_ with Colin, the listener might have sworn that Billwas more Scotch than the young Macpherson himself. 

Colin perceived the justice of the sailor's suggestion; and immediatelyducked his head below the level of the parapet of sand. 

This placed our adventurers in a position at once irksome and uncertain. Curiosity, if nothing else, rendered them desirous to watch themovements of the men who were approaching. Without noting these, theywould not be able to tell when they might again raise their heads abovethe ridge; and might do so, just at the time when the horseman and therider of the maherry were either opposite or within sight of them. 

As the sailor had said, any dark object of the size of a sixpence wouldbe seen if presented above the smooth combing of snow-white sand; and itwas evident to all that for one of them to look over it might lead totheir being discovered. 

While discussing this point, they knew that some time had elapsed; and, although the eyes they dreaded might still be distant, they could nothelp thinking, that they were near enough to see them if only the hairof their heads should be shown above the sand. 

They reflected naturally. They knew that these sons of the desert mustbe gifted with keen instincts; or, at all events, with an experiencethat would enable them to detect the slightest "fault" in the aspect ofa landscape, so well-known to them, in short, that they would noticeanything that might appear "abnormal" in it. 

From that time their situation was one of doubt and anxiety. They darednot give even as much as a glance over the smooth, snow-white sand. They could only crouch behind it, in anxious expectation; knowing notwhen that dubious condition of things could be safely brought to aclose. 

Luckily they were relieved from it, and sooner than they had expected. Colin it was who discovered a way to get out of the difficulty. 

"Ha!" exclaimed he, as an ingenious conception sprang up in his mind. "I've got an idea that'll do. I'll watch these fellows, without givingthem a chance of seeing me. That will I. "

"How?" asked the others. 

Colin made no verbal reply; but instead, he was seen to insert histelescope into the sand-parapet, in such a way that its tube passedclear through to the other side, and of course commanded a view of thebeach, along which the two forms were advancing. 

As soon as he had done so, he placed his eye to the glass, and in acautious whisper announced that both the horseman and camel-rider werewithin his "field of view. "

CHAPTER SIXTEEN. 

THE TRAIL ON THE SAND. 

The tube of the telescope, firmly embedded in the sand, kept its placewithout the necessity of being held in hand. It only required to beslightly shifted as the horseman and camel-rider changed place, so as tokeep them within its field of view. 

By this means our adventures were able to mark their approach and noteevery movement they made, without much risk of being seen themselves. Each of them took a peep through the glass to satisfy their curiosity, and then the instrument was wholly entrusted to its owner, who wasthenceforth constantly to keep his eye to it, and observe the movementsof the strangers. This the young Scotchman did, at intervalscommunicating with his companions in a low voice. 

"I can make out their faces, " muttered he after a time, "and ugly enoughare they. One is yellow, the other black. He must be a negro; ofcourse he is, he's got woolly hair too. It's he that rides the camel, just such another as this that stumbled over us. The yellow man uponthe horse has a pointed beard upon his chin. He has a sharp look, likethose Moors we've seen at Tetuan. He's an Arab, I suppose. He appearsto be the master of the black man. I can see him make gestures, as ifhe was directing him to do something. There! they have stopped, theyare looking this way!"

"Marcy on us!" muttered Old Bill, "if they have speered the glass!"

"Troth! that's like enough, " said Terence. "It'll be flashing in thesun outside the sand. The sharp-eyed Arab is almost sure to see it. "

"Had you not better draw it in?" suggested Harry Blount. 

"True, " answered Colin. "But I fear it would be too late now. Ifthat's what halted them, it's all over with us so far as hiding goes. "

"Slip it in anyhow. If they don't see it any more they mayn't comequite up to the ridge. "

Colin was about to follow the advice thus offered, when on taking whathe intended to be a last squint through the telescope, he perceived thatthe travellers were moving on up the beach, as if they had seen nothingthat called upon them to deviate from their course. 

Fortunately for the four "stowaways" it was not the sparkle of the lensthat had caused them to make that stop. A ravine or opening through thesand-ridges, much larger than that in which our adventurers wereconcealed, embouched upon the beach, some distance below. It was theappearance of this opening that had attracted the attention of the twomounted men; and from their gestures Colin could tell they were talkingabout it, as if undecided whether to go that way or keep on up thestrand. 

It ended by the yellow man putting spurs to his horse and galloping offup the ravine, followed by the black man on the camel. 

From the way in which both behaved; keeping their eyes generally bentupon the ground, but at intervals gazing about over the country; it wasevident they were in search of something, and this would be theshe-camel, that lay tethered in the bottom of the sand-gorse, close tothe spot occupied by our adventurers. 

"They've gone off on the wrong track, " said Colin, taking his eye fromthe glass as soon as the switch tail of the maherry disappeared behindthe slope of a sand-dune. "So much the better for us. My heart was atmy mouth just a minute ago. I was sure it was all over with us. "

"You think they haven't seen the shine of the lens?" interrogated Harry. 

"Of course not; or else they'd have come on to examine it. Instead, they've left the beach altogether. They've gone inland, among thehills. They're no longer in sight. "

"Good!" ejaculated Terence, raising his head over the ridge, as did alsothe others. 

"Och! good yez may well say, Masther Terence. Jist look what foolswe've been all four av us! We never thought av the thracks, nayther wannor other av us. "

As Bill spoke he pointed down towards the beach, in the direction inwhich he had made his late crawling excursion. There, distinctlytraceable in the half-wet sand, were the marks he had made both goingand returning, as if a huge tortoise or crocodile had been draggingitself over the ground. 

The truth of his words was apparent to all. It was chance, and nottheir cunning, that had saved them from discovery. Had the owner of thecamel but continued another hundred yards along the beach, he could nothave failed to see the double "trail" made by the sailor; and of coursewould have followed it to the spot where they were hidden. As it was, the two mounted men had not come near enough to note the sign made bythe old salt in his laborious flounderings; and perhaps fancying theyhad followed the strand far enough, they had struck off into theinterior, through the opening of the sand-hills, in the belief that theshe-camel might have done the same. 

Whatever may have been their reason, they were now gone out of sight, and the long stretch of desert shore was once more under the eyes of ouradventurers, unrelieved by the appearance of anything that might becalled a living creature. 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. 

THE "DESERT SHIP. "

Though there was now nothing within sight between them, they did notthink it prudent to move out of the gorge, nor even to raise their headsabove the level of the sand-wreath. They did so only at intervals, toassure themselves that the "coast was clear"; and satisfied on thisscore, they would lower their heads again, and remain in this attitudeof concealment. 

One with but slight knowledge of the circumstances, or with the countryin which they were, might consider them over-cautious in acting thus, and might fancy that in their forlorn, shipwrecked condition they shouldhave been but too glad to meet men. 

On the contrary, a creature of their own shape was the last thing theydesired either to see or encounter; and for reasons already given intheir conversation, they could meet no men there who would not be theirenemies, worse than that, their tyrants, perhaps their torturers. OldBill was sure of this from what he had heard. So were Colin and Harryfrom what they had read. Terence alone was incredulous as to thecruelty of which the sailor had given such a graphic picture. 

Terence, however rash he was by nature, allowed himself to be overruledby his more prudent companions; and therefore, up to the hour when thetwilight began to empurple the sea, no movement towards stirring fromtheir place of concealment was made by any of the party. 

The patient camel shared their silent retreat; though they had takenprecautions against its straying from them, had it felt so inclined, bytying its shanks securely together. Towards evening the animal wasagain milked, in the same fashion as in the morning; and, reinvigoratedby its bountiful yield, our adventurers prepared to depart from a spotof which, notwithstanding the friendly concealment it had afforded them, they were all heartily tired. 

Their preparations were easily made, and occupied scarce ten seconds oftime. It was only to untether the camel and take to the road, or, asHarry jocosely termed it, "unmoor the desert ship and begin theirvoyage. "

Just as the last gleam of daylight forsook the white crests of thesand-hills, and went flickering afar over the blue waters of the ocean, they stole forth from their hiding-place, and started upon a journey ofwhich they knew neither the length nor the ending. 

Even of the direction of that undetermined journey they had but a vagueconception. They believed that the coast trended northward andsouthward, and that one of these points was the proper one to head for. It was almost "heads or tails" which of them they should take, and hadthey been better acquainted with their true situation, it might as wellhave been determined by a toss up, for any chance they had of everarriving at a civilised settlement. But they knew not that. They had abelief, the old sailor stronger than the rest, that there werePortuguese forts along the coast, chiefly to the southward, and that bykeeping along shore they might reach one of these. There were suchestablishments it is true--still are; and though at that time there weresome nearer to the point where their ship had been wrecked, none werenear enough to be reached by the starving castaway, howeverperseveringly he might travel towards them. 

Ignorant of the impracticability of their attempt, our adventurersentered upon it with a spirit worthy of success--worthy of the countryfrom which they had come. 

For some time the maherry was led in hand, Old Bill being its conductor. All four had been well rested during the day; and none of them cared toride. 

As the tide, however, was now beginning to creep up into the sandyinlets, to avoid walking in water, they were compelled to keep well highup on the beach; and this forced them to make their way through the softyielding sand--a course that required considerable exertion. 

One after another now began to feel fatigue, and talk about it as well;and then the proposal was made that the maherry, who stepped over theunsure surface with as much apparent lightness as a cat would have done, should be made to carry at least one of the party. They could ride inturns, which would give each of them an opportunity of resting. 

No sooner was the proposition made than it was carried into execution;Terence, who had been the one to advance it, being hoisted up to thehump of the camel. 

But though the young O'Connor had been accustomed the saddle fromchildhood, and had ridden "across country" on many an occasion, it wasnot long before he became dissatisfied with the saddle of a maherry. The rocking, and jolting, and "pitching" as our adventurers termed it, from larboard to starboard, fore and aft, and alow and aloft, sooncaused Terence to sing out "belay"; and he descended into the soft sandwith a much greater desire for walking than the moment before he had hadfor riding. 

Harry Blount took his place; but although the young Englishman had beenequally accustomed to a hunting saddle, he found that his experiencewent but a little way towards making him easy on the hump of a maherry;and he was soon in the mood for dismounting. 

The son of Scotia next climbed upon the back of the camel. Whether itwas that natural pride of prowess which oft impels his countrymen toperseverance and daring deeds--whether it was that, or whether it arosefrom a sterner power of endurance, certain it is that Colin kept hisseat longer than either of his predecessors. 

But even Scotch sinews could not hold out against such a tension, such abursting and wrenching and tossing, and it ended by Colin declaring thatupon the whole he would prefer making the journey upon "Shanks's mare. "

Saying this he slid down from the shoulders of the ungainly animal, resigning the creature once more to the conduct of Old Bill, who hadstill kept hold of the halter. 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. 

HOMEWARD BOUND. 

The experience of his young companions might have deterred the sailorfrom imitating their example; more especially as Bill, according to hisown statement, had never been "aboard" a saddle in his life. But theydid not, and for special reasons. Awkward as the old salt might feel ina saddle, he felt not less awkward afoot. That is ashore--on terrafirma. 

Place him on the deck of a ship, or in the rigging of one, and no man inall England's navy could have been more secure as to his footing, ormore difficult to dispossess of it; but set Sailor Bill upon shore, andexpect him to go ahead, you would be disappointed; you might as wellexpect a fish to make progress on land; and you would witness a speciesof locomotion more resembling that of a manatee or a seal than of ahuman biped. As the old man-o'-war's-man had now been floundering for amile through the soft shore-sand, he was thoroughly convinced that anymode of progression must be preferable to that; and as soon as the youngScotchman descended from his seat he climbed into it. He had not muchclimbing to do, for the well-trained maherry, when any one wished tomount him, at once knelt down, making the ascent to his "summits" aseasy as possible. 

Just as the sailor had got firmly into the saddle, the moon shone outwith a brilliance that almost rivalled the light of day. In the midstof that desert landscape, against the ground of snow-white sand, thefigures of both camel and rider were piquantly conspicuous; and althoughthe one was figuratively a ship, and the other really a sailor, theirjuxtaposition offered a contrast of the queerest kind. So ludicrous didit seem that the three "mids", disregarding all ideas of danger, brokeforth with one accord into a strain of loud and continuous laughter. 

They had all seen camels, or pictures of these animals; but never beforeeither a camel or the picture of one with a sailor upon his back. Thevery idea of a dromedary carries along with it the cognate spectacle ofan Arab on its back--a slim, sinewy individual of swarth complexion andpicturesque garb, a bright burnouse streaming around his body, with atwisted turban on his head. But a tall camel surmounted by a sailor, indreadnought jacket and sou'wester, was a picture to make a Solon laugh, let alone a trio of midshipmen; and it drew from the latter such acachinnation as caused the shores of the Saara to echo with sounds ofjoy, perhaps never heard there before. Old Bill was not angry. He wasonly gratified to see these young gentlemen in such good spirits; andcalling upon them to keep close after him, he gave the halter to hismaherry and started off over the sand. 

For some time his companions kept pace with him, doing their best. Butit soon became apparent, even to the sailor himself, that unlesssomething was done to restrain the impetuosity of the camel, he mustsoon be separated from those following afoot. 

This something its rider felt himself incapable of accomplishing. It istrue he still held the halter in his hand, but this gave him but slightcontrol over the camel. It was not a Mameluke bit, not even a snaffle, and for directing the movements of the animal the old sailor felthimself as helpless as if standing by the wheel of a seventy-four thathad unshipped her rudder. Just like a ship in such a situation did themaherry behave. Surging through the ocean of soft sand, now mountingthe spurs that trended down to the beach, now descending headlong intodeep gullies, like troughs between the ocean waves, and glidingsilently, gently forward as a shallop upon a smooth sea. Such was thecourse that the sailor was pursuing. Very different, however, were hisreflections to those he would have indulged in on board a man-o'-war;and if any man ever sneered at that simile which likens a camel to aship, it was Sailor Bill upon that occasion. 

"Avast there!" cried he, as soon as the maherry had fairly commencedmoving. "Shiver my old timbers! what do yez mean, you brute? Belaythere! belay! 'Ang it, I must pipe all hands, an' take in sail. Wherethe deevil are ye steerin' to? Be jabers, yez may laugh, younggentlemen, but this ain't a fair weather craft, I tell yez. Thunder an'guns! it be as much as I can do to keep her to her course. Hullo! she'soff afore the wind!"

As the rider of the maherry gave out this declaration, the animal wasseen suddenly to increase its speed, not only in a progressive ratio, but at once to double quick, as if impelled by some powerful motive. 

At the same time it was heard to utter a strange cry, half scream, halfsnort, which could not have been caused by any action on the part of itsrider. 

It was already over a hundred yards in advance of those following onfoot; but after giving out that startling cry, the distance becamequickly increased, and in a few seconds of time the three astonished"mids" saw only the shadow of a maherry, with a sailor upon its back, first dissolving into dim outline until it finally disappeared behindthe sand-dunes that abutted upon the beach. 

CHAPTER NINETEEN. 

THE DANCE INTERRUPTED. 

Leaving the midshipmen to their mirth, which, however, was not of verylong duration, we must follow Sailor Bill and the runaway camel. 

In reality the maherry had made off with him, though for what reason thesailor could not divine. He only knew that it was going at the rate ofnine or ten knots an hour, and going its own way; for instead of keepingto the line of the coast, the direction he would have wished it to take, it had suddenly turned tail upon the sea, and headed towards theinterior of the country. 

Its rider had already discovered that he had not the slightest controlover it. He had tugged upon the hair halter and shouted "Avast!" untilboth his arms and tongue were tired. All to no purpose. The camelscorned his commands, lent a deaf ear to his entreaties, and paid notthe slightest heed to his attempt to pull up, except to push on in theopposite direction, with its snout elevated in the air and its longungainly neck stretched forward in the most determined and provokingfashion. 

There was not much force in the muscular efforts made to check it. Itwas just as much as its rider could do to balance himself on its hump, which, of course, he had to do Arab fashion, sitting upon the saddle ason a chair, with his feet resting upon the back of the animal's neck. It was this position that rendered his seat so insecure, but no othercould have been adopted in the saddle of a maherry, and the sailor wascompelled to keep it as well as he could. 

At the time the animal first started off, it had not gone at so rapid apace but that he might have slipped down upon the soft sand without muchdanger of being injured. This for an instant he had thought of doing;but knowing that while "unhorsing" himself the camel might escape, hehad voluntarily remained on its back, in the hope of being able to pullthe animal up. 

On becoming persuaded that this would be impossible, and that themaherry had actually made off with him, it was too late to dismountwithout danger. The camel was now shambling along so swiftly that hecould not slip down without submitting himself to a fall. It would beno longer a tumble upon soft sand, for the runaway had suddenly swervedinto a deep gorge, the bottom of which was thickly strewed with bouldersof rock, and through these the maherry was making way with the speed ofa fast-trotting horse. 

Had its rider attempted to abandon his high perch upon the hump, hischances would have been good for getting dashed against one of the bigboulders, or trodden under the huge hoofs of the maherry itself. 

Fully alive to this danger, Old Bill no more thought of throwing himselfto the ground; but on the contrary, held on to the lump with all thetenacity that lay in his well tarred digits. 

He had continued to shout for some time after parting with hiscompanions; but as this availed nothing, he at length desisted, and wasnow riding the rest of his race in silence. 

When was it to terminate? Whither was the camel conducting him? Thesewere the questions that now came before his mind. 

He thought of an answer, and it filled him with apprehension. Theanimal was evidently in eager haste. It was snuffing the wind in itsprogress forward; something ahead seemed to be attracting it. Whatcould this something be but its home, the tent from which it hadstrayed, the dwelling of its owner? And who could that owner be but oneof those cruel denizens of the desert they had been taking such pains toavoid?

The sailor was allowed but little time for conjectures; for almost onthe instant of his shaping this, the very first one, the maherry shotsuddenly round a hill, bringing him in full view of a spectacle thatrealised it. 

A small valley, or stretch of level ground enclosed by surroundingridges, lay before him; its grey sandy surface interspersed by a fewpatches of darker colour, which the moon, shining brightly from a bluesky, disclosed to be tufts of tussock-grass and mimosa bushes. 

These however, did not occupy the attention of the involuntary visitorto that secluded spot; but something else that appeared in their midst--something that proclaimed the presence of human beings. 

Near the centre of the little valley half a dozen dark objects stood upseveral feet above the level of the ground. Their size, shape, andcolour proclaimed their character. They were tents, the tents of aBedouin encampment. The old man-o'-war's-man had never seen suchbefore; but there was no mistaking them for anything else; even going ashe was at a speed that prevented him from having a very clear view ofthem. 

In a few seconds, however, he was near enough to distinguish somethingmore than the tents. They stood in a sort of circle of about twentyyards in diameter, and within this could be seen the forms of men, women, and children. Around were animals of different sorts; horses, camels, sheep, goats, and dogs, grouped according to their kind, withthe exception of the dogs, which appeared to be straying everywhere. This varied tableau was distinctly visible under the light of a fullmellow moon. 

There were voices; shouting and singing. There was music, made uponsome rude instrument. The human forms, both of men and women, were inmotion, circling and springing about. The sailor saw they were dancing. 

He heard and saw all this in a score of seconds, as the maherry hurriedhim forward into their midst. The encampment was close to the bottom ofthe hill round which the camel had carried him. He had at length madeup his mind to dismount _coute qui coute_; but there was no time. Before he could make a movement to fling himself from the shoulders ofthe animal, he saw that he was discovered. A cry coming from the tentsadmonished him of this fact. It was too late to attempt a retreat, and, in a state of desponding stupor, he stuck to the saddle. Not muchlonger. The camel, with a snorting scream, responding to the call ofits fellows, rushed on into the encampment, right into the very circleof the dancers; and there, amidst the shouts of men, the screeches ofwomen, the yelling of children, the neighing of horses, the bleating ofsheep and goats, and the barking of a score or two of cur dogs, theanimal stopped, with such abrupt suddenness that its rider, afterperforming a somersault through the air, came down on all-fours in frontof its projecting snout!

In such fashion was Sailor Bill introduced to the Arab encampment. 

CHAPTER TWENTY. 

A SERIO-COMICAL RECEPTION. 

It need scarce be said that the advent of the stranger produced somesurprise among the Terpsichorean crowd, into the midst of which he hadbeen so unceremoniously projected. And yet this surprise was not suchas might have been expected. One might suppose that an Englishman-o'-war's-man, in pilot-cloth pea-jacket, glazed hat, and wide ducktrousers, would have been a singular sight to the eyes of thedark-skinned individuals who now encircled him; dressed, as all of themwere, in gay-coloured floating shawl-robes, slippered or sandalled feet, and with fez caps or turbans on their heads. 

Not a bit of a singular sight; neither the colour of his skin, nor hissailor-costume, had caused surprise to those who surrounded him. Bothwere matters with which they were well acquainted, alas! too well. 

The astonishment they had exhibited arose simply from the _sans facon_manner of his coming amongst them; and on the instant after itdisappeared, giving place to a feeling of a different kind. 

Succeeding to the shouts of surprise, arose a simultaneous peal oflaughter from men, women, and children; in which even the animals seemedto join, more especially the maherry, who stood with its uncouth headcraned over its dismounted rider, and looking uncontrollably comic. 

In the midst of this universal exclamation the sailor rose to his feet. He might have been disconcerted by the reception, had his senses beenclear enough to comprehend what was passing. But they were not. Theeffects of that fearful somersault had confused him; and he had onlyrisen to an erect attitude under a vague instinct or desire to escapefrom that company. 

After staggering some paces over the ground, his thoughts returned tohim; and he more clearly comprehended his situation. Escape was out ofthe question. He was prisoner to a party of wandering Bedouins, theworst to be found in all the wide expanse of the Saaran desert, thewreckers of the Atlantic coast. 

The sailor might have felt surprise at seeing a collection of familiarobjects, into the midst of which he had wandered. By the doorway of atent, one of the largest upon the ground, there was a pile ofparaphernalia, every article of which was typical, not of the Saara, butthe sea. There were "belongings" of the cabin and caboose, the 'tweendecks and the forecastle, all equally proclaiming themselves the debrisof a castaway ship. 

The sailor could have no conjectures as to the vessel to which they hadbelonged. He knew the articles by sight, one and all of them. Theywere the spoils of the corvette that had been washed ashore and falleninto the hands of the wreckers. 

Among them Old Bill saw some things that had appertained to himself. 

On the opposite side of the encampment, by another large tent, was asecond pile of ship's equipments, like the first guarded by a sentinel, who squatted beside it. The sailor looked around in expectation to seesome of the corvette's crew. Some might have escaped, like himself andhis three companions, by reaching the shore on cask, coop, or spar. Ifso, they had not fallen into the hands of the wreckers; or if they had, they were not in the camp, unless, indeed, they might be inside some ofthe tents. This was not likely. Most probably they had all beendrowned, or had succumbed to a worse fate than drowning--death at thehands of the cruel coast robbers who now surrounded the survivor. 

The circumstances under which the old sailor made these reflections weresuch as to render the last hypothesis sufficiently probable. He wasbeing pushed about and dragged over the ground by two men, armed withlong curved scimitars, contesting some point with one another, apparently as to which should be first to cut off his head!

Both of these men appeared to be chiefs, "sheiks", as the sailor heardthem called by their followers; a party of whom, also with arms in theirhands, stood behind each sheik, all seemingly alike eager to perform theact of decapitation. 

So near seemed the old sailor's head to being cut off, that for someseconds he was not quite sure whether it still remained upon hisshoulders. He could not understand a word that passed between thecontending parties; though there was talk enough to have satisfied asitting of parliament, and probably with about the same quantity ofsense in it. 

Before it had proceeded far, the sailor began to comprehend, not fromthe speeches made, but the gestures that accompanied them, that it wasnot the design of either party to cut off his head. The drawnscimitars, sweeping through the air, were not aimed at his neck, butrather in mutual menace of one another. 

Old Bill could see that there was some quarrel between the two sheiks, of which he was himself the cause; that the camp was not a unityconsisting of a single chief, his family, and following; but that therewere two separate leaders, each with his adherents, perhaps temporarilyassociated together for purposes of plunder. 

That they had collected the wreck of the corvette, and divided thespoils between them, was evident from the two heaps being kept carefullyapart, each piled up near the tent of a chief. 

The old man-o'-war's-man made his observations in the midst of greatdifficulties; for while noting these particulars, he was pulled aboutthe place, first by one sheik, then by the other, each retaining hisdisputed person in temporary possession. 

From the manner in which they acted, he could tell that it was hisperson that was the subject of dispute, and that both wanted to be theproprietor of it. 

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. 

THE TWO SHEIKS. 

There was a remarkable difference between the two men thus claimingownership in the body of Old Bill. One was a little weazen-facedindividual, whose yellow complexion and sharp angular featuresproclaimed him of the Arab stock; while his competitor showed a skin ofalmost ebon blackness, a frame of herculean development, a broad face, with flat nose and thick lubberly lips, a head of enormouscircumference, surmounted by a mop of woolly hair, standing erectseveral inches above his occiput. 

Had the sailor been addicted to ethnological speculations, he might havederived an interesting lesson from that contest, of which he was thecause. It might have helped him to a knowledge of the geography of thecountry in which he had been cast, for he was now upon that neutralterritory where the true Ethiopian, the son of Ham, occasionallycontests possession, both of the soil and the slave, with the wanderingchildren of Japhet. 

The two men who were thus quarrelling about the possession of theEnglish tar, though both of African origin, could scarce have been moreunlike had their native countries been the antipodes of each other. 

Their object was not so different, though even in this there was acertain dissimilation. Both designed making the shipwrecked sailor aslave. But the sheik of Arabs aspects wished to possess him, with aview to his ultimate ransom. He knew that by carrying him northwardsthere would be a chance to dispose of him at a good price, either to theJew merchants at Wedinoin, or the European consuls at Mogador. It wouldnot be the first Saaran castaway he had in this manner restored to hisfriends and his country, not from any motives of humanity, but simplyfor the profit it produced. 

On the other hand, the black competitor had a different, though somewhatsimilar, purpose in view. His thoughts extended towards the south. There lay the emporium of his commerce, the great mud-built town ofTimbuctoo. Little as a white man was esteemed among the Arab merchantswhen considered as a mere slave, the sable sheik knew that in the southof the Saara he would command a price, if only as a curiosity to figureamong the followers of the sultan of some grand interior city. For thisreason, therefore, was the black determined upon the possession of Bill, and showed as much eagerness to become his owner as did his tawnycompetitor. 

After several minutes spent in words and gestures of mutual menace, which, from the wild shouts and flourishing of scimitars, seemed as ifit could only end in a general lopping off of heads, somewhat to theastonishment of the sailor tranquillity became restored without any onereceiving scratch or cut. 

The scimitars were returned to their scabbards; and although the affairdid not appear to be decided, the contest was now carried on in a morepacific fashion by words. A long argument ensued, in which both sheikdisplayed their oratorial powers. Though the sailor could notunderstand a word of what was said, he could tell that the little Arabwas urging his ownership, on the plea that the camel which had carriedthe captive into the encampment was his property, and on this accountwas he entitled to the "waif. "

The black seemed altogether to dissent from this doctrine; on his sidepointing to the two heaps of plunder; as much as to say that his shareof the spoils, already obtained, was the smaller one. 

At this crisis a third party stepped between the two disputants, a youngfellow, who appeared to have some authority with both. His behaviourtold Bill that he was acting as mediator. Whatever was the proposalmade by him, it appeared to satisfy both parties, as both at oncedesisted from their wordy warfare, at the same time that they seemedpreparing to settle the dispute in some other way. 

The mode was soon made apparent. A spot of smooth even sand wasselected by the side of the encampment, to which the two sheiks, followed by their respective parties, repaired. 

A square figure was traced out, inside of which several rows of littleround holes were scooped in the sand, and then the rival sheiks satdown, one on each side of the figure. Each had already provided himselfwith a number of pellets of camels' dung, which were now placed in theholes, and the play of "helga" was now commenced. 

Whoever won the game was to become possessed of the single stake, whichwas neither more nor less than Sailor Bill. 

The game proceeded by the shifting of the dung pellets in a particularfashion, from hole to hole, somewhat similar to the moving of draughtsupon the squares of a chequer-board. 

During the play not a word was spoken by either party, the two sheikssquatting opposite each other, and making their moves with as muchgravity as a pair of chess-players engaged in some grand tournament ofthis intellectual game. 

It was only when the affair ended that the noise broke forth again, which it did in loud triumphant shouts from the conquering party, withexpressions of chagrin on the side of the conquered. 

By interpreting these shouts Bill could tell that he had fallen to theblack; and this was soon after placed beyond doubt by the latter comingup and taking possession of him. 

It appeared, however, that there had been certain subsiding conditionsto the play; and that the sailor had been in some way or another stakedagainst his own clothes, for before being fully appropriated by hisowner he was stripped to his shirt, and his habiliments, shoes andsou'wester included, were handed over to the sheik who had playedsecond-best in the game of "helga". In this forlorn condition was theold sailor conducted to the tent of his sable master, and placed like anadditional piece upon the pile of plunder already apportioned. 

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. 

SAILOR BILL BESHREWED. 

Sailor Bill said not a word. He had no voice in the disposal of thestakes, which were himself and his "toggery", and, knowing this, heremained silent. 

He was not allowed to remain undisturbed. During the progress of thegame, he had become the cynosure of a large circle of eyes, belonging tothe women and children of the united tribes. 

He might have looked for some compassion, at least, from the femaleportion of those who formed his _entourage_. Half famished with hunger, a fact which he did not fail to communicate by signs, he might haveexpected them to relieve his wants. The circumstance of his making themknown might argue that he did expect some sort of kind treatment. 

It was not much, however. His hopes were but slight, and sprang ratherfrom a knowledge of his own necessities, and of what the women ought tohave done, than what they were likely to do. Old Bill had heard toomuch of the character of these hags of the Saara, and their mode ofconducting themselves towards any unfortunate castaway who might bedrifted among them, to expect any great hospitality at their hands. 

His hopes, therefore, were moderate; but, for all that, they were doomedto disappointment. 

Perhaps in no other part of the world is the "milk of human kindness" socompletely wanting in the female breast as among the women of thewandering Arabs of Africa. Slaves to their imperious lords, even whenenjoying the sacred title of wife, they are themselves treated worsethan the animals which they have to manage and tend, even worse at timesthan their own bond-slaves, with whom they mingle almost on an equality. As in all like cases, this harsh usage, instead of producing sympathyfor others who suffer, has the very opposite tendency; as if they foundsome alleviation of their cruel lot in imitating the brutality of theiroppressors. 

Instead of receiving kindness, the old sailor became the recipient ofinsults; not only from their tongues, which he could not understand, butby acts and gestures which were perfectly comprehensible to him. 

While his ears were dinned by virulent speeches which, could he havecomprehended them, would have told him how much he was despised forbeing an infidel, and not a follower of the true Prophet; while his eyeswere well-nigh put out by dust thrown in his face, accompanied byspiteful expectorations, his body was belaboured by sticks, his skinscratched and pricked with sharp thorns, his whiskers lugged almost tothe dislocation of his jaws, and the hair of his head uprooted infistfuls from his pericranium. 

All this, too, amid screams and fiendish laughter that resembled anorgie of furies. 

These women--she-devils they better deserved to be called--were simplyfollowing out the teachings of their inhuman faith among religions, eventhat of Rome not excepted, the most inhuman that has ever cursedmankind. Had Old Bill been a believer in their "Prophet, " that falseseer of the blood-stained sword, their treatment of him would have beendirectly the reverse. Instead of kicks and cuffs, hustlings andscratchings, he would have been made welcome to a share in suchhospitality as they could have bestowed upon him. It was religion, notnature, made them act as they did. Their hardness of heart came notfrom God, but the Prophet. They were only carrying out the edicts oftheir "priests of a bloody faith. "

In vain did the old man-o'-war's-man cry out "belay" and "avast". Invain did he "shiver his timbers", and appeal against their scurvytreatment by looks, words, and gesture. 

These seemed only to augment the mirth and spitefulness of histormentors. 

In this scene of cruelty there was one woman conspicuous among the rest. By her companions she was called Fatima. The old sailor, ignorant ofArabic feminine names, thought it a "misnomer", for of all hisshe-persecutors she was the leanest and scraggiest. Notwithstanding thepoetical notions which the readers of Oriental romance might associatewith her name, there was not much poetry about the personage who soassiduously assaulted Sailor Bill, pulling his whiskers, slapping hischeeks, and every now and then spitting in his face. 

She was something more than middle-aged, short squat, and meagre, withthe eye-teeth projecting on both sides so as to hold up the upper lipand exhibit all the others in their ivory whiteness, with an expressionresembling that of the hyena. This is considered beauty, a fashion infull vogue among her country-women who cultivate it with great care, though to the eyes of the old sailor it rendered the hag all the morehideous. 

But the skinning of the eye-teeth was not the only attempt at ornamentmade by this belle of the desert. Strings of black beads hung over herwrinkled bosom, circlets of white bone were set in her hair, armlets andbangles adorned her wrists and ankles, and altogether did her costumeand behaviour betoken one distinguished among the crowd of hispersecutors, in short, their sultana or queen. 

And such did she prove; for on the black sheik appropriating the oldsailor as a stake fairly won in the game, and rescuing his newlyacquired property from the danger of being damaged, Fatima followed himto his tent with such demonstrations as showed her to be if not the"favourite", certainly the head of the harem. 

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. 

STARTING ON THE TRACK. 

As already said, the mirth of the three midshipmen was brought to aquick termination. It ended on the instant of Sailor Bill'sdisappearance behind the spur of the sand-hills. At the same instantall three came to a stop, and stood regarding one another with looks ofuneasiness and apprehension. 

All agreed that the maherry had made away with the old man-o'-war's-man. There could be no doubt about it. Bill's shouts, as he was hurried outof their hearing, proved that he was doing his best to bring to, andthat the "ship of the desert" would not yield obedience to her helm. 

They wondered a little why he had not slipped off and let the animal go. They could not see why he should fear to drop down in the soft sand. He might have had a tumble, but nothing to do him any serious injury, nothing to break a bone or dislocate a joint. They supposed he hadstuck to the saddle from not wishing to abandon the maherry, and in hopeof soon bringing it to a halt. 

This was just what he had done for the first three or four hundredyards. After that he would only have been too well satisfied toseparate from the camel and let it go its way. But then he was amongthe rough, jaggy rocks through which the path led; and then dismountingwas no longer to be thought of without also thinking of dangerconsidering that the camel was nearly ten feet in height, and going at apitching pace of ten miles to the hour. To have forsaken his saddle atthat moment, would have been to risk the breaking of his neck. 

From where they stood looking after him the mids could not make out thecharacter of the ground. Under the light of the moon the surface seemedall of a piece--all a bed of smooth, soft sand. For this reason werethey perplexed by his behaviour. 

There was that in the incident to make them apprehensive. The maherrywould not have gone off at such a gait without some powerful motive toimpel it. Up to that moment it had shown no particular penchant forrapid travelling, but had been going under their guidance with a steadysober docility. Something must have attracted it towards the interior. What could that something be, if not the knowledge that its home or itscompanions were to be found in this direction?

This was the conjecture that came simultaneously into the minds of allthree, as is known the correct one. 

There could be no doubt that their companion had been carried towards anencampment; for no other kind of settlement could be thought of in sucha place. It was even a wonder that this could exist in the midst of adreary wild expanse of pure sand, like that surrounding them. Perhaps, thought they, there may be "land" towards the interior of the country, aspot of firm soil, with vegetation upon it; in short, an oasis. 

After their first surprise had partially subsided, they took counsel asto their course. Should they stay where they were, and wait for Bill'sreturn? Or should they follow, in the hope of overtaking him?

Perhaps he might not return? If carried into a camp of barbaroussavages it was not likely that he would. He would be seized and heldcaptive to a dead certainty. But surely he would not be such asimpleton as to allow the maherry to transport him into the midst of hisenemies?

Again sprang up their surprise at his not having made an effort todismount. 

For some ten or fifteen minutes the midshipmen stood hesitating, theireyes all the while bent on the moonlit opening through which the maherryhad disappeared. There were no signs of anything in the pass, at leastanything like either a camel or a sailor. Only the bright beams of themoon glittering upon crystals of purest sand. 

They thought they heard sounds, the cries of quadrupeds mingling withthe voices of men. There were voices, too, of shriller intonation, thatmight have proceeded from the throats of women. 

Colin was confident he heard such. He was not contradicted by hiscompanions, who simply said they could not be sure they heard anything. 

But for the constant roaring of the breakers, rolling up almost to thespot upon which they stood, they would have declared themselvesdifferently; for at that moment there was a chorus being carried on atno great distance, in a variety of most unmusical sounds, comprising thebark of the dog, the neigh of the horse, the snorting scream of thedromedary, the bleat of the sheep, and the sharper cry of its nearkindred the goat, along with the equally wild and scarce more articulateutterances of savage men, women, and children. 

Colin was convinced that he heard all these sounds, and declared thatthey could only proceed from some encampment. His companions, knowingthat the young Scotsman was sharp-eared, made no attempt to question hisbelief; but, on the contrary, gave ready credence to it. 

Under any circumstances it seemed of no use to remain where they were. If Bill did not return, they were bound in honour to go after him, and, if possible, find out what had become of him. If, on the other hand, heshould be coming back, they must meet him somewhere in the pass throughwhich the camel had carried him off, since there was no other by whichhe might conveniently get back to them. 

This point determined, the three mids, setting their faces for theinterior of the country, started off towards the break between thesand-hills. 

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. 

BILL TO BE ABANDONED. 

They proceeded with caution, Colin even more than his companions. Theyoung Englishman was not so distrustful of the "natives", whoever theymight be, as the son of Scotia; and as for O'Connor, he still persistedin the belief that there would be little if any danger in meeting withmen, and in his arguments still continued to urge seeking such anencounter as the best course they could pursue. 

"Besides, " said Terence, "Colin says he hears the voices of women andchildren. Sure no human creature that's got a woman and child in hiscompany would be such a cruel brute as you make out this desertEthiopian to be? Sailors' stories, to gratify the melodramatic ears ofMoll and Poll and Sue! Bah! if there be an encampment, let's gostraight into it, and demand hospitality of them. Sure they must beArabs; and sure you've heard enough of Arab hospitality?"

"More than's true, Terry, " rejoined the young Englishman. "More than'strue, I fear. "

"You may well say that, " said Colin, confirmingly. "From what I'veheard and read, ay, and from something I've seen while up theMediterranean, a more beggarly hospitality than that called Arab don'texist on the face of the earth. It's all well enough, so long as you'reone of themselves, and, like them, a believer in their pretendedProphet. Beyond that, an Arab has got no more hospitality than a hyena. You're both fond of talking about skinflint Scotchmen. "

"True, " interrupted Terence, who, even in that serious situation, couldnot resist such a fine opportunity for displaying his Irish humour. "Inever think of a Scotchman without thinking of his skin. `God bless thegude Duke of Argyle!'"

"Shame, Terence!" interrupted Harry Blount; "our situation is tooserious for jesting. "

"He, all of us, may find it so before long, " continued Colin, preservinghis temper unruffled. "If that yelling crowd, that I can now hearplainer than ever, should come upon us, we'll have something else tothink of than jokes about gude `Duke o' Argyle'. Hush! Do you hearthat? Does it convince you that men and women are near? There arescores of both kinds. "

Colin had come to a stop, the others imitating his example. They werenow more distant from the breakers, whose roar was somewhat deadened bythe intervention of a sand-spur. In consequence, the other sounds wereheard more distinctly. They could no longer be mistaken, even by theincredulous O'Connor. 

There were voices of men, women and children, cries and calls ofquadrupeds, each according to its own kind, all mingled together in whatmight have been taken for some nocturnal saturnalia of the desert. 

The crisis was that in which Sailor Bill had become a subject of disputebetween the two sheiks, in which not only their respective followers ofthe biped kind appeared to take part, but also every quadruped in thecamp: dogs and dromedaries, horses, goats, and sheep, as if each had aninterest in the ownership of the old man-o'-war's-man. 

The grotesque chorus was succeeded by an interval of silence, uninterrupted and profound. This was while the two sheiks were playingtheir game of "helga, " the "chequers" of the Saara, with Sailor Bill astheir stake. 

During this tranquil interlude, the three midshipmen had advancedthrough the rock-strewn ravine, had crept cautiously inside the ridgesthat encircled the camp, and concealed by the sparse bushes of mimosa, and favoured by the light of a full moon, had approached near enough totake note of what was passing among the tents. 

What they saw there, and then, was confirmatory of the theory of theyoung Scotchman; and convinced not only Harry Blount, but TerenceO'Connor, that the stories of Arab hospitality were not only untrue, butdiametrically opposed to the truth. 

There was old Bill before their faces, stripped to the shirt, to the"buff, " surrounded by a circle of short squat women, dark-skinned, withblack hair, and eyes sparkling in the moonlight, who were torturing himwith tongue and touch, who pinched and spat upon him, who lookedaltogether like a band of infernal furies collected around some innocentvictim that had fallen among them, and giving full play to theirfiendish instincts. 

Although they were witnesses to the subsequent rescue of Bill by theblack sheik, and the momentary release of the old sailor from histormentors, it did not increase their confidence in the crew whooccupied the encampment. 

From the way in which the old salt appeared to be treated, they couldtell that he was regarded by the hosts into whose hands he had fallen, not as a guest, but simply as a "piece of goods, " just like any otherwaif of the wreck that had been washed on that inhospitable shore. 

In whispers the three mids made known their thoughts to one another. Harry Blount no longer doubted the truth of Colin's statements; andO'Connor had become equally converted from his incredulity. The conductof the women towards the unfortunate castaway, which all threewitnessed, told like the tongue of a trumpet. It was cruel beyondquestion. What, when exercised, must be that of their men?

To think of leaving their old comrade in such keeping was not a pleasantreflection. It was like their abandoning him upon the sandspit, to thethreatening engulfment of the tide. Even worse: for the angry breakersseemed less spiteful than the hags who surrounded him in the Arab camp. 

Still, what could the boys do? Three midshipmen, armed only with theirtiny dirks, what chance would they have among so many? There werescores of these sinewy sons of the desert, without counting the shrewishwomen, each armed with gun and scimitar, any one of whom ought to havebeen more than a match for a mid. It would have been sheer folly tohave attempted a rescue. Despair only could have sanctioned such acourse. 

In a whispered consultation it was determined otherwise. The old sailormust be abandoned to his fate, just as he had been left upon thesandspit. His youthful companions could only breathe a prayer in hisbehalf, and express a hope that, as upon the latter occasion, someprovidential chance should turn up in his favour, and he might again bepermitted to rejoin them. 

After communicating this hope to one another, all three turned theirfaces shoreward, determined to put as much space between themselves andthe Arab encampment as night and circumstances would permit. 

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. 

A CAUTIOUS RETREAT. 

The ravine, up which the maherry had carried the old man-o'-war's-man, ran perpendicularly to the trending of the seashore, and almost in adirect line from the beach to the valley in which was the Arabencampment. It could not, however, be said to debouch into this valley. Across its mouth the sand-drift had formed a barrier, like a huge"snow-wreath, " uniting the two parallel ridges that formed the sides ofthe ravine itself. This "mouthpiece" was not so high as either of theflanking ridges; though it was nearly a hundred feet above the level ofthe beach on one side, and the valley on the other. Its crest, viewed_en profile_, exhibited a saddle-shaped curve, the concavity turnedupward. Through the centre of this saddle of sand, and transversely, the camel had carried Bill; and over the same track the three midshipmenhad gone in search of him. 

They had seen the Arab tents from the summit of the pass; and had itbeen daylight, need have gone no nearer to note what was being theredone. Even by the moonlight they had been able to make out the forms ofthe horses, camels, men, and women; but not with sufficient distinctnessto satisfy them as to what was going on. 

For this reason had they descended into the valley, creeping cautiouslydown the slope of the sand-wreath, and with equal caution advancing fromboulder to bush, and bush to boulder. 

On taking the back track to regain the beach, they still observedcaution, though perhaps not to such a degree as when approaching thecamp. Their desire to put space between themselves and the barbarousdenizens of the desert, of whose barbarity they had now obtained bothocular and auricular proof, had very naturally deprived them of thatprudent coolness which the occasion required. For all that, they didnot retreat with reckless rashness; and all three arrived at the bottomof the sloping sand-ridge without having any reason to think they hadbeen observed. 

But the most perilous point was yet to be passed. Against the face ofthe acclivity, there was not much danger of their being seen. The moonwas shining on the other side. That which they had to ascend was inshadow, dark enough to obscure the outlines of their bodies to an eyelooking in that direction, from such a distance as the camp. It was notwhile toiling up the slope that the dreaded detection, but at the momentwhen they must cross the saddle-shaped summit of the pass. Then, themoon being low down in the sky, directly in front of their faces, whilethe camp, still lower, was right behind their backs, it was notdifficult to tell that their bodies would be exactly aligned between theluminary of night and the sparkling eyes of the Arabs, and that theirfigures would be exhibited in conspicuous outline. 

It had been much the same way on their entrance to the oasis; but thenthey were not so well posted up in the peril of their position. Theynow wondered at their not having been observed while advancing; but thatcould be rationally accounted for on the supposition that the Bedouinshad been at the time too busy over Old Bill to take heed of anythingbeyond the limits of their encampment. It was different now. There wasquiet in the camp, though both male and female figures could be seenstirring among the tents. The saturnalia that succeeded the capture ofthe castaway had come to a close. A comparative peacefulness reignedthroughout the valley; but in this very tranquillity lay the dangerwhich our adventurers dreaded. 

With nothing else to attract their attention, the occupants of theencampments would be turning their eyes in every direction. If any ofthem should look westward at a given moment, that is, while the threemids should be "in the saddle, " the latter could not fail to bediscovered. What was to be done? There was no other way leading forthfrom the valley. It was on all sides encircled by steep ridges of sand, not so steep as to hinder them from being scaled; but on every side, except that on which they had entered, and by which they were about tomake their exit, the moon was shining in resplendent brilliance. A catcould not have crawled up anywhere, without being seen from the tents, even had she been of the hue of the sand itself. 

A hurried consultation, held between the trio of adventurers, convincedthem that there was nothing to be gained by turning back, nothing bygoing to the right or the left. There was no other way, no help for it, but to scale the ridge in front, and cut as quickly as possible acrossthe hollow of the saddle. 

There was one other way; or at least a deviation from the course whichhad thus recommended itself. It was to wait for the going down of themoon, before they should attempt the crossing. This prudent projectoriginated in the brain of the young Scotchman; and it might have beenwell if his companions had adopted the idea. But they would not. Whatthey had seen of Saaran civilisation had inspired them with a keendisgust for it; and they were only too eager to escape from itsproximity. The punishment inflicted upon poor Bill had made a painfulimpression upon them; and they had no desire to become the victims of asimilar chastisement. 

Colin did not urge his councils. He had been as much impressed by whathe had seen as his companions, and was quite as desirous as they to givethe Bedouins a wide berth. Withdrawing his opposition, therefore, heacceded to the original design; and without further ado, all threecommenced crawling up the slope. 

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. 

A QUEER QUADRUPED. 

Half way up they halted, though not to take breath. Strong-limbed, long-winded lads like them, who could have swarmed in two minutes to themain truck of a man-o'-war, needed no such indulgence as that. Insteadof one hundred feet of sloping sand, any one of them could have scaledSnowdon without stopping to look back. 

Their halt had been made from a different motive. It was sudden andsimultaneous, all three having stopped at the same time, and without anyprevious interchange of speech. The same cause had brought them to thatabrupt cessation in their climbing; and as they stood side by side, aligned upon one another, the eyes of all three were turned on the sameobject. 

It was an animal, a quadruped. It could not be anything else ifbelonging to a sublunary world; and to this it appeared to belong. Astrange creature notwithstanding; and one which none of the threeremembered to have met before. The remembrance of something like itflitted across their brains, seen upon the shelves of a museum, but notenough of resemblance to give a clue for its identification. 

The quadruped in question was not bigger than a "San Bernard, " a"Newfoundland", or a mastiff; but seen as it was, it loomed larger thanany of the three. Like these creatures, it was canine in shape, lupinewe should rather say, but of an exceedingly grotesque and ungainlyfigure. A huge square head seemed set without neck upon its shoulders;while its fore limbs, out of all proportion longer than the hind ones, gave to the spinal column a sharp downward slant towards the tail. Thelatter appendage, short and "bunchy", ended abruptly, as if either cutoff or "driven in"--adding to the uncouth appearance of the animal. Astiff hedge of hard bristles upon the back continued its _chevaux defrise_ along the short thick neck, till it ended between two erecttufted ears. Such was the shape of the beast that had suddenlypresented itself to the eyes of our adventurers. 

They had a good opportunity of observing its outlines. It was on theridge towards the crest of which they were advancing. The moon wasshining beyond. Every turn of its head or body, every motion made byits limbs, was conspicuously revealed against the luminous background ofthe sky. 

It was neither standing nor at rest in any way. Head, limbs, and bodywere all in motion, constantly changing, not only their relativeattitudes to one another, but their absolute situation in regard tosurrounding objects. 

And yet the change was anything but arbitrary. The relative movementsmade by the members of the animal's body, as well as the absolutealterations of position, were all in obedience to strictly natural laws, all repetitions of the same manoeuvre, worked with a monotony thatseemed mechanical. 

The creature was pacing to and fro, like a well-trained sentry, its"round" being the curved crest of the sand-ridge, from which it did notdeviate to the licence of an inch. Backward and forward did it traversethe saddle in a longitudinal direction--now poised upon the pommel, nowsinking downward into the seat, and then rising to the level of thegroup, now turning in the opposite direction, and retracing in longuncouth strides the path over which it appeared to have been passingsince the earliest hour of its existence!

Independent of the surprise which the presence of this animal hadcreated, there was something in its aspect calculated to cause terror. Perhaps, had the mids known what kind of creature it was, or been in anyway apprised of its real character, they would have paid less regard toits presence. Certainly not so much as they did: for instead ofadvancing upon it, and making their way over the crest of the ridge, they stopped in their track, and held a whispered consultation as towhat they should do. 

It is not to be denied that the barrier before them presented aformidable appearance. A brute, it appeared as big as a bull, formagnified by the moonlight, and perhaps a little by the fears of thosewho looked upon it, the quadruped was quite quadrupled in size. Disputing their passage too; for its movements made it manifest thatsuch was its design. Backwards and forwards, up and down that curvingcrest did it glide, with a nervous quickness that hindered any hope ofbeing able to rush past it, either before or behind, its own crest allthe while erected, like that of the dragon subdued by Saint George. 

With all his English pluck, even stimulated by this resemblance to thenational knight, Harry Blount felt shy to approach that creature thatchallenged the passage of himself and his companions. 

Had there been no danger _en arriere_, perhaps our adventurers wouldhave turned back into the valley, and left the ugly quadruped master ofthe pass. 

As it was, a different resolve was arrived at, necessity being thedictator. 

The three midshipmen, drawing their dirks, advanced, in line of battle, up the slope. The devil himself could scarce withstand such an assault. England, Scotland, Ireland, abreast, _tres juncti in uno_, united inthought, aim and action, was there aught upon earth, biped, quadruped, or _mille-pied_, that must not yield to the charge?

If there was, it was not that animal oscillating along the saddle ofsand, progressing from pommel to cantel, like the pendulum of a clock. 

Whether natural or supernatural, long before our adventurers got nearenough to decide, the creature, to use a phrase of very modern mention, "skedaddled", leaving them free, so far as it was concerned, to continuetheir retreat unmolested. 

It did not depart, however, until after delivering a salute, that leftour adventurers in greater doubt than ever of its true character. Theyhad been debating among themselves whether it was a thing of the earth, of time, or something that belonged to eternity. They had seen it undera fair light, and could not decide. But now that they had heard it, hadlistened to a strain of loud cachinnation, scarce mocking the laughterof the maniac, there was no escaping from the conclusion that what theyhad seen was either Satan himself, or one of his Ethiopian satellites. 

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. 

THE HUE AND CRY. 

As the strange creature that had threatened to dispute their passage wasno longer in sight, and seemed, moreover, to have gone clear away, thethree mids ceased to think any more of it; their minds being given tomaking their way over the ridge without being seen by the occupants ofthe encampment. 

Having returned their dirks to the sheath, they continued to advancetowards the crest of the transverse sand-spur, as cautiously as atstarting. 

It is possible they might have succeeded in crossing without beingperceived, but for a circumstance of which they had taken too littleheed. Only too well pleased, at seeing the strange quadruped make itsretreat, they had been less affected by its parting salutation, weirdand wild as this had sounded in their ears. But they had not thought ofthe effects which the same salute had produced upon the people of theArab camp, causing all of them, as it did, to turn their eyes in thedirection whence it was heard. To them there was no mystery in thatscreaming cachinnation. Unearthly as it had echoed in the ears of thethree mids, it fell with a perfectly natural tone on those of the Arabs:for it was but one of the well-known voices of their desert home, recognised by them as the cry of the laughing hyena. 

The effect produced upon the encampment was twofold. The childrenstraying outside the tents, like young chicks frightened by the swoopingof a hawk, ran inward; while their mothers, after the manner of so manyold hens, rushed forth to take them under their protection. Theproximity of a hungry hyena, more especially one of the laughingspecies, was a circumstance to cause alarm. All the fierce creaturerequired was a chance to close his strong vice-like jaws upon the limbsof one of those juvenile Ishmaelites, and that would be the last hismother would ever see of him. 

Knowing this, the screech of the hyena had produced a momentarycommotion among the women and children of the encampment. Neither hadthe men listened to it unmoved. In hopes of procuring its skin forhouse or tent furniture, and its flesh for food, for these hungrywanderers will eat anything, several had seized hold of their long guns, and rushed forth from among the tents. 

The sound had guided them as to the direction in which they should go;and as they ran forward they saw, not a hyena, but three human beingsjust mounting upon the summit of the sand-ridge, under the full light ofthe moon. So conspicuously did the latter appear upon the smooth crestof the wreath, that there was no longer any chance of concealment. Their dark blue dresses, the yellow buttons on their jackets, and thebands around their caps, were all discernible. It was the costume ofthe sea, not of the Saara. The Arab wreckers knew it at a glance; and, without waiting a second, every man of the camp sallied off in pursuit, each, as he started, giving utterance to an ejaculation of surprise orpleasure. 

Some hurried forward afoot, just as they had been going out to hunt thehyena; others climbed upon their swift camels; while a few, who ownedhorses, thinking they might do better with them, quickly caparisonedthem, and came galloping on after the rest; all three sorts of pursuers, footmen, horsemen, and maherrymen, seemingly as intent upon a contest ofscreaming, as upon a trial of speed. 

It is needless to say that the three midshipmen were, by this time, fully apprised of the hue and cry raised after them. It reached theirears just as they arrived upon the summit of the sand-ridge; and anydoubt they might have had as to its meaning was at once determined whenthey saw the Arabs brandishing their arms and rushing out like so manymadmen from among the tents. They stayed to see no more. To keep theirground could only end in their being captured, and carried prisoners tothe encampment; and after the spectacle they had just witnessed, inwhich the old man-o'-war's-man had played such a melancholy part, anyfate appeared preferable to that. 

With some such fear all three were affected; and simultaneously yieldingto it, they turned their backs upon the pursuit, and rushed headlongdown the ravine, up which they had so imprudently ascended. 

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. 

A SUBAQUEOUS ASYLUM. 

As the gorge was of no great length, and the downward incline in theirfavour, they were not long in getting to its lower end, and out to thelevel plain that formed the sea-beach. 

In their hurried traverse thither, it had not occurred to them toinquire for what purpose they were running towards the sea. There couldbe no chance of their escaping in that direction. Nor did there appearto be much in any other, afoot, as they were, and pursued by mountedmen. The night was too clear to offer any opportunity of hidingthemselves, especially in a country where there was neither brake, bush, nor scaur to conceal them. Go which way they would, or crouch whereverthey might, they would be almost certain of being discovered by theirlynx-eyed enemies. 

There was but one way in which they might have stood a chance of gettingclear, at least for a time. This was to have turned aside among thesand-ridges, and by keeping along some of the lateral hollows, doubleback upon their pursuers. There were several such side hollows; for ongoing up the main ravine, they had observed them, and also in goingdown; but in their hurry to put space between themselves and theirpursuers, they had overlooked this chance of concealment. 

At best it was but slim, though it was the only one that offered. Itonly presented itself when it was too late for them to take advantage ofit, only after they had got clear out of the gully and stood upon theopen level of the sea-beach, within less than two hundred yards of thesea itself. There they halted, partly to recover breath and partly tohold counsel as to their further course. 

There was not much time for either; and as the three stood in a trianglewith their faces turned towards each other, the moonlight shone uponlips and cheeks blanched with dismay. 

It now occurred to them for the first time, and simultaneously, thatthere was no hope of their escaping, either by flight or concealment. 

They were already some distance out upon the open plain, as conspicuousupon its surface of white sand, as would have been three black crows inthe middle of a field six inches under snow. 

They saw that they had made a mistake. They should have stayed amongthe sand-ridges, and sought shelter in some of the deep gullies thatdivided them. They bethought them of going back; but a moment'sdeliberation was sufficient to convince them that this was no longerpracticable. There would not be time, scarce even to re-enter theravine, before their pursuers would be upon them. 

It was an instinct that had caused them to rush towards the sea, theirhabitual home, for which they had thoughtlessly sped, notwithstandingtheir late rude ejection from it. Now that they stood upon its shore, as if appealing to it for protection, it seemed still desirous ofspurning them from its bosom, and leaving them without mercy to theirmerciless enemies. 

A line of breakers trended parallel to the water's edge, scarce acable's length from the shore, and not two hundred yards from the spotwhere they had come to a pause. 

They were not very formidable breakers, only the tide rolling over asand-bar, or a tiny reef of rocks. It was at best but a big surf, crested with occasional flakes of foam, and sweeping in successiveswells against the smooth beach. 

What was there in all this to fix the attention of the fugitives, for ithad? The seething flood seemed only to hiss at their despair. 

And yet almost on the instant after suspending their flight, they hadturned their faces towards it, as if some object of interest hadsuddenly shown itself in the surf. Object there was none, nothing butthe flakes of white froth and the black vitreous waves over which it wasdancing. 

It was not an object, but a purpose that was engaging their attention, aresolve that had suddenly sprung up within their minds, almost assuddenly to be carried into execution. After all, their old home wasnot to prove so inhospitable. It would provide them with a place ofconcealment. 

The thought occurred to all three almost at the same instant of time;though Terence was the first to give speech to it. 

"By Saint Patrick!" he exclaimed, "let's take to the wather! Thembreakers 'll give us a good hiding-place. I've hid before now in thatsame way, when taking a moonlight bath on the coast of owld Galway. Idid it to scare my schoolfellows, by making believe I was drowned. Whatsay ye to our trying it?"

His companions made no reply. They had scarce even waited for thewind-up of his harangue. Both had equally perceived the feasibility ofthe scheme; and yielding to a like impulse, all three started into afresh run, with their faces turned towards the sea. 

In less than a score of seconds, they had crossed the strip of strand;and in a similarly short space of time were plunging, thigh deep, through the water; still striding impetuously onward as if the intendedto wade across the Atlantic. 

A few more strides, however, brought them to a stand, just inside theline of breakers, where the seething waters, settling down into a stateof comparative tranquillity, presented a surface variegated with largeclouts of floating froth. 

Amidst this mottling of white and black, even under the brightmoonlight, it would have been difficult for the keenest eye to havedetected the head of a human being, supposing the body to have been keptcarefully submerged; and under this confidence the mids were not slow insubmerging themselves. 

Ducking down, till their chins touched the water, all three were soon ascompletely out of sight, to any eye looking from the shore, as ifNeptune, pitying their forlorn condition, had stretched forth histrident with a bunch of seaweed upon its prongs, to screen and protectthem. 

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. 

THE PURSUERS NONPLUSSED. 

Not one second too soon had they succeeded in making good their entryinto this subaqueous asylum. Scarce had their chins come in contactwith the water, when the voices of men, accompanied by the baying ofdogs, the snorting of maherries, and the neighing of horses, were heardwith the gorge from which they had just issued; and in a few minutesafter, a straggling crowd, composed of these various creatures, camerushing out of the ravine. Of men, afoot and on horseback, twenty ormore were seen pouring forth; all, apparently, in hot haste, as if eagerto be in at the death of some object pursued, that could not possiblyescape capture. 

Once outside the jaws of the gully, the irregular cavalcade advancedscattering by over the plain. Only for a short distance, however; for, as if by a common understanding, rather than in obedience to anycommand, all came to a halt. 

A silence followed this halt, apparently proceeding from astonishment. It was general, it might be said universal, for even the animalsappeared to partake of it. At all events, some seconds transpired, during which the only sound heard was the sighing of the sea, and theonly motion to be observed was the sinking and swelling of the waves. 

The Saaran rovers on foot, as well as those that were mounted, theirhorses, dogs, and camels, as they stood upon that smooth plain, seemedto have been suddenly transformed into stone, and set like so manysphinxes in the sand. 

In truth it was surprise that had so transfixed them, the men, at least;and their well-trained animals were only acting in obedience to a habittaught them by their masters, who, in pursuit of their predatory life, can cause these creatures to be both silent and still, whenever theoccasion requires it. 

For their surprise, which this exhibition of it proved to be extreme, the sons of the desert had sufficient reason. They had seen threemidshipmen on the crest of the sand-ridge; had even noted the peculiargarb that bedecked their bodies, all this beyond doubt. Notwithstandingthe haste with which they had entered on the pursuit, they had notcontinued it either in a reckless or improvident manner. Skilled in theways of the wilderness, cautious as cats, they had continued the chase;those in the lead from time to time assuring themselves that the gamewas still before them. This they had done by glancing occasionally tothe ground, where shoe tracks in the soft sand, three sets of them, leading to and fro, were sufficient evidence that the three mids musthave gone back to the embouchure of the ravine; and thither emerged uponthe open sea-beach. 

Where were they now?

Looking up the smooth strand, as far as the eye could reach, and down itto a like distance, there was no place where a crab could have screeneditself; and these Saaran wreckers, well acquainted with the coast, knewthat in neither direction was there any other ravine or gully into whichthe fugitives could have retreated. 

No wonder then that the pursuers wondered, even to speechlessness. 

Their silence was of short duration, though it was succeeded only bycries expressing their great surprise, among which might have beendistinguished their usual invocations to Allah and the Prophet. It wasevident that a superstitious feeling had arisen in their minds, notwithout its usual accompaniment of fear; and although they no longerkept their places, the movement now observable among them was that theygathered closer together, and appeared to enter upon a graveconsultation. 

This was terminated by some of them once more proceeding to theembouchure of the ravine, and betaking themselves to a fresh scrutiny ofthe tracks made by the shoes of the midshipmen; while the rest satesilently upon their horses and maherries, awaiting the result. 

The footmarks of the three mids were still easily traceable, even on theground already trampled by the Arabs, their horses, and maherries. The"cloots" of a camel would not have been more conspicuous in the mud ofan English road, than were the shoe-prints of the three young seamen inthe sands of the Saara. The Arab trackers had no difficulty in makingthem out; and in a few minutes had traced them from the mouth of thegorge almost in a direct line to the sea. There, however, there was abreadth of wet sea-beach, where the springy sand instantly obliteratedany foot-mark that might be made upon it, and there the tracks ended. 

But why should they have extended farther? No one could have gonebeyond that point, without either walking straight into the water, orkeeping along the strip of sea-beach, upwards or downwards. 

The fugitives could not have escaped in either way, unless they hadtaken to the water and committed suicide by drowning themselves. Up thecoast or down it they would have been seen to a certainty. 

Their pursuers, clustering around the place where the tracks terminated, were no wiser than ever. Some of them were ready to believe thatdrowning had been the fate of the castaways upon their coast, and sostated it to their companions. But they spoke only conjectures, and intones that told them, like the rest, to be under the influence of somesuperstitious fear. Despite their confidence in the protection of theirboasted Prophet, they felt a natural dread of that wilderness of waters, less known to them than the wilderness of sand. 

Ere long they withdrew from its presence; and betook themselves back totheir encampment, under a half belief that the three individuals seenand pursued had either drowned themselves in the great deep, or by somemysterious means known to these strange men of the sea, had escapedacross its far-reaching waters. 

CHAPTER THIRTY. 

A DOUBLE PREDICAMENT. 

Short time as their pursuers had stayed upon the strand, it seemed anage to the submerged midshipmen. 

On first placing themselves in position, they had chosen a spot where, with their knees resting upon the bottom, they could just hold theirchins above water. This would enable them to hold their ground withoutany great difficulty, and for some time they so maintained it. 

Soon, however, they began to perceive that the water was rising aroundthem--a circumstance easily explained by the influx of the tide. Therise was slow and gradual, but for all that they saw that should theyrequire to remain in their place of concealment for any length of time, drowning must be their inevitable destiny. 

A means of avoiding this soon presented itself. Inside the line ofbreakers, the water shoaled gradually towards the shore. By advancingin this direction they could still keep to the same depth. This coursethey adopted, gliding cautiously forward upon their knees whenever thetide admonished them to repeat the manoeuvre. 

This state of affairs would have been satisfactory enough, but for acircumstance that, every moment, was making itself more apparent. Ateach move they were not only approaching nearer to their enemies, scattered along the strand, but as they receded from the line of thebreakers, the water became comparatively tranquil, and its smoothsurface, less confused by the masses of floating foam, was more likelyto betray them to the spectators on the shore. 

To avoid this catastrophe, which would have been fatal, they movedshoreward only when it became absolutely necessary to do so, oftenpermitting the tidal waves to sweep completely over the crown of theirheads, and several time threaten suffocation. 

Under circumstances so trying, so apparently hopeless, most lads--ay, most men--would have submitted to despair, and surrendered themselves toa fate apparently unavoidable. But with that true British pluck, combining the tenacity of the Scotch terrier, the English bulldog, andthe Irish stag-hound, the three youthful representatives of the triplekingdom determined to hold on. 

And they held on, with the waves washing against their cheeks, and atintervals quite over their heads, with the briny fluid rushing intotheir ears and up their nostrils, until one after another began tobelieve that there would be no alternative between surrendering to thecruel sea, or to the not less cruel sons of the Saara. 

As they were close together, they could hold council, conversing all thetime in something louder than a whisper. There was no risk of theirbeing overheard. Though scarce a cable's length from the shore, thehoarse soughing of the surf would have drowned the sound of theirvoices, even if uttered in a much louder tone; but being skilled in theacoustics of the ocean, they exchanged their thoughts with due caution:and while encouraging one another to remain firm, they speculated freelyupon the chances of escaping from their perilous predicament. 

While thus occupied, a predicament of an equally perilous and still moresingular kind, was in store for them. They had been hitherto advancingtowards the water's edge, in regular progression with the influx of thetide, all the while upon their knees. This, as already stated, hadenabled them to sustain themselves steadily, without showing anythingmore than three-quarters of the head above the surface. 

All at once, however, the water appeared to deepen; and by going upontheir knees they could no longer surmount the waves, even with theireyes. By moving on towards the beach, they might again get intoshallower water; but just at this point the commotion caused by thebreakers came to a termination, and the flakes of froth, with thesurrounding spray of bubbles here bursting, one after another, left thesurface of the sea to its restored tranquillity. Anything beyond acork, or the tiniest waif of seaweed, could scarce fail to be seen fromthe strand, though the latter was itself, constantly receding as thetide flowed inward. 

The submerged middies were now in a dilemma they had not dreamed of. Byholding their ground, they could not fail to "go under". By advancingfarther, they would run the risk of being discovered to the enemy. 

Their first movement was to get up from their knees, and raise theirheads above water by standing in a crouched attitude on their feet. This they had done before, more than once, returning to the posture ofsupplication only when too tired to sustain themselves. 

This they attempted again, and determined to continue it to the lastmoment, in view of the danger of approaching nearer to the enemy. 

To their consternation they now found that it would no longer availthem. Scarce they had risen erect before discovering that, even in hisposition, they were immersed to the chin, and after plunging a pace ortwo forward, they were still sinking deeper. They could feel that theirfeet were not resting on firm bottom; but constantly going down. 

"A quicksand!" was the apprehension that rushed simultaneously into theminds of all three. 

Fortunately for them, the Arabs, at that moment, yielding to theirfatalist fears, had faced away from the shore; else the plunging andsplashing made by them in their violent endeavours to escape from thequicksand could not have failed to dissipate these superstitions, andcause their pursuers to complete the capture they had so childishlyrelinquished. 

As it chanced, the Saaran wreckers saw nothing of all this; and as thesplashing sounds, which otherwise might have reached them, were drownedby the louder sough of the sea, they returned toward their encampment ina state of perplexity bordering upon bewilderment. 

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. 

ONCE MORE THE MOCKING LAUGH. 

After a good deal of scrambling and struggling, our adventurerssucceeded in getting clear of the quicksand, and planting their feetupon firmer bottom, a little nearer to the water's edge. Though at thispoint more exposed than they wished to be, they concealed themselves aswell as they could, holding their faces under the water up to the eyes. 

Though believing that their enemies were gone for good, they dared notas yet wade out upon the beach. The retiring pursuers would naturallybe looking back; and as the moon was still shining clearly as ever, theymight have been seen from a great distance. 

They felt that they would not be safe in leaving their place ofconcealment until the horde had re-crossed the ridge and descended oncemore into the oasis that contained their encampment. 

Making a rough calculation as to the time it would take for the returnjourney, and allowing a considerable margin against the eventuality ofany unforeseen delay, the mids remained in their subaqueous retreatwithout any material change of position. 

When at length it appeared to them that the coast was clear, they roseto their feet and commenced wading towards the strand. 

Though no longer believing themselves observed, they proceeded silentlyand with caution, the only noise made among them being the chattering oftheir teeth, which were going like three complete sets of castanets. 

This they could not help. The night breeze playing upon the saturatedgarments, that clung coldly around their bodies, chilled them to thevery bones; and not only their teeth, but their knees knocked together, as they staggered towards the beach. 

Just before reaching it, an incident arose that filled them with freshforebodings. The strange beast that had threatened to intercept theirretreat over the ridge, once more appeared before their eyes. It waseither the same or one of the same kind, equally ugly, and, to allappearance, equally determined to dispute their passage. 

It was now patrolling the strand close by the water's edge; goingbackwards and forwards, precisely as it had done along the saddle-shapedsand-wreath; all the while keeping its hideous face turned towards them. With the moon behind their backs, they had a better view of it thanbefore; but this, though enabling them to perceive that it was somestrange quadruped, did not in any way improve their opinion of it. Theycould see that it was covered with a coat of long shaggy hair, of abrindled brown colour; and that from a pair of large orbs, set obliquelyin its head, gleamed forth a fierce sullen light. 

How it had come there they knew not; but there it was. Judging from theexperience of their former encounter with it they presumed it wouldagain retreat at their approach; and, once more drawing their dirks, they advanced boldly towards it. 

They were not deceived. Long before they were near, the uncouthcreature turned tail; and, again giving utterance to its unearthly cry, scampered off towards the ravine, in whose shadowy depths it soondisappeared from their view. 

Supposing they had nothing further to fear, our adventures stepped outupon the strand, and commenced consultation as to their future course. 

To keep on down the coast and get as far as possible from the Arabencampment was the thought of all three; and as they were unanimous inthis, scarce a moment was wasted in coming to a determination. Onceresolved, they faced southward; and started off as briskly as theirshivering frames and saturated garments would allow them. 

There was not much to cheer them on their way, only the thought thatthey had so adroitly extricated themselves from a dread danger. Buteven this proved only a fanciful consolation: for scarce had they made ascore of steps along the strand, when they were brought to a suddenhalt, by hearing a noise that appeared to proceed from the ravine behindthem. 

It was a slight noise, something like a snort, apparently made by someanimal; and for a moment, they supposed it to come from the uglyquadruped that, after saluting them, had retreated up the gorge. 

On turning their eyes in that direction, they at once saw that they weremistaken. A quadruped had produced the noise, but one of a verydifferent kind from the hairy brute with which they had parted. Justemerging from the shadow of the sand-hills, they perceived a hugecreature, whose uncouth shape proclaimed it to be a camel. 

The sight filled them with consternation. Not that it was a camel; butbecause, at the same time, they discovered that there was a man upon itsback, who brandishing a long weapon, was urging the animal towards them. 

The three midshipmen made no effort to continue the journey thusunexpectedly interrupted. They saw that any attempt to escape from sucha fast-going creature would be idle. Encumbered as they were with theirwet garments, they could not have distanced a lame duck; and, resigningthemselves to the chances of destiny, they stood awaiting the encounter. 

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. 

A CUNNING SHEIK. 

When the camel and its rider first loomed in sight, indistinctly seenunder the shadow of the sand-dunes, our adventurers had conceived afaint hope that it might be Sailor Bill. 

It was possible, they thought, that the old man-o'-war's-man, leftunguarded in the camp, might have laid hands on the maherry that hadmade away with him, and pressed it into service to assist his escape. 

The hope was entertained only for a instant. Bill had encountered nosuch golden opportunity, but was still a prisoner in the tent of theblack sheik, surrounded by his shrewish tormentors. It was the maherry, however, that was seen coming back; for as it came near, the threemiddies recognised the creature whose intrusion upon their slumbers ofthe preceding night had been the means, perhaps, of saving their lives. 

Instead of a Jack Tar now surmounting its high hunch, they saw a littleweazen-faced individual, with sharp angular features, and a skin ofyellowish hue puckered like parchment. He appeared to be at least sixtyyears of age; while his costume, equipments, and above all, a certainauthoritative bearing, bespoke him to be one of the head men of thehorde. 

Such in truth was he--one of the two sheiks--the old Arab to whom thestraying camel belonged; and who was now mounted on his own maherry. 

His presence on the strand at this, to our adventurers, most inopportunemoment, requires explanation. 

He had been on the beach before, along with the others; and had goneaway with the rest. But instead of continuing on to the encampment, hehad fallen behind in the ravine; where, under the cover of some rocks, and favoured by the obscure light within the gorge, he had succeeded ingiving his comrades the slip. There he had remained, permitting therest to recross the ridge, and return to the tents. 

He had not taken these steps without an object. Less superstitious thanhis black brother sheik, he knew that there must be some naturalexplanation of the disappearance of the three castaways; and hedetermined to seek, and if possible, discover it. 

It was not mere curiosity that prompted him to this determination. Hehad been all out of sorts with himself since losing Sailor Bill in thegame of helga; and he was desirous of obtaining some compensation forhis ill luck, by capturing the three castaways who had so mysteriouslydisappeared. 

As to their having either drowned themselves, or walked away over thewaste of waters, the old sheik had seen too many Saaran summers andwinters to give credence either to one tale or the other. He knew theywould turn up again; and though he was not quite certain of the where, he more than half suspected it. He had kept his suspicions to himself, not imparting them even to his own special followers. By the laws ofthe Saara, a slave taken by any one of the tribe belongs not to itschief but to the individual who makes the capture. For this reason hadthe cunning sexagenarian kept his thoughts to himself, and fallen_solus_ into the rear of the returning horde. 

It might be supposed that he would have made some of his following privyto his plan, for the sake of having help to effect such a wholesalecapture. But no. His experience as a "Barbary wrecker" had taught himthat there would be no danger, no likelihood of resistance, even thoughthe castaways numbered thirty instead of three. 

Armed with this confidence, and his long gun, he had returned down theravine; and laid in wait near its mouth, at a point where he commanded aview of the coast line, to the distance of more than a mile on each sideof him. 

His vigil was soon rewarded by seeing the three individuals for whom ithad been kept step forth from the sea, as if emerging from itsprofoundest depths, and stand conspicuously upon the beach. 

He waited for nothing more; but, giving the word to his maherry, hadridden out of the ravine, and was now advancing with all speed upon thetracks of the retreating mids. 

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE. 

A QUEER ENCOUNTER. 

In about threescore seconds from the time he was first seen pursuingthem, the old sheik was up to the spot where our adventurers had awaitedhim. 

His first salute appeared to be some words of menace or command, rendered more emphatic by a series of gestures made with his long gun;which was successively pointed at the heads of the three. Of course, none of them understood what was said; but his gesticulations made itclear enough that he required their company to the Arab encampment. 

Their first impulse was to yield obedience to this command; and Terencehad given a sign of assent, which was acquiesced in by Colin. Not soMaster Blount, in whom the British bulldog had become aroused even tothe showing of his teeth. 

"See him hanged first!" cried Harry. "What! yield up to an old monkeylike that, and walk tamely to the camp at the tail of his camel? Nosuch thing! If I am to become a prisoner, it will be to one who cantake me. "

Terence, rather ashamed at having shown such facile submission, nowrushed to the opposite extreme; and drawing his dirk, cried out, "BySaint Petrick! I'm with you, Harry! Let's die, rather than yieldourselves prisoners to such a queer old curmudgeon!"

Colin, before declaring himself, glanced sharply around, carrying hiseye towards the _embouchure_ of the ravine, to assure himself that theArab was alone. 

As there was nobody else in sight, and no sound heard that wouldindicate the proximity of any one, it was probable enough that the riderof the maherry was the only enemy opposed to them. 

"The deil take him!" cried Colin, after making his cautiousreconnaissance. "If he take us, he must first fight for it. Come on, old skinflint! you'll find we're true British tars, ready for a scoresuch as you!"

The three youths had by this time unsheathed their shining daggers, andthrown themselves into a sort of triangle, the maherry in their midst. 

The old sheik, unprepared for such a reception, was altogether takenaback by it; and for some seconds sate upon his high perch seeminglyirresolute how to act. 

Suddenly his rage appeared to rise to such a pitch that he could nolonger command his actions; and bringing the long gun to his shoulder, he levelled it at Harry Blount, who had been foremost in braving him. 

The stream of smoke, pouring forth from its muzzle, for a momentenveloped the form of the youthful mariner; but from the midst of thatsulphury _nimbus_ came forth a clear manly voice, pronouncing the word"Missed!"

"Thank God!" cried Terence and Colin, in a breath; "now we have him inour power! He can't load again! Let's on him altogether! Heave he!"

And uttering this nautical phrase of encouragement, the three mids, withnaked dirks, rushed simultaneously towards the maherry. 

The Arab, old as he may have been, showed no signs either of stiffnessor decrepitude. On the contrary, he exhibited all the agility of atiger-cat; along with a fierce determination to continue the combat hehad initiated, notwithstanding the odds that were against him. Ondischarging his gun, he had flung the useless weapon to the ground; andinstead of it now grasped a long curving scimitar, with which hecommenced cutting around him in every direction. 

Thus armed, he had the advantage of his assailants; for while he mightreach any one of them by a quick cut, they with their short dirks couldnot come within thrusting distance of him, without imminent danger ofhaving their arms, or perchance their heads, lopped sheer off theirshoulders. 

Defensively, too, had the rider of the maherry an advantage over hisantagonists. While within distance of them, at the point of his curvingblade, seated upon his high perch, he was beyond the reach of theirweapons. Get close to him as they might, and spring as high as theywere able, they could not bring the tips of their daggers in contactwith his skin. 

In truth, there seemed no chance for them to inflict the slightest woundupon him; while at each fresh wheel of the maherry, and each new sweepof the scimitar, one or other of them was in danger of decapitation. 

On first entering upon the fight, our adventurers had not taken intoaccount the impregnable position of their antagonist. Soon, however, did they discover the advantages in his favour, with their ownproportionate drawbacks. To neutralise these was the question that nowoccupied them. If something was not done soon, one or other, perhapsall three, would have to succumb to that keen cutting of the scimitar. 

"Let's kill the camel!" cried Harry Blount, "that'll bring him withinreach; and then--"

The idea of the English youth was by no means a bad one; and perhapswould have been carried out. But before he could finish his speech, another scheme had been conceived by Terence, who had already takensteps towards its execution. 

It was this that had interrupted Harry Blount in the utterance of hiscounsel. 

At school the young Milesian had been distinguished in the exercise ofvaulting. Leap-frog had been his especial delight; and no mountebankcould bound to a greater height than he. At this crisis he rememberedhis old accomplishment, and called it to his aid. 

Seeking an opportunity, when the head of the maherry was turned towardshis comrades, and its tail to himself he made an energetic rush; spranghalf a score of feet from the ground; and flinging apart his feet, whilein the air, came down, stride legs upon the croup of the camel. 

It was fortunate for the old Arab that the effort thus made by theamateur _saltimbanque_ had shaken the dirk from his grasp, else, inanother instant, the camel would have ceased to "carry double. "

As it was, its two riders continued upon its back; but in such closejuxtaposition, that it would have required sharp eyes and a good lightto tell that more than one individual was mounted upon it. 

Fast enfolded in the arms of the vigorous young Hibernian, could scarcebe distinguished the carcase of the old Arab sheik, shrunken to halfsize by the powerful compression; while the scimitar, so late whistlingwith perilous impetuosity through the air, was now seen lying upon thesand, its gleam no longer striking terror into the hearts of those whoseheads it had been threatening to lop off. 

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. 

HOLDING ON TO THE HUMP. 

The struggle between Terence and the sheik still continued, upon theback of the maherry. The object of the young Irishman was to unhorse, or rather uncamel, his antagonist, and get him to the ground. 

This design the old Arab resisted toughly, and with all his strength, knowing that dismounted he would be no match for the trio of stout ladswhom he had calculated on capturing at his ease. Once _a pied_ he wouldbe at their mercy, since he was now altogether unarmed. His gun hadbeen unloaded; and the shining scimitar, of which he had made such adangerous display, was no longer in his grasp. As already stated it hadfallen to the ground, and at that precious moment was being picked up byColin; who in all probability would have used it upon its owner, had notthe latter contrived to escape beyond its reach. 

The mode of the sheik's escape was singular enough. Still tenaciouslyholding on to the hump, from which the young Irishman was using everyeffort to detach him, he saw that his only chance of safety lay inretreating from the spot, and, by this means, separating the antagonistwho clutched him from the two others that threatened upon the groundbelow. 

A signal shout to the maherry was sufficient to effect his purpose. Onhearing it the well-trained quadruped wheeled, as upon a pivot, and in ashambling, but quick pace, started back towards the ravine, whence ithad late issued. 

To their consternation, Colin and Harry beheld this unexpected movement;and before either of them could lay hold of the halter, now trailingalong the sand, the maherry was going at a rate of speed which theyvainly endeavoured to surpass. They could only follow in its wake, asthey did so, shouting to Terence to let go his hold of the sheik, andtake his chance of a tumble to the ground. 

Their admonitions appeared not to be heeded. They were not needed, atleast after a short interval had elapsed. 

At first the young Irishman had been so intent on his endeavours todismount his adversary that he did not notice the signal given to themaherry, nor the retrograde movement it had inaugurated. Not until thecamel was re-entering the ravine, and the steep sides of the sand-dunescast their dark shadows before him, did he observe that he was beingcarried away from his companions. 

Up to this time he had been vainly striving to detach the sheik from hishold upon the hump. On perceiving the danger, however, he desisted fromthis design, and at once entered upon a struggle of a very differentkind, to detach himself. 

In all probability this would have proved equally difficult: forstruggle as he might, the tough old Arab, no longer troubling himselfabout the control of his camel, had twisted his sinewy fingers under themidshipman's dirk-belt, and held the latter in juxtaposition to his ownbody, supported by the hump of the maherry, as if his very life dependedon not letting go. 

A lucky circumstance, and this only, hindered the young Irishman frombeing carried to the Arab encampment: a circumstance very similar tothat which on the preceding night had led to the capture of that samecamel. 

Its halter was again trailing. 

Its owner, occupied with the "double" which it had so unexpectedly beencalled upon to carry, was conducting it only by his voice, and hadneither thought nor hands for the halter. 

Once again the trailing end got into the split hoof, once again themaherry was tripped up; and came down neck foremost upon the sand. 

Its load was spilled, Bedouin and Hibernian coming together to theground, both, if not dangerously hurt, at least so shaken, as, for someseconds to be deprived of their senses. 

Neither had quite recovered from the shock, when Harry Blount and Colin, coming up in close pursuit, stooped over the prostrate pair; and neitherArab nor Irishman was very clear in his comprehension, when a crowd ofstrange creatures closed around them, and took possession of the wholeparty; as they did so yelling like a cohort of fiends. 

In the obfuscation of his "sivin" senses, the young Irishman may havescarcely understood what was passing around him. It was too clear tohis companions, clear as a catastrophe could be, to those who are itsvictims. 

The shot fired by the sheik, if failing in the effect intended, hadproduced a result almost equally fatal to the three fugitives. It hadgiven warning to the Arabs in their encampment; who, again sallyingforth, had arrived just in time to witness the "decadence" of the camel, and now surrounded the group that encircled it. 

The courageous representative of England, and the cool young Scotchman, were both taken by surprise, too much so to give them a chance ofthinking either of resistance or flight; while the mind of the Irishmiddy, from a different cause, was equally in a hopeless "muddle. "

It resulted in all three being captured, and conducted up the ravinetowards the camp of the wreckers. 

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE. 

OUR ADVENTURERS IN UNDRESS. 

Our adventurers made their approach to the _douar_, for such is thetitle of an Arab encampment, with as much unwillingness as Sailor Billhad done. Equally _sans ceremonie_, or even with less ceremony, didthey enter among the tents, and certainly in a less becoming costume:since all three were stark naked, with the exception of their shirts. 

This was the only article of clothing their captors had left upon theirbacks; and so far as comfort was concerned, they would have been as wellwithout it: for there was not a thread of the striped cotton that wasnot saturated with sea water. 

It was a wonder that even these scanty garments were not taken fromthem; considering the eagerness with which they had been divested ofeverything else. 

On the instant after being laid hold of, they had been stripped with asmuch rapidity as if their bodies were about to be submitted to someignominious chastisement. But they knew it was not that, only a desireon the part of their captors to obtain possession of their clothes, every article of which became the subject of a separate contention, andmore than one leading to a dispute that was near terminating in acontest between two scimitars. 

In this way their jackets and dreadnought trousers, their caps andshoes, their dirks, belts, and pocket paraphernalia, were distributedamong nearly as many claimants as there were pieces. 

You may suppose that modesty interfered to reserve to them their shirts?Such a supposition would be altogether erroneous. There is no suchword in the Bedouin vocabulary, no such feeling in the Bedouin breast. 

In the _douar_ to which they were conducted were lads as old as they, and lasses too, without the semblance of clothing upon their nudebodies; not even a shirt, not even the orientally famed fig-leaf!

The reason of their being allowed to retain their homely garments hadnothing to do with any sentiment of delicacy. For the favour, if suchit could be called, they were simply indebted to the avarice of the oldsheik, who, having recovered from the stunning effects of his tumble, claimed all three as his captives, and their shirts along with them. 

His claim as to their persons was not disputed; they were his by Saarancustom. So, too, would their clothing, had his capture been complete;but as there was a question about this, a distribution of the garmentshad been demanded and acceded to. 

The sheik, however, would not agree to giving up the shirts; loudlydeclaring that they belonged to the skin; and after some discussion onthis moot point, his claim was allowed; and our adventurers were sparedthe shame of entering the Arab encampment in _puris naturalibus_. 

In their shirts did they once more stand face to face with Sailor Bill, not a bit better clad than they; for though the old man-o'-war's-man wasstill "anchored" by the marquee of the black sheik, his "toggery" hadlong before been distributed throughout the _douar_; and scarce a tentbut contained some portion of his belongings. 

His youthful comrades saw, but were not permitted to approach him. Theywere the undisputed property of the rival chieftain, to whose tent theywere taken; but not until they had "run a muck" among the women andchildren, very similar to that which Bill had to submit to himself. Itterminated in a similar manner: that is, by their owner taking themunder his protection, not from any motives of humanity, but simply tosave his property from receiving damage at the hands of the incarnatefemale furies, who seemed to take delight in maltreating them. 

The old sheik, after allowing his fair followers, with their juvenileneophytes, for some length of time to indulge in their customary mode ofsaluting strange captives, withdrew the latter beyond the reach ofpersecution, to a place assigned them under the shadow of his tent. There, with a sinewy Arab standing over them, though as often squattedbeside them, they were permitted to pass the remainder of the night, ifnot in sleep, at least in a state of tranquillity. 

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX. 

THE CAPTIVES IN CONVERSATION. 

This tranquillity only related to any disturbance experienced from theircaptors. There was none. 

These had been on the eve of striking their tents, and moving off tosome other oasis, previous to the last incident that had arisen. 

As already stated, the two sheiks, by a mutual understanding, had beenabout to shake hands, and separate, the son of Japhet going north, tothe markets of Morocco, while the descendant of Ham was to face homewardto his more tropical and appropriate clime, under the skies ofTimbuctoo. 

The "windfall" that had so unexpectedly dropped into the _douar_, firstin the shape of Sailor Bill, and afterwards, in more generous guise, bythe capture of the three "young gentlemen" of the gunroom, had causedsome change in the plans of their captors. 

By mutual understanding between the two sheiks, something was to be donein the morning; and their design of separating was deferred to anotherday. 

The order to strike tents had been countermanded; and both tribesretired to rest, as soon as the captives had been disposed of for thenight. The _douar_ was silent, so far as the children of Ham and Japhetwere concerned. Even their children had ceased to clamour and squall. 

At intervals might be heard the neigh of a Barbary horse, the barking ofa dog, the bleating of a goat, or a sound yet more appropriate to thescene, the snorting of a maherry. 

In addition to these, human voices were heard. But they proceeded fromthe throats of the sons of Shem. For the most part they were uttered ina low tone, as the three midshipmen conversed seriously and earnestlytogether; but occasionally they became elevated to a higher pitch whenSailor Bill, guarded on the opposite side of the encampment, took partin the conversation, and louder speech was necessary to the interchangeof thought between him and his fellow-captives. 

The Arab watchers offered no interruption. They understood not a wordof what was being said; and so long as the conversation of theircaptives did not disturb the _douar_, they paid no heed to it. 

"What have they done to you, Bill?" was the first question asked by thenew comers, after they had been left free to make inquiries. 

"Faix!" responded the sailor, for it was Terry who had put theinterrogatory; "iverything they cud think av, iverything to make an oldsalt as uncomfortable as can be. They've not left a sound bone in mybody; nor a spot on my skin that's not ayther pricked or scratched widthar cruel thorns. My carcass must be like an old seventy-four, aftercomin' out av action, as full av holes as a meal sieve. "

"But what did they do to you, Bill?" said Colin, almost literallyrepeating the interrogatory of Terence. 

The sailor detailed his experiences since entering the encampment. 

"It's very clear, " remarked the young Scotchman, "that we need look fornothing but ill-treatment at the hands of these worse than savages. Isuppose they intend making slaves of us. "

"That at least, " quietly assented Harry, "Sartin, " said the sailor. "They've let me know as much a'ready. There be two captains to theircrew: one's the smoke-dried old sinner as brought yer in; the other abig nayger, as black as the ace o' spades. You saw the swab? He'sinside the tent here. He's my master. The two came nigh quarrellingabout which should have me, and settled it by some sort o' a game theyplayed wi' balls of kaymals' dung. The black won me; and that's why I'mkep by his tent. Mother av Moses! Only to think of a British tar beingthe slave o' a sooty nayger! I never thought it wud a come to this. "

"Where do you think they'll take us, Bill?"

"The Lord only knows, an' whether we're all bound for the same port. "

"What! you think we may be separated?"

"Be ma saul, Maister Colin, I ha'e ma fears we wull!"

"What makes you think so?"

"Why, ye see, as I've telt ye, I'm booked to ship wi' the black--`sheik'I've heerd them ca' him. Well, from what I ha'e seed and heerd there'snae doot they're gaein' to separate an' tak different roads. I didnaken muckle o' what they saved, but I could mak oot two words I ha'eoften heerd while cruisin' in the Gulf o' Guinea. They are the names o'two great toons, a lang way up the kintry, Timbuctoo and Sockatoo. Theyare negro toons: an' for that reezun I ha'e a suspeshun my master'sbound to one or other o' the two ports. "

"But why do you think that we are to be taken elsewhere?" demanded HarryBlount. 

"Why, because, Master 'Aarry, you belong to the hold sheik, as isplainly a Harab, an' oose port of hentry lies in a different direction, that be to the northart. "

"It's all likely enough, " said Colin; "Bill's prognostication is but tooprobable. "

"Why, ye see, Maister Colin, they are only land sharks who ha'e got holdo' us. They're too poor to keep us; an' wull be sure to sell ussomewhere, an' to somebody that ha'e got the tocher to gie for us. That's what they'll do wi' us poor bodies. "

"I hope, " said Terence, "they'll not part us. No doubt slavery will behard enough to bear under any circumstances; but harder if we have toendure it alone. Together, we might do something to alleviate oneanother's lot. I hope we shall not be separated!"

To this hope all the others made a sincere response; and theconversation came to an end. They who had been carrying it on, worn-outby fatigue, and watchfulness long protracted, despite the unpleasantnessof their situation, soon after, and simultaneously, yielded theirspirits to the soothing oblivion of sleep. 

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN. 

THE DOUAR AT DAWN. 

They could have slept for hours, twenty-four of them had they beenpermitted such indulgence. 

But they were not. As the first streaks of daylight became visible overthe eastern horizon, the whole _douar_ was up and doing. 

The women and children of both hordes were seen flitting like shadowsamong the tents. Some squatted under camels, or kneeling by the sidesof the goats, drew from these animals that lacteal fluid that may besaid to form the staple of their food. Others might be observedemptying the precious liquid into skin bottles and sacks, and securingit against spilling in its transport through the deserts. 

The matrons of the tribes, hags they looked, were preparing the true_dejeuner_, consisting of _sangleh_, a sort of gruel, made withmillet-meal, boiled over a dull fire of camels' dung. 

The _sangleh_ was to be eaten, by such of them as could afford it, mixedwith goats' or camels' milk, unstrained and hairy, half curdled into acrab-like acidity, the moment it entered its stinking receptacle. 

Here and there men were seen milking their mares or maherries, not a fewindulging in the universal beverage by a direct application of theirlips to the teats of the animal; while others, appointed to the task, were preparing the paraphernalia of the _douar_ for transportation tosome distant oasis. 

Watching these various movements were the three mids, still stripped totheir shirts, and the old man-o'-war's-man, clad with like scantiness;since the only garment that clung to his sinewy frame was a pair ofcotton drawers, neither very clean nor very sound at the seams. 

All four shivered in the chill air of the morning: for hot as is theSaara under its noon-day sun, in the night hours its thermometerfrequently falls almost to the point of freezing. 

Their state of discomfort did not hinder them from observing what waspassing around them. They could have slept on; but the discordantnoises of the _douar_, and a belief that they would not be permitted anylonger to enjoy their interrupted slumbers, hindered them from reclosingtheir eyes. Still recumbent, and occasionally exchanging remarks in alow tone of voice, they noted the customs of their captors. 

The young Scotchman had read many books relating to the prairies ofAmerica, and their savage denizens. He was forcibly reminded of theseby what he now saw in this oasis of the sandy Saara: the women treatedlike dogs, or worse, doing all the work that might be termed labour, tending the cattle, cooking the meals, pitching or striking the tents, loading the animals, and themselves bearing such portions of the load asexceeded the transport strength of the tribal quadrupeds, aided only bysuch wretched helots as misfortune had flung in the way of their commonmasters. The men, mostly idle, ludicrously nonchalant, reclining ontheir saddle pads, or skins, inhaling the narcotic weed; apparentlyproud in the possession of that lordship of wretchedness that surroundedthem. 

Colin was constrained to compare the savage life of two continents, separated by an ocean. He came to the conclusion, that under similarcircumstances mankind will ever be the same. In the Comanche of the_Llano Estacado_, or the Pawnee of the Platte, he would have found anexact counterpart of the Ishmaelitish wanderer over the sandy plains ofthe Saara. 

He was allowed but scant time to philosophise upon these ethnologicalphenomena. As the _douar_ became stirred into general activity, he, along with his two companions, was rudely startled from his attitude ofobservation, and ordered to take a share in the toils of the captors. 

At an earlier hour, and still more rudely, had Sailor Bill received thecommands of his master; who, as the first rays of the Aurora began todapple the horizon, had ordered the old man-o'-war's-man to his feet, atthe same time administering to him a cruel kick, that came very nearshivering some of his stern timbers. 

Had the black sheik been acquainted with the English language, as spokenin Ratcliff Highway, he would have better understood Sailor Bill's replyto his rude matutinal salutation; which, along with several not verycomplimentary wishes, ended by devoting the "nayger's" eyes to eternalperdition. 

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT. 

AN OBSTINATE DROMEDARY. 

The morning meal was eaten as soon as prepared. Its scantinesssurprised our adventurers. Even the more distinguished individuals ofthe horde partook of only a very small quantity of milk, or sangleh. The two sheiks alone got anything like what might have been deemed anordinary breakfast; while the more common class, as the half-breeds, _hassanes_; and the negro slaves had to content themselves with lessthan a pint of sour milk to each, half of which was water, the mixturedenominated _cheni_. 

Could this meal be meant for breakfast? Harry Blount and Terencethought not. But Colin corrected them, by alleging that it was. He hadread of the wonderful abstemiousness of these children of the desert;how they can live on a single meal a day, and this scarce sufficient tosustain life in a child of six years old; that is, an English child. Often will they go for several successive days without eating; and whenthey do eat regularly, a drink of milk is all they require to satisfyhunger. 

Colin was right. It was their ordinary breakfast. He might have added, their dinner too; for they would not likely obtain another morsel offood before sundown. 

But where was the breakfast of Colin and his fellow-captives? This wasthe question that interested them far more than the dietary of theBedouins. They were all hungering like hyenas, and yet no one seemed tothink of them, no one offered them either bite or sup. Filthy as wasthe mess made by the Arab women, and filthily as they prepared it, boiling it in pots, and serving it up in wooden dishes, that did notappear to have had a washing for weeks, the sight of it increased thehungry cravings of the captives; and they would fain have been permittedto share the scanty _dejeuner_. 

They made signs of their desire; piteous appeals for food, by looks andgestures, but all in vain; not a morsel was bestowed on them. Theirbrutal captors only laughed at them, as though they intended that allfour should go without eating. 

It soon became clear that they were not to starve in idleness. As soonas they had been started to their feet each of them was set to a task;one to collect camel's dung for the cooking-fires; another to fetchwater from the brackish muddy pool which had caused the oasis to becomea place of encampment; while the third was called upon to assist in theloading of the tent equipage, along with the salvage of the wreck, anoperation entered upon as soon as the sangleh had been swallowed. 

Sailor Bill, in a different part of the _douar_, was kept equally uponthe alert; and if he, or any of the other three, showed signs ofdisliking their respective tasks, one of the two sheiks made little adoabout striking them with a leathern strap, a knotty stick, or any weaponthat chanced to come readiest to hand. They soon discovered that theywere under the government of taskmasters not to be trifled with, andthat resistance or remonstrance would be alike futile. In short, theysaw that they were slaves!

While packing the tents, and otherwise preparing for the march, theywere witnesses to many customs, curious as new to them. The oddequipages of the animals, both those of burden and those intended to beridden; the oval panniers, placed upon the backs of the camels, to carrythe women and the younger children; the square pads upon the humps ofthe maherries; the tawny little piccaninnies strapped upon the backs oftheir mothers; the kneeling of the camels to receive their loads, as ifconsenting to what could not be otherwise than disagreeable to them, were all sights that might have greatly interested our adventurers, hadthey been viewing them under different circumstances. 

Out of the last mentioned of these sights, an incident arose, illustrating the craft of their captors in the management of theirdomestic animals. 

A refractory camel, that, according to usual habit, had voluntarilyhumiliated itself to receive its load, after this had been packed uponit, refused to rise to its feet. The beast either deemed the burdeninequable and unjust (for the Arabian camel, like the Peruvian llama, has a very acute perception of fair play in this respect) or a fit ofcaprice had entered its mulish head. For one reason or another itexhibited a stern determination not to oblige its owner by rising to itsfeet; but continued its genuflexion in spite of every effort to get iton all-fours. 

Coaxing and cajolery were tried to no purpose. Kicking by sandalledfeet, scourging with whips, and beating with cudgels produced no bettereffect; and to all appearance the obstinate brute had made up its mindto remain in the oasis, and let the tribe depart without it. 

At this crisis an ingenious method of making the camel change its mindsuggested itself to its master; or perhaps he had practised it on someformer occasion. Maddened by the obstinacy of the animal, he seizedhold of an old burnouse, and rushing up, threw it over its head. Thendrawing the rag tightly around its snout, he fastened it in such amanner as completely to stop up the nostrils. 

The camel, finding its breathing thus suddenly interrupted, becameterrified; and without further loss of time, scrambled to its feet; tothe great amusement of the women and children who were spectators of thescene. 

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE. 

WATERING THE CAMELS. 

In an incredibly short space of time the tents were down, and the_douar_ with all its belongings was no longer to be seen; or only in theshape of sundry packages balanced upon the backs of the animals. 

The last operation before striking out upon the desert track, was thewatering of these: the supply for the journey having been already dippedup out of the pool, and poured into goat's-skin sacks. 

The watering of the camels appeared to be regarded as the most importantmatter of all. In this performance every precaution was taken, andevery attention bestowed, to ensure to the animals a full supply of theprecious fluid, perhaps from a presentiment on the part of their ownersthat they themselves might some day stand in need of, and make use of, the same water!

Whether this was the motive or not, every camel belonging to the hordewas compelled to drink till its capacious stomach was quite full; andthe quantity consumed by each would be incredible to any other than theowner of an African dromedary. Only a very large cask could havecontained it. 

At the watering of the animals our adventurers had an opportunity ofobserving another incident of the Saara, quite as curious and originalas that already described. 

It chanced that the pool that furnished the precious fluid, and whichcontained the only fresh water to be found within fifty miles, was justthen on the eve of being dried up. A long season of drought, that is tosay, three or four years, had reigned over this particular portion ofthe desert; and the lagoon, formerly somewhat extensive, had shrunk intothe dimensions of a trifling tank, containing little more than two orthree hundred gallons. This during the stay of the two tribes united aswreckers had been daily diminishing; and had the occupants of the_douar_ not struck tents at the time they did, in another day or so theywould have been in danger of suffering from thirst. This was in realitythe cause of their projected migration. But for the fear of gettingshort in the necessary commodity of fresh water, they would have huggedthe seashore a little longer--in hopes of picking up a few more "waifs"from the wreck of the English ship. 

At the hour of their departure from the encampment, the pool was on theeve of exhaustion. Only a few score gallons of not very pure waterremained in it, about enough to fill the capacious stomachs of thecamels; whose owners had gauged them too often to be ignorant of thequantity. 

It would not do to play with this closely calculated supply. Every pintwas precious; and to prove that it was so esteemed, the animals wereconstrained to swallow it in a fashion which certainly nature couldnever have intended. 

Instead of taking it in by the mouth, the camels of these Saaran roverswere compelled to quench their thirst through the nostrils!

You will wonder in what manner this could be effected, inquiring whetherthe quadrupeds voluntarily performed this nasal imbibing?

Our adventurers, witnesses of the fact, wondered also--while struck withits quaint peculiarity. 

There is a proverb that "one man may take a horse to the water, buttwenty cannot compel him to drink. " Though this proverb may hold goodof an English horse, it has no significance when applied to an Africandromedary. Proof: our adventurers saw the owner of each camel bring hisanimal to the edge of the pool; but instead of permitting the thirstycreature to step in and drink for itself, its head was held aloft; awooden funnel was filled, the narrow end inserted into the nostril, andby the respiratory canal the water introduced to the throat and stomach. 

You may ask, why this selection of the nostrils, instead of the mouth?Our adventurers so interrogated one another. It was only after becomingbetter acquainted with the customs of the Saara, that they acquired asatisfactory explanation of one they had frequent occasion to observe. 

Though ordinarily of the most docile disposition, and in most of itsmovements the most tranquil of creatures, the dromedary, when drinkingfrom a vessel, has the habit of repeatedly shaking its head, andspilling large quantities of the water placed before it. Where water isscarce, and, as in the Saara, considered the most momentous matter oflife, a waste of it after such fashion could not be tolerated. Toprevent it, therefore, the camel-owner has contrived that this animal, so essential to his own safe existence, should drink through theorifices intended by nature for its respiration. 

CHAPTER FORTY. 

A SQUABBLE BETWEEN THE SHEIKS. 

The process of watering the camels was carried on with the utmostdiligence and care. It was too important to be trifled with, ornegligently performed. While filling the capacious stomachs of thequadrupeds, their owners were but laying in a stock for themselves. 

As Sailor Bill jocularly remarked, "it was like filling the water-casksof a man-of-war previous to weighing anchor for a voyage. " In truth, very similar was the purpose for which these ships of the desert werebeing supplied; for, when filling the capacious stomachs of thequadrupeds, their owners were not without the reflection that the supplymight yet pass into their own. Such a contingency was not improbable, neither would it be new. 

For this reason the operation was conducted with diligence and care, nocamel being led away from the pool until it was supposed to have had a"surfeit", and this point was settled by seeing the water poured in atits nostrils running out at its mouth. 

As each in turn got filled, it was taken back to the tribe to which itbelonged; for the united hordes had by this time become separated intotwo distinct parties, preparatory to starting off on their respectiveroutes. 

Our adventurers could now perceive a marked difference between the twobands of Saara wanderers into whose hands they had unfortunately fallen. As already stated, the black sheik was an African of the true negrotype, with thick lips, flattened nostrils, woolly hair, and heelsprojecting several inches to the rear of his ankle-joints. Most of hisfollowing were similarly "furnished", though not all of them. Therewere a few of mixed colour, with straight hair, and features almostCaucasian, who submitted to his rule, or rather to his ownership, sincethese last all appeared to be his slaves. 

Those who trooped after the old Arab were mostly of his own race, mixedwith a remnant of mongrel Portuguese, descendants of the Peninsularcolonists who had fled from the coast settlements after the conquest ofMorocco by the victorious "Sheriffs. "

Of such mixed races are the tribes who thinly people the Saara--Arabs, Berbers, Ethiopians of every hue; all equally Bedouins, wanderers of thepathless deserts. It did not escape the observation of our adventurersthat the slaves of the Arab sheik and his followers were mostly purenegroes from the south; while those of the black chieftain, asproclaimed by the colour of their skin, showed a Shemitic or Japheticorigin. The philosophic Colin could perceive in this a silent evidenceof the retribution of races. 

The supply of water being at length laid in, not only in the skinsappropriated to the purpose, but also within the stomachs of the camels, the two tribes seem prepared to exchange with each other the partingsalute, to speak the "Peace be with you!" And yet there was somethingthat caused them to linger in each other's proximity. Their new-madecaptives could tell this, though ignorant of what it might be. 

It was something that had yet to be settled between the two sheiks whodid not appear at this moment of leave-taking to entertain for eachother any very cordial sentiment of friendship. 

Could their thoughts have found expression in English words, they wouldhave taken shape somewhat as follows:--

"That lubberly nigger, " (we are pursuing the train of reflections thatpassed through the mind of the Arab sheik)--"old Nick burn him!--thinksI've got more than my share of this lucky windfall. He wants these boysbad, I know that. The Sultan of Timbuctoo has given him a commission toprocure white slaves, that's clear; and boy slaves, if he can, that'sequally certain. This lot would suit him to a T. I can tell that hedon't care much for the old salt he has tricked me out of by hissuperior skill at that silly game of helga. No; his Majesty of themud-walled city don't want such as him. It's boys he's after, as canwait smartly at his royal table, and give _eclat_ to his ceremonialentertainments. Well, he can have these three at a price. 

"Ay; but a big price, " continued the cunning old trafficker in humanflesh, after a short reflection, "a whopping big price. The togs we'vestripped from them were no common clothing. Good broadcloth in theirjackets, and bullion bands on their caps. They must be the sons ofgreat sheiks. At Wedinoin the old Jew will redeem them. So, too, themerchants at Susa; or maybe I had best take them on to Mogador, wherethe consul of their country will come down handsomely for such as they. Yes; that's the trick!"

At this parting scene the thoughts of Fatima's husband were equallyoccupied with trading speculations, in which he was assisted by theamiable Fatima herself. 

Translated also into English, they would have read as follows:--

"The Sultan would give threescore of his best blacks for those threetripe-coloured brats. "

"I know it, Fatty dear; he's told me so himself. "

"Then, why not get them, and bring 'em along?"

"Ah, that's easy to say. How can I? You know they belong to the oldArab by right, at least he claims them, though not very fairly, for ifwe hadn't come up in good time they would have taken him instead of histaking them; no matter for that, they're his now by the laws of theSaara. "

"Bother the laws of the Saara!" exclaimed Fatima, with a disdainful tossof her head, and a scornful turning up of her two protruding teeth; "allstuff and nonsense! There's no law in the Saara; and if there was, youknow we're never coming into it again. The price you'd get for thosethree hobbledehoys would keep us comfortable for the balance of ourlives; and we need never track the Devil's desert again. Take 'em byforce from old yellow-face, if you can't get 'em otherwise; but you may`chouse' him out of them at a game of helga, you know you can beat himat that. If he won't play again, try your hand at bargaining againstyour blacks, offer him two to one. "

Thus counselled by the partner of his bosom, the black sheik, instead ofbidding the _saleik aloum_ to his Arab _confrere_, raised his voicealoud, and demanded from the latter a parley upon business ofimportance. 

CHAPTER FORTY ONE. 

THE TRIO STAKED. 

The parley that followed was of course unintelligible to ouradventurers, the Boy Slaves. 

But although they did not understand the words that were exchangedbetween the two sheiks, they were not without having a conjecture as totheir import. The gestures made by the two men, and their looks castfrequently towards themselves, led them to believe that the conversationrelated to their transference from one to the other. 

There was not much to choose between the two masters. Both appeared tobe unfeeling savages, and so far had treated their captives with muchcruelty. They could only hope, in case of a transfer taking place, thatit would not be partial, but would extend to the trio, and that theywould be kept together. They had been already aware that Old Bill wasto be parted from them, and this had caused them a painful feeling; butto be themselves separated, perhaps never to meet again, was a thoughtstill more distressing. 

The three youths had been long shipmates, even since entering the navalservice of their country. They had become fast friends; and believedthat whatever might be the fate before them they could better bear it ineach other's company. Companionship would at least enable them to cheerone another; mutual sympathy would, to some extent, alleviate thehardest lot; while alone, and under such cruel taskmasters, the prospectwas gloomy in the extreme. 

With feelings of keen anxiety, therefore, did they listen to the palaverand watch the countenances of their captors. 

After a full half-hour spent in loud talking and gesticulating, somearrangement appeared to have been arrived at between the two sheiks. Those most interested in it could only guess what it was by whatfollowed. 

Silence having been partially restored, the old Arab was seen to step upto the spot where the slaves of the black sheik were assembled; and, after carefully scrutinising them, pick out three of the stoutest, plumpest, and healthiest young negroes in the gang. These wereseparated from the others, and placed on the plain some distance apart. 

"We're to be exchanged, " muttered Terence, "we're to belong to the uglyblack nayger. Well, perhaps it's better. We'll be with Old Bill. "

"Stay a wee, " said Colin; "there's something more to come yet, I think. "

The black sheik at this moment coming up, interrupted the conversationof the captives. 

What was he going to do? Take them with him, they supposed. The oldArab had himself led out the three young "darkies"; and the black sheikwas about to act in like manner with the trio of white captives. 

So reasoned they; and, as it was a matter of indifference to them withwhich they went, they would offer no opposition. 

To their chagrin, however, instead of all three, only one of them wasled off; the other two being commanded by gestures to keep their ground. 

It was O'Connor to whom this partiality was shown; the black sheikhaving selected him after a short while spent in scrutinising andcomparing the three. The Irish youth was of stouter build than eitherof his shipmates; and this, perhaps, guided the black sheik in makinghis choice. By all appearances, the conditions of the exchange were tobe different from what our adventurers had anticipated. It was not tobe man for man, or boy for boy; but three for one, three blacks to awhite. 

This was, in reality, the terms that had been agreed upon. Theavaricious old Arab, not caring very much to part with his share of thespoil, would not take less than three to one; and to this the blacksheik, after long and loud bargaining, had consented. 

Terence was led up and placed alongside the three young darkies, who, instead of taking things as seriously as he, were exhibiting theirivories in broad grins of laughter, as if the disposal of their personswas an affair to be treated only as a joke. 

Our adventurers were now apprehensive that they were to be separated. Their only hope was that the bargaining would not end there; but wouldextend to a further exchange of six blacks for the two remaining whites. 

Their conjectures were interrupted by their seeing that the "swop" wasnot yet considered complete. 

What followed, in fact, showed them that it was not a regular trade atall; but a little bit of gambling between the two sheiks, in whichTerence and the three young blacks were to be the respective stakes. 

Old Bill was able to explain the proceedings from his experience of thepreceding night; and, as he saw the two sheiks repair to the place wherehis own proprietorship had been decided, he cried out, "Ye're goin' tobe gambled for, Masther Terry! Och! ye'll be along wid me; for theblack can bate the owld Arab at that game, all hollow. "

The holes in which the helga had been played on the proceeding night, were now resorted to. The proper number of dung pellets were procured, and the game proceeded. 

It ended as the old man-o'-war's-man had prognosticated, by the blacksheik becoming the winner and owner of Terence O'Connor. 

The Arab appeared sadly chagrined, and by the way in which he struttedand stormed over the ground, it was evident he would not rest satisfiedwith his loss. When did gamester ever leave gaming-table so long as astake was left him to continue the play?

Two of the midshipmen still belonged to the old sheik. With these hemight obtain a _revanche_. He made the trial. He was unfortunate asbefore. Either the luck was against him, or he was no match at "desertdraughts" for his sable antagonist. 

It ended in the black sheik becoming the owner of the three midshipmen;who, restored to the companionship of Sailor Bill, in less than twentyminutes after the conclusion of the game were trudging it across thedesert in the direction of Timbuctoo. 

CHAPTER FORTY TWO. 

GOLAH. 

In their journey over the sea of sand, our four adventurers formed partof a company of sixteen men and women, along with six or seven children. 

All were the property of one man, the huge and dusky sheik who had wonSailor Bill and the three middies at "desert draughts. "

It soon became known to his white captives that his name was Golah, aname which Terence suggested might be an African abbreviation of theancient name of Goliah. 

Golah was certainly a great man, not in bone and flesh alone, but inintellect as well. 

We do not claim for him the gigantic mind that by arranging a fewfigures and symbols, by the light of a lamp in a garret, could discovera new planet in the solar system, and give its dimensions, weight, anddistance from the dome of Saint Paul's. Neither do we claim that thepower of his intellect, if put forth in a storm of eloquence, could movethe masses of his fellow-creatures, as a hurricane stirs up the watersof the sea; yet, for all this, Golah had a great intellect. He was bornto rule; and not a particle of all the propensities and sentimentsconstituting his mind was ever intended to yield to the will of another. 

The cunning old sheik, who had the first claim to the three mids, hadbeen anxious to retain them; but they were also wanted by Golah, and theArab was compelled to give them up, after having been fairly beaten atthe game; parting with his sable competitor in a mood that was anythingbut agreeable. 

The black sheik had three wives, all of whom possessed the gift ofeloquence in a high degree. 

For all this, a single glance from him was enough to stop any one ofthem in the middle of a monosyllable. 

Even Fatima, the favourite, owed much of her influence to the abilityshe displayed in studying her lord's wishes to the neglect of her own. 

Golah had seven camels, four of which were required for carrying himselfand his wives, with their children, trappings, tent utensils, and tents. 

The three other camels were laden with the spoils which had beencollected from the wreck. Twelve of the sixteen adults in the companywere compelled to walk, being forced to keep up with the camels the bestway they could. 

One of these was Golah's son, a youth about eighteen years of age. Hewas armed with a long Moorish musket, a heavy Spanish sword, and thedirk that had been taken from Colin. 

He was the principal guard over the slaves, in which duty he wasassisted by another youth, whom our adventurers afterwards learnt was abrother of one of Golah's wives. 

This second youth was armed with a musket and scimitar, and both he andGolah's son seemed to think that their lives depended on keeping aconstant watch over the ten slaves; for there were six others besidesSailor Bill and his young companions. They had all been captured, purchased, or won at play, during Golah's present expedition, and werenow on the way to some southern market. 

Two of the six were pronounced by Sailor Bill to be Kroomen, a race ofAfricans with whose appearance he was somewhat familiar, having oftenseen them acting as sailors in ships coming from the African coast. 

The other slaves were much lighter in complexion, and by the oldman-o'-war's-man were called "Portugee blacks. " All had the appearanceof having spent some time in bondage on the great Saara. 

On the first day of their journey the white captives had learnt therelations existing between the majority of the company and the chiefGolah; and each of them felt shame as well as indignation at thehumiliating position in which he was placed. 

Those feelings were partly excited and greatly strengthened by hungerand thirst, as well as by the painful toil they had to undergo indragging themselves over the sandy plain beneath a scorching sun. 

"I have had enough of this, " said Harry Blount to his companions. "Wemight be able to stand it several days longer, but I've no curiosity tolearn whether we can or not. "

"Go on! you are thinking and speaking for me, Harry, " said Terence. 

"There are four of us, " continued Harry, "four of that nation whosepeople boast they never will be slaves; besides, there are six others, who are our fellow-bondsmen. They're not much to look at, but stillthey might count for something in a row. Shall we four British tars, belong to a party of ten, all enslaved by three men, black men at that?"

"That's just what I've been thinking about, for the last hour or two, "said Terence. "If we don't kill old Golah, and ride off with hiscamels, we deserve to pass every day of our lives as we're doing thisone--in slavery. "

"Just say the word, when and how, " cried Harry. "I'm waiting. Thereare seven camels. Let us each take one; but before we go we must eatand drink the other three. I'm starving. "

"Pitch on a plan, and I'll pitch into it, " rejoined Terence. "I'm readyfor anything, from pitch and toss to manslaughter. "

"Stay, Master Terence, " interrupted the old sailor. "Av coorse ye areafther wantin' to do somethin', an' thin to think aftherwards why ye didit. 'Arry, my lad, yer half out o' yer mind. Master Colin be the onlyyin o' ye that keeps his seven senses about him. Suppose, all av ye, that the big chief was dead, an' that his son was not alive, and thatthe other nager was a ristin' quietly wid his black heels turned fromthe place where the daisies hought to grow, what should we do thin? We'ave neither chart nor compass. We could'ner mak oot our reckonin'. Don't ye see, a voyage here is just like one at sea, only it be just therevarse. When men are starvin' at sea, they want to find land, but whenthey are starvin' in the desert they want to find water. The big nager, our captain, can navigate this sea in safety, we can't. We must let himtake us to some port and then do the best we can to escape from him. "

"You are quite right, " said Colin, "in thinking that we might be unableto find our way from one watering-place to another; but it is well forus to calculate all the chances. After reaching some port, as you callit, may we not find ourselves in a position more difficult to escapefrom; where we will have to contend with a hundred or more of thesenegro brutes in place of only three?"

"That's vary likely, " answered the sailor, "but they're only men, and we'ave a chance of beatin' 'em. We may fight with men and conquer 'em, an' we may fight with water an' conquer that, but when we fight againstno water that will conquer us. Natur is sure to win. "

"Bill's right there, " said Terence, "and I feel that Nature is gettingthe best of me already. "

While they were holding this conversation they noticed that one of theKroomen kept near them, and seemed listening to all that was said. Hissparkling eyes betrayed the greatest interest. 

"Do you understand us?" asked old Bill, turning sharply towards theAfrican, and speaking in an angry tone. 

"Yus, sa--a lilly bit, " answered the Krooman, without seeming to noticethe unpleasant manner in which the question had been put. 

"And what are you listening for?"

"To hear what you tell um. I like go in Ingleesh ship. You talk goodfor me. I go 'long with you. "

With some difficulty the sailor and his companions could comprehend theKrooman's gibberish. They managed to learn from him that he had oncebeen in an English ship, and had made a voyage along the African coast, trading for palm-oil. While on board he had picked up a smattering ofEnglish. He was afterwards shipwrecked in a Portuguese brig, cast awayon the shores of the Saara, just as our adventurers had been, and hadpassed four years in the desert, a slave to its denizens. 

He gratified our adventurers by telling them that they were in no dangerof having to endure a prolonged period of captivity, as they would soonbe sold into liberty, instead of slavery. Golah could not afford tokeep slaves; and was only a kidnapper and dealer in the article. Hewould sell them to the highest bidder, and that would be some Englishconsul on the coast. 

The Krooman said there was no such hope for him and his companions, fortheir country did not redeem its subjects from slavery. 

When he saw that Golah had obtained some English prisoners, he had beencheered with the hope that he might be redeemed along with them, as anEnglish subject, to which right he had some claim from having served onan English ship. 

During the day the black slaves, well knowing the duty they wereexpected to perform, had been gathering pieces of dried camels' dungalong the way: this was to supply fuel for the fire of the _douar_ atnight. 

Soon after sunset Golah ordered a halt, when the camels were unloaded, and the tents set up. 

About one quarter the quantity of _sangleh_ that each required was thenserved out to the slaves for their dinner, and as they had eaten nothingsince morning, this article of food appeared to have greatly improved, both in appearance and flavour. To the palates of our adventurers itseemed delicious. 

Golah, after examining his human property, and evidently satisfied withthe condition of all, retired to his tent; from which soon after issuedsounds that resembled a distant thunder-storm. 

The black sheik was snoring. 

The two young men, his son and brother-in-law relieved each other duringthe night in keeping watch over the slaves. 

Their vigil was altogether unnecessary. Weak, and exhausted with hungerand fatigue, the thoughts of the captives were not of the future, but ofpresent repose; which was eagerly sought, and readily found, by all fourof them. 

CHAPTER FORTY THREE. 

A DAY OF AGONY. 

An hour before sunrise the next morning, the slaves were given some_cheni_ to drink, and then started on their journey. 

The sun, as it soared up into a cloudless sky, shot forth its rays muchwarmer than upon the day before, while not a breath of air fanned thesterile plain. The atmosphere was as hot and motionless as the sandsunder their feet. They were no longer hungry. Thirst, raging, burningthirst, extinguished or deadened every other sensation. 

Streams of perspiration poured from their bodies, as they struggledthrough the yielding sand; yet, with all this moisture streaming fromevery pore, their throats, tongues, and lips became so parched that anyattempt on their part to hold converse only resulted in producing aseries of sounds that resembled a death-rattle. 

Golah, with his family, rode in the advance, and seemed not to givehimself any concern whether he was followed by others or not. His tworelatives brought up the rear of the kafila, and any of the slavesexhibiting a disposition to lag behind was admonished to move on withblows administered by a thick stick. 

"Tell them I must have water or die, " muttered Harry to the Krooman, ina hoarse whisper. "I am worth money, and if old Golah lets me die forwant of a drop of water, he's a fool. "

The Krooman refused to make the communication, which he declared wouldonly result in bringing ill-treatment upon himself. 

Colin appealed to Golah's son, and by signs gave him to understand thatthey must have water. The young black, in answer, simply condescendedto sneer at him. He was not suffering himself, and could have nosympathy for another. 

The hides of the blacks, besmeared with oil, seemed to repel thescorching beams of the sun; and years of continual practice had no doubtinured them to the endurance of hunger and thirst to a surprisingdegree. To their white fellow-captives they appeared more like hugereptiles than human beings. 

The sand along the route on this, the second day, was less compact thanbefore, and the task of leg-lifting produced a weariness such as mighthave arisen from the hardest work. Added to the agony of their thirst, the white sufferers dwelt frequently on thoughts of death, that greatantidote to human miseries; yet so constrained were their actions byforce of circumstances, that only by following their leader and owner, Golah, could they hope to find relief. 

Had he allowed them to turn back to the coast, whence they had started, or even to repose for a few hours on the way, they could not have doneso. They were irresistibly compelled to move on, by a power that couldnot be resisted. 

That power was hope, the hope of obtaining some sangleh and a littledirty water. 

To turn back, or to linger behind, would bring them nothing but moresuffering, perhaps death itself. 

A man intent on dying may throw himself into the water to get drowned, and then find himself involuntarily struggling to escape from the deathhe has courted. 

The same irresistible antipathy to death compelled his white captives tofollow the black sheik. 

They were unwilling to die, not for the sole reason that they had homesand friends they wished to see again, not solely for that innate love oflife, implanted by nature in the breasts of all; but there was apleasure which they desired to experience once more, ay, yearned toindulge in it: the pleasure of quenching their terrible thirst. Togratify this pleasure they must follow Golah. 

One of Golah's wives had three children; and as each wife was obliged tolook after her own offspring, this woman could not pursue her journeywithout a little more trouble than her less favoured companions. 

The eldest of her children was too young to walk a long distance; and, most of the time, was carried under her care upon the maherry. Havingher three restless imps to keep balanced upon the back of the camel, requiring her constant vigilance to prevent them from falling off, shefound her hands full enough. It was a sort of travelling that did notat all suit her; and she had been casting about for some way of beingrelieved from at least a portion of her trouble. 

The plan she devised was to compel someone of the slaves to carry hereldest child, a boy about four years of age. 

Colin was the victim selected for this duty. All the attempts made bythe young Scotchman to avoid the responsibilities thus imposed upon him, proved vain. The woman was resolute, and Colin had to yield; althoughhe resisted until she threatened to call Golah to her assistance. 

This argument was conclusive; and the young darkey was placed uponColin's shoulders, with its legs around his neck, and one of its handsgrasping him tightly by the hair. 

When this arrangement was completed, night had drawn near; and the twoyoung men who acted as guards hastened forward to select a place for the_douar_. 

There was no danger of any of the slaves making an attempt to escape;for all were too anxious to receive the small quantity of food that wasto be allowed them at the night halt. 

Encumbered with the "piccaninny, " and wearied with the long ceaselessstruggle through the sand, Colin lingered behind his companions. Themother of the child, apparently attentive to the welfare of herfirstborn, checked the progress of her maherry, and rode back to him. 

After the camels had been unloaded, and the tents pitched, Golahsuperintended the serving out of their suppers, which consisted only ofsangleh. The quantity was even less than had been given the eveningbefore; but it was devoured by the white captives with a pleasure noneof them had hitherto experienced. 

Sailor Bill declared that the brief time in which he was employed inconsuming the few mouthfuls allowed him was a moment of enjoyment thatrepaid him for all the sufferings of the day. 

"Ah! Master 'Arry, " said he, "it's only now we are larnin' to live, although I did think, one time to-day, we was just larnin' to die. Inever mean to eat again until I'm hungry. Master Terry, " he added, turning to the young Irishman, "isn't this foine livin' intirely? andare yez not afther bein' happy?"

"'Tis the most delicious food man ever ate, " answered Terence; "and theonly fault I can find is, that there is not enough of it. "

"Then you may have what is left of mine, " said Colin, "for I can't saythat I fancy it. "

Harry, Terence, and the sailor, gazed at the young Scotchman withexpressions of mingled alarm and surprise. Small as had been the amountof sangleh with which Colin had been served, he had not eaten more thanone half of it. 

"Why, puir Maister Colly, what is wrang wi' ye?" exclaimed Bill, in atone expressing fear and pity. "If ye dinna eat, mon, ye'll dee. "

"I'm quite well, " answered Colin, "but I have had plenty, and any of youcan take what is left. "

Though the hunger of Colin's three companions was not half satisfied, they all refused to finish the remainder of his supper, hoping that hemight soon find his appetite, and eat it himself. 

The pleasure they had enjoyed in eating the small allowance given themrendered it difficult for them to account for the conduct of theircompanion. His abstemiousness caused them uneasiness, even alarm. 

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR. 

COLIN IN LUCK. 

The next morning when the caravan started, Colin again had the care ofthe young black. He did not always have to carry him, as part of thetime the boy trotted along by his side. 

During the fore part of the day the young Scotchman with his chargeeasily kept up with his companions, and some of the time might be seen alittle in advance of them. His kind attentions to the boy were observedby Golah, who showed some sign of human feeling, by exhibiting acontortion of his features intended for a smile. 

Towards noon, Colin appeared to become fatigued with the toil of thejourney, and then fell back to the rear, as he had done the eveningbefore. Again the anxious mother, ever mindful of the welfare of heroffspring, was seen to check her camel, and wait until Colin and the boyovertook her. 

Sailor Bill had been much surprised at Colin's conduct the eveningbefore, especially at the patient manner in which the youth hadsubmitted to the task of looking after the child. There was a mysteryin the young Scotchman's behaviour he could not comprehend, a mysterythat soon became more profound. It had also attracted the attention ofHarry and Terence, notwithstanding the many unpleasant circumstances ofthe journey calculated to abstract their thoughts from him and hischarge. 

Shortly after noon, the woman was seen driving Colin up to the _kafila_, urging him forward with loud screams, and blows administered with theknotted end of the rope by which she guided her maherry. 

After a time, Golah, apparently annoyed by her shrill scolding voice, ordered her to desist, and permit the slave to continue his journey inpeace. 

Although unable to understand the meaning of her words, Colin must haveknown that the woman was not using terms of endearment. 

The screaming angry tone, and the blows of the rope, might have told himthis; and yet he submitted to her reproaches and chastisements with ameekness and a philosophic resignation which surprised his companions. 

When his thoughts were not too much absorbed by painful reveries overthe desire for food and water, Harry endeavoured to converse with theKrooman already mentioned. He now applied to the man for aninterpretation of the words so loudly vociferated by the angry negress, and launched upon the head of the patient young Scotchman. 

The Krooman said that she had called the lad a lazy pig, a Christiandog, and an unbelieving fool, and that she threatened to kill him unlesshe kept up with the _kafila_. 

On the third day of their journeying, it chanced not to be quite so hotas on the one preceding it; and consequently the sufferings of theslaves, especially from thirst, were somewhat less severe. 

"I shall never endure such agony again, " said Harry, speaking of hisexperience of the previous day. "Perhaps I may die for the want ofwater, and on this desert; but I can never suffer so much real pain asecond time. "

"'Ow is that, Master 'Arry?" asked Bill. 

"Because I cannot forget, after my experience of last night, that thegreater the desire for water the more pleasure there is in gratifyingit; and the anticipation of such happiness will go far to alleviateanything I may hereafter feel. "

"Well, there be summat in that, for sartin, " answered the sailor, "for Ican't help thinkin' about 'ow nice our supper was last night, and only'ope it will taste as well to-night again. "

"We have learnt something new, " said Terence; "new, at least, to me; andI shall know how to live when I get where there is plenty. Heretofore Ihave been like a child, eating and drinking half my time, not because Irequired it, but because I knew no better. There is Colly now, he don'tseem to appreciate the beauty of this Arabian style of living; or he mayunderstand it better than we. Perhaps he is waiting until he acquires abetter appetite, so that he may have all the more pleasure in gratifyingit. Where is he now?"

They all looked about. They saw that Colin had once more fallen behind;and that the mother of the child was again waiting for him. 

Harry and Terrence walked on, expecting that they would soon see theircompanion rudely driven up by the angry negress. 

Sailor Bill stopped, as though he was interested in being a witness tothe scene thus anticipated. 

In a few minutes after, the young Scotchman, with the child, was hurriedforward by the enraged hag, who once more seemed in a great passion athis inability or unwillingness to keep up with the others. 

"I ken it a' noo, " said Bill, after he had stood for some timewitnessing the ill-treatment heaped upon Colin. "Our freen Colly's inluck. I've no langer any wonder at his taking a' this trouble wi' theblackey bairn. "

"What is it, Bill? What have you learnt now?" asked Terrence and Harry, in a breath. 

"I've larnt why Colly could not eat his dinner yesterday. "

"Well, why was it?"

"I've larnt that the nager's anger with Colly is all a pretince, an'that she is an old she-schemer. "

"Nonsense, Bill; that is all a fancy of yours, " said Colin, who, withthe child on his shoulders, was now walking alongside his companions. 

"It is no fancy of mine, mon, " answered Bill, "but a fancy o' the womanfor a bra' fair luddie. What is it that she gives you to eat, MaisterColly?"

Seeing that it was idle to conceal his good fortune any longer, Colinnow confessed it, informing them that the woman, whenever she could doso without being seen, had given him a handful of dried figs, with adrink of camel's milk from a leathern bottle which she carried under hercloak. 

Notwithstanding the opinion they had just expressed, on the enjoymentattending prolonged thirst and hunger, Colin's companions congratulatedhim on his good fortune, one and all declaring their willingness to takecharge of the little darkey, on the condition of being similarlyrewarded. 

They had no suspicion at that moment that their opinions might soonundergo a change; and that Colin's supposed good fortune would ere longbecome a source of much uneasiness to all of them. 

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE. 

SAILOR BILL'S EXPERIMENT. 

The afternoon of this day was very warm, yet Golah rode on at such aquick pace, that it required the utmost exertion of the slaves to keepup with him. 

This manner of travelling, under the circumstances in which he wasrequired to pursue it, proved too severe for Sailor Bill to endure withany degree of patience. 

He became unable, as he thought, to walk any farther; or, if not whollyunable, he was certainly unwilling, and he therefore sat down. 

A heavy shower of blows produced no effect in moving him from the spotwhere he had seated himself; and the two young men who acted as guards, not knowing what else to do, and having exhausted all their arguments, accompanied by a series of kicks at length appealed to Golah. 

The sheik instantly turned his maherry and rode back. 

Before he had reached the place, however, the three mids had used alltheir influence in an endeavour to get their old companion to move on. In this they had been joined by the Krooman, who entreated Bill, if heplaced any value on his life, to get up before Golah should arrive, forhe declared the monster would show him no mercy. 

"For God's sake, " exclaimed Harry Blount, "if it is possible for you toget up and go a little way farther, do so. "

"Try to move on, man, " said Terence, "and we will help you. Come, Bill, for the sake of your friends try to get up. Golah is close by. "

While thus speaking, Terence, assisted by Colin, took hold of Bill andtried to drag him to his feet; but the old sailor obstinately persistedin remaining upon the ground. 

"Perhaps I could walk on a bit farther, " said he, "but I won't. I've'ad enough on it. I'm goin' to ride, and let Golah walk awhile. He'sbetter able to do it than I am. Now don't you boys be so foolish as toget yersels into trouble on my account. All ye've got to do is to lookon, an' ye'll larn somethin'. If I've no youth an' beauty, like Colly, to bring me good luck, I've age and experience, and I'll get it byschamin'. "

On reaching the place where the sailor was sitting, Golah was informedof what had caused the delay, and that the usual remedy had failed ofeffect. 

He did not seem displeased at the communication. On the contrary, hishuge features bore an expression that for him might have been consideredpleasant. 

He quietly ordered the slave to get up, and pursue his journey. 

The weary sailor had blistered feet; and, with his strength almostexhausted by hunger and thirst, had reached the point of desperation. Moreover, for the benefit of himself and his young companions, he wishedto try an experiment. 

He told the Krooman to inform the sheik that he would go on, if allowedto ride one of the camels. 

"You want me to kill you?" exclaimed Golah, when this communication wasmade to him; "you want to cheat me out of the price I have paid for you;but you shall not. You must go on. I, Golah, have said it. "

The sailor, in reply, swore there was no possible chance for them totake him any farther without allowing him to ride. 

This answer to the sheik's civil request was communicated by theKrooman; and, for a moment, Golah seemed puzzled as to how he shouldact. 

He would not kill the slave, after saying that he must go on; nor wouldhe have him carried, since the man would then gain his point. 

He stood for a minute meditating on what was to be done. Then a hideoussmile stole over his features. He had mastered the difficulty. 

Taking its halter from the camel, he fastened one end of it to thesaddle, and the other around the wrists of the sailor. Poor Old Billmade resistance to being thus bound, but he was like an infant in thepowerful grasp of the black sheik. 

The son and brother-in-law of Golah stood by with their muskets on fullcock, and the first move any of Bill's companions could have made toassist him, would have been a signal for them to fire. 

When the fastenings were completed, the sheik ordered his son to leadthe camel forward; and the sailor, suddenly jerked from his attitude ofrepose, was rudely dragged onward over the sand. 

"You are going now!" exclaimed Golah, nearly frantic with delight; "andwe are not carrying you, are we? Neither are you riding? _Bismillah_!I am your master!"

The torture of travelling in this manner was too great to be longendured; and Bill had to take to his feet and walk forward as before. He was conquered; but as a punishment for the trouble he had caused, thesheik kept him towing at the tail of the camel for the remainder of thatday's journey. 

Any one of the white slaves would once have thought that he possessedtoo much spirit to allow himself, or a friend, to be subjected to suchtreatment as Bill had that day endured. 

None of them was deficient in true courage; yet the proud spirit, ofwhich each had once thought himself possessed, was now subdued by apower to which, if it be properly applied, all animate things mustyield. 

That power was the feeling of hunger; and there is no creature so wildand fierce but will tamely submit to the dominion of the man whocommands it. It is a power that must be used with discretion, or thevictims to it, urged by desperation, may destroy their keeper. Golahhad the wisdom to wield it with effect; for by it, with the assistanceof two striplings, he easily controlled those who, under othercircumstances, would have claimed the right to be free. 

CHAPTER FORTY SIX. 

AN UNJUST REWARD. 

The next morning on resuming the journey Golah condescended to tell hiscaptives that they should reach a well or spring that afternoon, andstay by it for two or three days. 

This news was conveyed to Harry by the Krooman; and all were elated atthe prospect of rest, with a plentiful supply of water. 

Harry had a long conversation with the Krooman as they were pursuingtheir route. The latter expressed his surprise that the white captiveswere so contented to go on in the course in which the sheik wasconducting them. 

This was a subject about which Harry and his companions had giventhemselves no concern; partly because they had no idea that Golah wasintending to make a very long journey, and partly because they supposedhis intentions, whatever they were, could not be changed by anythingthey might propose. 

The Krooman thought different. He told Harry that the route they werefollowing, if continued, would lead them far into the interior of thecountry, probably to Timbuctoo; and that Golah should be entreated totake them to some port on the coast, where they might be ransomed by anEnglish consul. 

Harry perceived the truth of these suggestions; and, after having aconversation with his companions, it was determined between them thatthey should have a talk with Golah that very night. 

The Krooman promised to act as interpreter, and to do all in his powerto favour their suit. He might persuade the sheik to change hisdestination, by telling him that he would find a far better market intaking them to some place where vessels arrive and depart, than bycarrying them into the interior of the country. 

The man then added, speaking in a mysterious manner, that there was onemore subject on which he wished to give them warning. When pressed tomention it, he appeared reluctant to do so. 

He was at last prevailed upon to be more communicative; when heproclaimed his opinion, that their companion, Colin, would never leavethe desert. 

"Why is that?" asked Harry. 

"Bom-bye he be kill. De sheik kill um. "

Although partly surmising his reasons for having formed this opinion, Harry urged him to further explain himself. 

"Ef Golah see de moder ob de piccaninny gib dat lad one lilly fig, onedrop ob drink, he kill um, sartin-sure. I see, one, two, seb'ral moresee. Golah no fool. Bom-bye he see too, and kill um bof, de lad an' depiccaninny moder. "

Harry promised to warn his companion of the danger, and save him beforethe suspicions of Golah should be aroused. 

"No good, no good, " said the Krooman. 

In explanation of this assertion, Harry was told that, should the youngScotchman refuse any favour from the woman, her wounded vanity wouldchange her liking to the most bitter hatred, and she would then contriveto bring down upon him the anger of Golah, an anger that would certainlybe fatal to its victim. 

"Then what must I do to save him?" asked Harry. 

"Noting, " answered the Krooman. "You noting can do. Ony bid him begood man, and talk much, pray to God. Golah wife lub him, and he suremuss die. "

Harry informed the sailor and Terence of what the Krooman had told him;and the three took counsel together. 

"I believe as how the darkey be right, " said Bill. "Of course, if theswab Goliarh larns as 'ow one av 'is wives ha' taken a fancy to MasterColly, 'twill be all up wi' the poor lad. He will be killed, and mayhapeaten too, for that matter. "

"Like enough, " assented Terence. "And should he scorn her veryparticular attentions, her resentment might be equally as dangerous asGolah's. I fear poor Colin has drifted into trouble. "

"What ye be afther sayin' about the woman, " said Bill, "minds me o' alittle story I wunce heeard whin I was a boy. I read it in a bookcalled the Bible. It was about a young man, somethin' like MasterColly, barrin' his name was Joseph. A potter's wife tuck a fancy tohim; but Joseph, bein' a dacent an' honest youngster, treated her widcontimpt, an' came to great grief by doin' that same. You must 'averead that story, Master 'Arry, " continued Bill, turning from Terence tothe young Englishman, and changing his style of pronunciation. "Did itnot 'appen summers in this part o' the world? Hif I remember rightly, it did. I know 'twas summers in furrin parts. "

"Yes, " answered Harry, "that little affair did happen in this part ofthe world, since it was in Africa; and our comrade has a fair prospectof being more unfortunate than Joseph. In truth, I don't see how weshall be able to assist him. "

"There he is, about a hundred cable lengths astern, " said Bill, lookingback. "And there's the old 'oman, too, lookin' sharp afther him, whileColly is atin' the figs and drinkin' the camel's milk; and while I'mdying for a dhrop of that same. Old Goliarh is no doubt proud wi' thegreat care she's takin' of his child; but won't there be a row when helarns summat more? Won't there, Master 'Arry?"

"There will, indeed, " answered Harry. "Colin will soon be up with us, and we must talk to him. "

Harry was right, for Colin soon after overtook them, having been drivenup as usual by the negress, who seemed in great anger at the trouble hewas causing her. 

"Colin, " said Harry, when their companion and the child had joined them, "you must keep the woman away from you. Her partiality for you hasalready been noticed by others. The Krooman has just been telling usthat you will not live much longer; that Golah is neither blind norfoolish; and that, on the slightest suspicion he has of the womanshowing you any favour, even to giving you a fig, he will kill you. "

"But what can I do?" asked Colin. "If the woman should come to you andoffer you a handful of figs and a drink of milk, could you refuse them?"

"No, I certainly could not. I only wish such an alternative wouldpresent itself; but you must manage in some way or other to keep awayfrom her. You must not linger behind, but remain all the time by us. "

"If you knew, " asked Colin, "that you could quench your thirst bylagging a few paces behind, would you not do so?"

"That would be a strong temptation, and I should probably yield; but Itell you that you are in danger. "

Neither of Colin's companions could blame him. Suffering as he was, from the ceaseless agony of hunger and thirst, any indiscretion, or evencrime, seemed justifiable, for the purpose of obtaining relief. 

The day became hotter and hotter, until in the afternoon the sufferingsof the slaves grew almost unendurable. Sailor Bill appeared to be moreseverely affected than any of his companions. He had been knockingabout the world for many long years injuring his constitution bydissipation and exposure in many climes; and the siege that thirst andhunger were now making to destroy his strength became each hour moreperceptible in its effect. 

By the middle of the afternoon it was with the utmost difficulty hecould move along; and his tongue was so parched that in an attempt tospeak he wholly failed. His hands were stretched forth towards Colin;who, since the warning he had received, had kept up along with the rest. 

Colin understood the signal; and placed the boy on the old man'sshoulders. Bill wished to learn if the mother would reward him fortaking care of her child, as she had his predecessor in the office. Tocarry out the experiment, he allowed himself to be left in the rear ofthe caravan. 

Golah's son and the other guard had noticed the old sailor's sufferingcondition, and objected to his being encumbered with the child. Theypointed to Harry and Terence. But Bill was resolute in holding on tohis charge; and, cursing him for an unbelieving fool, they allowed himto have his own way. 

Not long after the mother of the child was seen to stop her camel, andthe three mids passed by her unnoticed. The old sailor hastened up asfast as his weary limbs would allow, to receive the hoped-for reward. But the poor fellow was doomed to a cruel disappointment. 

When the woman perceived who had been entrusted with the carrying of herchild, she pronounced two or three phrases in a sharp angry tone. Understanding them, the child dismounted from the sailor's back, and ranwith all speed towards her. 

Bill's reward was a storm of invectives, accompanied by a shower ofblows with the knotted end of the halter. He strove to avoid thepunishment by increasing his speed; but the camel seemed to understandthe relative distance that should be maintained between its rider andthe sailor, so that the former might deliver, and the latter receive theblows with the most painful effect. This position it kept until Billhad got up to his companions; his naked shoulders bearing crimsonevidence of the woman's ability in the handling of a rope's end. 

As she rode past Colin, who had again taken charge of the child, shegave the young Scotchman a look that seemed to say, "You have betrayedme!" and without waiting for a look in return, she passed on to join herhusband at the head of the caravan. 

The black slaves appeared highly amused at the sailor's misfortunes. The interest had aroused their expiring energies; and the journey waspursued by them with more animation than before. 

Bill's disappointment was not without some beneficial effect uponhimself. He was so much revived by the beating, that he soon afterrecovered his tongue; and as he shuffled on alongside his companions, they could hear him muttering curses, some in good English, some in bad, some in a rich Irish brogue, and some in the broadest Scotch. 

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN. 

THE WATERLESS WELL. 

Golah expected to reach the watering-place early in the evening; and allthe caravan was excited by the anticipation of soon obtaining aplentiful supply of water. 

It was well they were inspired by this hope. But for that, long beforethe sun had set, Sailor Bill and three or four others would have droppeddown in despair, physically unable to move any farther. But theprospect of plenty of water to be found only a few miles ahead, broughtat the same time, resolution, strength and life. Faint and feeble, theystruggled on, nearly mad with the agony of nature's fierce demands; andsoon after sunset they succeeded in reaching the well. 

It was dry!

Not a drop of the much desired element was shining in the cavity wherethey had expected to find it. 

Sailor Bill, and some of the other slaves, sank upon the earth, muttering prayers for immediate death. 

Golah was in a great rage with everything; and his wives, children, slaves, and camels, that were most familiar with his moods, rushed hereand there to get out of his way. 

Suddenly he seemed to decide on a course to be taken in this terribleemergency; and his anger, to some extent, subsided. 

Unbuckling the last goat's-skin of water from one of the camels, hepoured out a small cup for each individual of the _kafila_. Each wasthen served with a little _sangleh_ and a couple of dried figs. 

All were now ordered to move on towards the west, Golah leading the way. The new route was at right angles to the course they had been followingduring the earlier part of the day. 

Some of the slaves, who declared that they were unable to go farther, found out, after receiving a few ticklings of the stick, that they hadbeen mistaken. The application of Golah's cudgel awakened dormantenergies of which they had not deemed themselves possessed. 

After proceeding about two miles from the scene of their disappointment, Golah suddenly stopped, as he did so, giving to his followers someorders, in a low tone. 

The camels were immediately brought into a circle, forced to kneel down, while their lading was removed from them. 

While this was going on, the white captives heard voices and thetrampling of horses' hoofs. 

The black sheik, with his highly educated ear, had detected the approachof strangers. This had caused him to order the halt. 

When the noises had approached a little nearer, Golah called out inArabic, "Is it peace?"

"It is, " was the answer; and as the strangers drew nearer thesalutations of "Peace be with you!"

"Peace be with all here, and with your friends!" were exchanged. 

The caravan they had met consisted of between fifteen and twenty men, some horses and camels; and the sheik who commanded it inquired of Golahfrom whence he came. 

"From the west, " answered Golah, giving them to understand that he wastravelling the same way as themselves. 

"Then why did you not keep on to the well?" was the next inquiry. 

"It is too far away, " answered Golah. "We are very weary. "

"It is not far, " said the chief, "not more than half a league. You hadbetter go on. "

"No. I think it is more than two leagues, and we shall wait tillmorning. "

"We shall not. I know the well is not far away; and we shall reach itto-night. "

"Very well, " said Golah; "go, and may God be with you. But stay, masters, have you a camel to sell?"

"Yes, a good one. It is a little fatigued now, but will be strong inthe morning. "

Golah was aware that any camel they would sell him that night would beone that could only move with much difficulty, one that they despairedof getting any farther on the way. The black sheik knew his ownbusiness best; and was willing they should think they had cheated him inthe bargain. 

After wrangling for a few minutes, he succeeded in buying their camel, the price being a pair of blankets, a shirt, and the dirk that had beentaken from Terence. The camel had no cargo; and had for some time beenforced onward at considerable trouble to its owner. 

The strangers soon took their departure, going off in the direction ofthe dry well. As soon as they were out of sight Golah gave orders toreload the animals, and resume the interrupted march. To excite theslaves to a continuance of the journey, he promised that the camel hehad purchased should be slaughtered on the next morning for theirbreakfast; and that they should have a long rest in the shade of thetents during the following day. 

This promise, undoubtedly, had the anticipated effect in revivifyingtheir failing energies, and they managed to move on until near daybreak, when the camel lately purchased laid itself down, and philosophicallyresisted every attempt at compelling it to continue the journey. 

It was worn-out with toil and hunger, and could not recover its feet. 

The other animals were stopped and unladen, the tents were pitched, andpreparations made for resting throughout the day. 

After some dry weeds had been collected for fuel, Golah proceeded tofulfil his promise of giving them plenty of food. 

A noose was made at the end of a rope, and placed around the camel'slower jaw. Its head was then screwed about, as far as it would reach, and the rope was made fast to the root of its tail, the long neck of thecamel allowing its head to be brought within a few inches of the placewhere the rope was tied. 

Fatima, the favourite, stood by, holding a copper kettle; while Golahopened a vein on the side of the animal's neck near the breast-bone. The blood gushed forth in a stream; and before the camel had breathedits last, the vessel held to catch it had become filled more than halffull. 

The kettle was then placed over the fire, and the blood boiled andstirred with a stick until it had become as thick as porridge. It wasthen taken off, and when it had cooled down, it resembled, both incolour and consistency, the liver of a fresh-killed bullock. 

This food was divided amongst the slaves, and was greedily devoured byall. 

The heart and liver of the camel, Golah ordered to be cooked for his ownfamily; and what little flesh was on the bones, was cut into strips, andhung up in the sun to dry. 

In one portion of the camel's stomach was about a gallon and a half ofwater, thick and dirty with the vegetation it had last consumed; but allwas carefully poured into a goat's-skin, and preserved for future use. 

The intestines were also saved, and hung out in the sun to get cured bydrying, to be afterwards eaten by the slaves. 

During the day Harry and Terence asked for an interview with Golah; and, accompanied by the Krooman, were allowed to sit down by the door of histent while they conversed with him. 

Harry instructed the Krooman to inform their master, that if they weretaken to some seaport, a higher ransom would be paid for them than anyprice for which they could be sold elsewhere. 

Golah's reply to this information was, that he doubted its truth; thathe did not like seaport towns; that his business lay away from the sea;and that he was anxious to reach Timbuctoo as soon as possible. Hefurther stated that, if all his slaves were Christian dogs, who hadreached the country in ships, it might be worth his while to take themto some port where they would be redeemed; but as the most of them wereof countries that did not pay ransoms for their subjects, there would beno use in his carrying them to the coast where they might escape fromhim, and he would then have had all his trouble for nothing. 

He was next asked if he would not try to sell the white captives alongwith the two Kroomen, to some slave dealer, who would take them to thecoast for a market. 

Golah would not promise this. He said, that to do so, he should have tosell them on the desert, where he could not obtain half their value. 

The only information they were able to obtain from him was, that theywere quite certain of seeing that far-famed city, Timbuctoo, that was, if they should prove strong enough to endure the hardships of thejourney. 

After thanking Golah for his condescension in listening to their appeal, the Krooman withdrew followed by the others, who now, for the firsttime, began to realise the horror of their position. A plentiful supplyof food, along with the day's rest, had caused all the white slaves toturn their thoughts from the present to the future. 

Harry Blount and Terence, after their interview with Golah, found Colinand Sailor Bill anxiously awaiting their return. 

"Well, what's the news?" asked Bill, as they drew near. 

"Very bad, " answered Terence. "There is no hope for us; we are going toTimbuctoo. "

"No, I'm no going there, " said Bill, "if it was in another world I mightsee the place soon enough, but in this, niver, niver!"

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT. 

THE WELL. 

At an early hour next morning the caravan started on its journey, stillmoving westward. This direction Golah was compelled to pursue, toobtain a supply of water, although it was taking him no nearer hisdestination. 

Two days' journey was before them ere they could reach another well. While performing it, Golah, vexed at the delay thus occasioned, was invery ill-humour with things in general. 

Some of his displeasure was vented upon the camel he was riding, and theanimal was usually driven far ahead of the others. 

The sheik's wrath also fell upon his wives for lingering behind, andthen upon the slaves for not following closer upon the heels of thecamel. His son, and brother-in-law, would at intervals be solemnlycursed in the name of the Prophet for not driving the slaves faster. 

Before the well had been reached, the four white slaves were in a verywretched condition. Their feet were blistered and roasted by the hotsand, and as the clothing allowed them was insufficient protectionagainst the blazing sun, their neck and legs were inflamed and bleeding. 

The intestines and most of the flesh of the slaughtered camel had beenlong ago consumed, as well as the filthy water taken from its stomach. 

Colin had again established himself in the favour of the sheik's wife, and was allowed to have the care of the child; but the little food anddrink he received for his attention to it were dearly earned. 

The weight of the young negro was a serious encumbrance in a wearyjourney through what seemed to be a burning plain; moreover, the"darkey", in keeping its seat on the young Scotchman's shoulders, hadpulled a quantity of hair out of his head, besides rendering his scalpexceedingly irritable to further treatment of a like kind. 

Hungry, thirsty, weak, lame, and weary, the wretched captives struggledon until the well was reached. 

On arriving within sight of a small hill on which were growing two orthree sickly bushes, Golah pointed towards it, at the same time turninghis face to those who were following him. All understood the signal, and seemed suddenly inspired with hope and happiness. The travellerspressed forward with awakened energy, and after passing over the hillcame in sight of the well at its foot. 

The eagerness exhibited by the slaves to quench their thirst might havebeen amusing to any others than those who beheld them; but their masterseemed intent on giving them a further lesson in the virtue of patience. 

He first ordered the camels to be unladen, and the tents to be pitched. While some were doing this, he directed others to seek for fuel. 

Meanwhile, he amused himself by collecting all the dishes anddrinking-vessels, and placing them contiguous to the well. 

He then attached a rope to a leathern bucket, and, drawing water fromthe reservoir, he carefully filled the utensils with the least possiblewaste of the precious fluid his followers were so anxious to obtain. 

When his arrangements were completed, he called his wives and childrenaround him. Then, serving out to each of them about a pint of thewater, and giving them a few seconds for swallowing it, he ordered themoff. 

Each obeyed without a murmur, all apparently satisfied. 

The slaves were next called up; and then there was a rush in realearnest. The vessels were eagerly seized, and their contents greedilyswallowed. They were presented for more, refilled and again emptied. 

The quantity of water swallowed by Sailor Bill and his three youngcompanions, and the rapacity with which it was gulped down, caused Golahto declare that there was but one God, that Mahomet was his Prophet, andthat four of the slaves about him were Christian swine. 

After all had satisfied the demands of nature, Golah showed them thequantity of water he deemed sufficient for a thirsty individual, bydrinking about a pint himself, not more than a fifth of the amountconsumed by each of his white slaves. 

Long years of short allowance had accustomed the negro sheik to makeshift with a limited allowance of the precious commodity, and yetcontinue strong and active. 

About two hours after they had reached the well, and just as they hadfinished watering the camels, another caravan arrived. Its leader washailed by Golah with the words, "Is it peace?" the usual salutation whenstrangers meet on the desert. 

The answer was, "It is peace;" and the new comers dismounted and pitchedtheir camp. 

Next morning Golah had a long talk with their sheik, after which hereturned to his own tent in much apparent uneasiness. The caravan newlyarrived consisted of eleven men, with eight camels and three Saaranhorses. The men were all Arabs, none of them being slaves. They werewell-armed, and carried no merchandise. They had lately come from thenorth-west, for what purpose Golah knew not, since the account thestranger sheik had given of himself was not satisfactory. 

Though very short of provisions, Golah resolved not to leave the wellthat day; and the Krooman learnt that this resolution was caused by hisfear of the strangers. 

"If he is afraid of them, " said Harry, "I should suppose that would makehim all the more anxious to get out of their company. "

The Krooman, in explanation, stated that if the Arabs were robbers, pirates of the desert, they would not molest Golah so long as heremained at the well. 

In this the Krooman was correct. Highway robbers do not way-lay theirvictims at an inn, but on the road. Pirates do not plunder ships in aharbour, but out on the open ocean. Custom, founded on some goodpurpose, has established a similar rule on the great sandy ocean of theSaara. 

"I wish they were robbers, and would take us from Golah!" said Colin. "We should then perhaps be carried to the north, where we might beransomed some time or other. As it is, if we are to be taken toTimbuctoo, we shall never escape out of Africa. "

"We shall not be taken there, " cried Terence. "We shall turn robbersourselves first. I will for one; and when I do, Golah shall be robbedof one of his slaves at least. "

"An' that wan will be Misther Terence O'Connor, av coorse?" said Bill. 

"Yes. "

"Thin ye will 'ave done no more than Master Colly, who has alreadyrobbed 'im av twa, the haffections av 'is wife an' bairn. "

"That will do, Bill, " said Colin, who did not like hearing any allusionmade to the woman. "We have something else that should engage ourattention. Since we have learnt that they intend taking us toTimbuctoo, it is time we began to act. We must not go there. "

"That is understood, " said Harry; "but what can we do? Something shouldbe done immediately. Every day we journey southward carries us fartherfrom home, or the chance of ever getting there. Perhaps these Arabs maybuy us, and take us north. Suppose we get the Krooman to speak tothem?"

All consented to this course. The Krooman was called; and when informedof their wishes he said that he must not be seen speaking to the Arabs, or Golah would be displeased. He also stated, what the white captiveshad already observed, that Golah and his son were keeping a sharp watchover them, as well as over the strangers; and that an opportunity oftalking to the Arab sheik might not be easily obtained. 

While he was still speaking, the latter was observed proceeding towardsthe well to draw some water. 

The Krooman instantly arose, and sauntered after. 

He was observed by the quick eye of Golah, who called to him to comeaway; which he did, but not before quenching his thirst, that did notappear to be very great. 

On the Krooman's return from the well, he informed Harry that he hadspoken to the Arab sheik. He had said, "Buy us. You will get plenty ofmoney for us in Swearah;" and that the reply of the sheik was, "Thewhite slaves are dogs, and not worth buying. "

"Then we have no hope from that source!" exclaimed Terence. 

The Krooman shook his head; not despondently, but as if he did not agreein the opinion Terence had expressed. 

"What! do you think there is any hope?" asked Harry. 

The man gave a nod of assent. 

"How? In what way?"

The Krooman vouchsafed no explanation, but sauntered silently away. 

When the sun was within two or three hours of setting over the Saara theArabs struck their tents and started off in the direction of the drywell, from whence Golah and his caravan had just come. After they haddisappeared behind the hill, Golah's son was sent to its top to watchthem, while his women and slaves were ordered to strike the tents asquickly as possible. 

Then waiting till the shades of night had descended over the desert, andthe strangers were beyond the reach of vision, Golah gave orders toresume the march once more in a south-easterly direction, which wouldcarry them away from the sea-coast, and, as the white slaves believed, from all chances of their ever recovering their freedom. 

The Krooman, on the contrary, appeared to be pleased at their takingthis direction, notwithstanding the objections he had expressed to goinginland. 

CHAPTER FORTY NINE. 

A MOMENTOUS INQUIRY. 

During the night's journey Golah still seemed to have some fear of theArabs; and so great was the desire to place as much ground as possiblebetween himself and them that he did not halt until the sun was morethan two hours above the horizon. 

For some time before a halt had been planned, Fatima, his favouritewife, had been riding by his side, and making what seemed from theexcited movements of both an important communication. 

After the tents had been pitched, and food was about being served out, Golah commanded the mother of the boy carried by Colin to produce thebag of figs that had been entrusted to her keeping. 

Trembling with apprehension, the woman rose to obey. The Kroomanglanced at the white captives with an expression of horror; and althoughthey had not understood Golah's command, they saw that something wasgoing wrong. 

The woman produced the bag, which was not quite half full. There werein it about two quarts of dried figs. 

The figs that had been served out three days before at the dry well hadbeen taken from another bag kept in the custody of Fatima. 

The one now produced by the second wife should have been full; and Golahdemanded to know why it was not. 

The woman trembling asseverated that she and her children had eatenthem. 

At this confession Fatima uttered a scornful laugh, and spoke a fewwords that increased the terror of the delinquent mother, at the sametime causing the boy to commence howling with affright. 

"I tell you so, " said the Krooman, who was standing near the whiteslaves; "Fatima say to Golah, `Christian dog eat the figs;' Golah killhim now; he kill da woman too. "

In the opinion of those who travel the great desert, about the greatestcrime that can be committed is to steal food or drink, and consumeeither unknown to their companions of the journey. 

Articles of food entrusted to the care of anyone must be guarded andpreserved--even at the expense of life. 

Under no circumstances may a morsel be consumed until it is produced inthe presence of all, and a division, either equitable or otherwise, hasbeen made. 

Even had the story told by the woman been true, her crime would havebeen considered sufficiently great to have endangered her life: but hersin was greater than that. 

She had bestowed favour upon a slave--a Christian dog--and had arousedthe jealousy of her Mahometan lord and master. 

Fatima seemed happy, for nothing less than a miracle could, in heropinion, save the life of her fellow-wife, who chanced to be a hatedrival. 

After drawing his scimitar from its sheath, and cocking his musket, Golah ordered all the slaves to squat themselves on the ground, and in arow. 

This order was quickly comprehended and obeyed--the whites seatingthemselves together at one end of the line. 

Golah's son and the other guard--each with his musket loaded andcocked--were stationed in front of the row; and were ordered by thesheik to shoot any one who attempted to get up from the ground. 

The monster then stepped up to Colin, and, seizing the young Scotchmanby the auburn locks, dragged him a few paces apart from his companions. There, for a time, he was left alone. 

Golah then proceeded to serve out some cheni to every individual on theground, but none was given to the woman who had aroused his anger, norto Colin. 

In the sheik's opinion, to have offered them food would have been an actas foolish as to have poured it upon the sands. 

Food was intended to sustain life, and it was not designed by him thatthey should live much longer. And yet it was evident from his mannerthat he had not quite determined as to how they were to die. 

The two guards, with the muskets in their grasp, kept a sharp eye on theslaves; while Golah became engaged in a close consultation with Fatima. 

"What shall we do?" asked Terence; "the old villain means mischief, andhow can we prevent it? We must not let him kill poor Colly. "

"We must do something immediately, " said Harry. "We have neglected ittoo long, and shall now have to act under the disadvantage of theirbeing prepared for an attack. Bill, what should we do?"

"I was just thinkin', " said Bill, "that if we all made a rush at 'em, atthe words one--two--three! not more'n two or three of us might be killedbefore we grappled with 'em. Now, this might do, if these black fellowswould only jine us. "

The Krooman here expressed himself as one willing to take his chance inany action they should propose; and believed that his countrymen woulddo the same. He feared, however, that the other blacks could not betrusted, and that any proposal he might make to them would be in alanguage the two guards would understand. 

"Well, then, " said Harry, "there will be six of us against three. ShallI give the word?"

"All right!" said Terence, drawing his feet under his body, by way ofpreparation for rising suddenly. 

The scheme was a desperate one, but all seemed willing to undertake it. 

Since leaving the well, they had felt convinced that life and libertydepended on their making a struggle; though circumstances seemed to haveforced that struggle upon them when there was the least hope of success. 

"Now all make ready, " muttered Harry, speaking in a calm voice, so asnot to excite the attention of the guards. "One!"

"Stop!" exclaimed Colin, who had been listening attentively to all thatwas said. "I'm not with you. We should all be killed. Two or threewould be shot, and the sheik himself could finish all the rest with hisscimitar. It is better for him to kill me, if he really means to do so, than to have all four destroyed in the vain hope of trying to save one. "

"It is not for you alone that we are going to act, " interposed Harry. "It is as much for ourselves. "

"Then act when there is a chance of succeeding, " pursued Colin. "Youcannot save me, and will only lose your own lives. "

"De big black sheik am going to kill someb'dy, dat berry sure, " saidthe Krooman, as he sat with his eyes fixed upon Golah. 

The latter was still in consultation with Fatima, his face wearing anexpression that was horrible for all except herself to behold. Murderby excruciating torture seemed written on every feature of hiscountenance. 

The woman, upon whose manner of death they were deliberating, was in theact of caressing her children, apparently conscious that she had but afew minutes more to remain in their company. Her features wore anexpression of calm and hopeless resignation, as if she had yieldedherself up to the decree of an inevitable fate. 

The third wife had retired a short distance from the others. With herchild in her arms, she sate upon the ground, contemplating the scenebefore her with a look of mingled surprise, curiosity, and regret. 

From the appearance of the whole caravan, a stranger could have divinedthat some event of thrilling interest was about to transpire. 

"Colin, " cried Terence, encouragingly, "we won't sit here quietly andsee you meet death. We had better do something while yet we have achance. Let Harry give the word. "

"I tell you it's madness, " expostulated Colin. "Wait till we see whathe intends doing. Perhaps he'll keep me awhile for future vengeance;and ye may have a chance of a rescue when there are not two men standingover us ready to blow our brains out. "

Colin's companion saw there was truth in this remark; and for awhilethey waited in silence, with their eyes fixed upon the tent of thesheik. 

They had not long to wait, for soon after Golah came forth, havingfinished his consultation with Fatima. 

On his face appeared a hideous smile, a smile that made most of thosewho beheld it shudder with a sensation of horror. 

CHAPTER FIFTY. 

A LIVING GRAVE. 

Golah's first act after coming forth was to take some thongs from hissaddle. Having done this, he beckoned to the two who guarded theslaves, giving them some admonition in an unknown tongue. The effectwas to excite their greater vigilance. The muzzles of their musketswere turned towards the white captives, and they seemed anxiouslywaiting the order to fire. 

Golah then looked towards Terence, and made a sign for the youngIrishman to get up and come towards him. 

Terence hesitated. 

"Go on, Terry, " muttered Colin. "He don't mean you any harm. "

At this instant Fatima stepped out from the tent, armed with herhusband's scimitar, and apparently anxious for an opportunity of usingit. 

Acting under the advice of the others, Terence sprang to his feet, andadvanced to the spot where the sheik was standing. The Krooman whospoke English was then called up; and Golah, taking him and themidshipman each by a hand, led them into his tent, whither they werefollowed by Fatima. 

The sheik now addressed a few words to the Krooman, who then toldTerence that his life depended on perfect obedience to Golah's orders. His hands were to be tied, and he must not call out so as to be heard bythe others. 

"He say, " said the Krooman, "if you no make fight, and no make noise, heno kill you. "

The man further counselled Terence to submit quietly, saying the leastresistance would lead to all the white slaves being killed. 

Though possessing more than average strength and power for a youth ofhis age, Terence knew that, in a strife with the gigantic black sheik, he would not have the slightest chance of being victor. 

Should he shout to his companions, and have them all act in concert, asthey had already proposed?

No. Such an act would most likely lead to two of them being shot, tothe third having his brains knocked out with the butt-end of a musket;and to the fourth, himself, being strangled in the powerful grasp ofGolah, if not beheaded with the scimitar in the hands of Fatima. Onreflection, the young Scotchman yielded, and permitted his hands to betied behind his back! so, too, did the Krooman. 

Golah now stepped out of the tent, and immediately after returned, leading Harry Blount along with him. 

On reaching the opening, and seeing Terence and the Krooman lying boundupon the floor, the young Englishman started back, and struggled to freehimself from the grasp of the hand that had hold of him. His effortsonly resulted in his being instantly flung to the earth, and fast heldby his powerful adversary, who at the same time was also employed inprotecting his victim from the fury of Fatima. 

Terence, Harry, and the Krooman were now conducted back over the ground, and placed in their former position in the row, from which they had beentemporarily taken. 

Sailor Bill and Colin were next treated in a similar fashion, both beingfast bound like their companions. 

"What does the ould divil mane?" asked Bill, when Golah was tying hishands together. "Will he murder us all?"

"No, " answered the Krooman. "He no kill but one of your party. "

His eyes turned upon Colin as he spoke. 

"Colin! Colin!" exclaimed Harry; "see what you have done by opposingour plan! We are all helpless now. "

"And so much the better for yourself, " answered Colin. "You will nowsuffer no further harm. "

"If he means no harm, why has he bound us?" asked Bill. "It's a queerway of showing friendship. "

"Yes, but a safe one, " answered Colin. "You cannot now bring yourselvesinto danger by a foolish resistance to his will. "

Terence and Harry understood Colin's meaning; and now, for the firsttime, comprehended the reason why they had been bound. 

It was to prevent them from interfering with Golah's plans for thedisposal of his two victims. 

Now that the white slaves were secured, no danger was apprehended fromthe others; and the two who had been guarding them retired to the shadeof a tent to refresh themselves with a drink of cheni. 

While the brief conversation above related was being held, Golah hadbecome busily engaged in overhauling the lading of one of his camels. 

The object of search was soon discovered; for, the moment after, he cametowards them carrying a long Moorish spade. 

Two of the black slaves were then called from the line; the spade wasplaced in the hands of one, and a wooded dish was given to the other. They were then ordered to make a large hole in the sand; to accomplishwhich they at once set to work. "They are digging a grave for me, orthat of the poor woman, perhaps for both of us?" suggested Colin, as hecalmly gazed on the spectacle. 

His companions had no doubt but that it was as he had said; and satcontemplating the scene in melancholy silence. 

While the slaves were engaged in scooping up the hole, Golah called thetwo guards; and gave them some orders about continuing the journey. 

The blacks set about the work were but a few minutes in making anexcavation in the loose sand of some four feet in depth. They were thendirected to dig another. 

"It's all over with me, " said Colin; "he intends to kill two, and ofcourse I must be one of them. "

"He should kill us all, " exclaimed Terence. "We deserve it for leavingthe well last night. We should have made an effort for our lives, whilewe had the chance. "

"You are right, " replied Harry; "we are fools, cowardly fools! Wedeserve neither pity in this world nor happiness in the next. Colly, myfriend, if you meet with any harm I swear to avenge it, whenever myhands are free. "

"And I'll be with you, " added Terence. 

"Never mind me, old comrades, " answered Colin, who seemed less excitedthan the others. "Do the best you can for yourselves, and you may sometime escape from this monster. "

The attention of Harry was now attracted to Sailor Bill, who had turnedhis back towards one of the black slaves sitting near him, and was bysigns entreating the man to untie his hands. 

The man refused, evidently fearing the anger of Golah should he bedetected. 

The second Krooman, who was unbound, now offered to loose the hands ofhis countryman; but the latter seemed satisfied with his want offreedom, and refused the proffered aid. He also feared death at thehands of Golah. 

If left to divine the ultimate intentions of the black sheik, by theknowledge of human nature they had acquired before falling into hishands, the white captives would not have been seriously alarmed for thewelfare of anyone of their number. But Golah was a specimen of naturalhistory new to them; and their apprehensions were excited to the highestpitch by the conduct of those whom they knew to be better acquaintedwith his character. 

The behaviour of the woman who had aroused his anger showed that she wasendeavouring to resign herself to some fearful mode of death. The wildlamentations of her children denoted that they were conscious of someimpending misfortune. 

Fatima seemed about to realise the fulfilment of some long-cherishedhope, the hope of revenge on a detested rival. 

The care Golah had taken to hinder any interference with his plans, thewords of the Krooman, the looks and gestures of the guards, and of Golahhimself, the digging of two graves in the sand, all gave warning thatsome fearful tragedy was about to be enacted. Our adventurers wereconscious of this, and conscious, also, that they could do nothing toprevent it. 

Nearly frantic with the helplessness of their position, they could onlywait, "trembling for the birth of Fate. "

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE. 

THE SHEIK'S PLAN OF REVENGE. 

The second sand-pit was dug a short distance from the first; and when ithad been sunk to the depth of about four and a half feet, Golahcommanded the blacks to leave off their labour, one of them being sentback to the line to be seated along with his fellow slaves. 

By this time the tents had been struck, the camels loaded, and all butGolah and Fatima appeared willing and anxious to depart from the spot. These were not; for their business at that camping-place had not yetbeen completed. 

When the two guards had again resumed their former stations in front ofthe line, as before with their muskets at full cock, Golah advancedtowards the woman, who, disengaging herself from her children, stood upat his approach. 

Then succeeded a moment of intense interest. 

Was he going to kill her?

If so, in what manner?

All looked on with painful anticipation of some dire event. 

It soon transpired. The woman was seized by Golah himself, draggedtowards the pits that had been dug, and thrust into one of them. Theslave who wielded the spade was then commanded to fill up the excavationaround her. 

Terence was the first to speak. 

"God help her!" he exclaimed; "the monster is going to bury her alive!Can't we save her?"

"We are not men, if we do not try!" exclaimed Harry, as he suddenlysprang to his feet. 

His example was immediately followed by his white companions. 

The two muskets were instantly directed towards them; but at a shoutfrom Golah their muzzles were as quickly dropped. 

The sheik's son then, at his father's command, ran to the pit to securethe woman; while Golah himself rushed forward to meet the helpless menwho were advancing towards him. 

In an instant the four were thrown prostrate to the earth. 

With their hands tied, the powerful sheik upset them as easily as thoughthey had been bags of sand. 

Raising Harry by the hair of his head with one hand, and Terence withthe other, he dragged them back to their places in the line where theyhad been already seated. 

Sailor Bill saved himself from like treatment, by rolling over and overuntil he had regained his former place. Colin was allowed to lie on theground, where the sheik had knocked him over. 

Golah now returned to the pit where the woman stood half buried. 

She made no resistance, she uttered no complaint, but seemed calmly toresign herself to a fate that could not be averted. Golah apparentlydid not intend to behold her die; for, when the earth was filled inaround her body, her head still remained above ground. She was to bestarved to death! As the sheik was turning away to attend to othermatters, the woman spoke. Her words were few, and produced no effectupon him. They did, however, upon the Krooman, whose eyes were seen tofill with tears that rapidly chased each other down hismahogany-coloured cheeks. 

Colin, who seemed to notice everything except the fate threateninghimself, observed the Krooman's excitement, and inquired its cause. 

"She asked him to be kind to her little boy, " said the man, in a voicetrembling with emotion. 

Are tears unmanly?--No. 

The shining drops that rolled from that man's eyes, and sparkled adownhis dusky cheeks, on hearing the unfortunate woman's prayer for herchildren, proved that he was not a brute, but a man--a man with a soulthat millions might envy. 

After leaving the place where the woman was buried, Golah walked up toColin, and, dragging him to his feet, led him away to the other pit. 

His intentions were now evident to all. The two individuals who hadaroused his anger and jealousy were to be left near each other, buriedalive, to perish in this fearful fashion. 

"Colin! Colin! what can we do to save you?" exclaimed Harry, in a toneexpressing despair and anguish. 

"Nothing, " answered Colin; "don't attempt it, or you will only bringtrouble on yourselves. Leave me to my fate. "

At this moment the speaker was thrown into the pit, and held in anupright attitude by Golah, while the black slave proceeded to fill inthe earth around him. 

Following the philosophical example set by the woman, Colin made nouseless resistance; and was soon submerged under the sand piled up tohis shoulders. His companions sat gazing with speechless horror, allsuffering the combined anguish of shame, regret and despair. 

The sheik was now ready to depart; and ordered the slave who had beenassisting him in his diabolical work to mount the camel formerly riddenby the woman who was thus entombed. The black obeyed, pleased to thinkthat his late task was to be so agreeably rewarded; but a sudden changecame over his features when Golah and Fatima passed up the threechildren and placed them under his care. 

Golah had but one more act to perform before leaving the spot. It wasan act worthy of himself, although suggested by Fatima. 

After filling a bowl about half full of water, he placed it midwaybetween Colin and the woman, but so distant from each that neither couldpossibly reach it!

This satanic idea was executed with the design of tantalising thesufferers in their dying hours, with the sight of that element the wantof which would soon cause them the most acute anguish. By the side ofthe bowl he also placed a handful of figs. 

"There, " he tauntingly exclaimed; "I leave you two together, and withmore food and drink than you will ever consume. Am I not kind? Whatmore can you ask? _Bismillah_! God is great, and Mahomet is hisProphet; and I am Golah, the kind, the just!"

Saying this he gave orders to resume the march. 

"Don't move!" exclaimed Terence; "we will give him some trouble yet. "

"Of course we'll not go and leave Colin there, " said Harry. "The sheikis too avaricious to kill all his slaves. Don't move a step, Bill, andwe may have Colly liberated yet. "

"I shall do as you say, av coorse, " said Bill; "But I expect we shall'ave to go. Golah has got a way of making a man travel, whether he bewilling or not. "

All started forward from the place but the three white slaves and thetwo whom Golah intended to remain. 

"Cheer up, lad, " said Bill to Colin; "we'll never go and leave youthere. "

"Go on! go on!" exclaimed Colin. "You can do me no good, and will onlyinjure yourselves. "

Golah had mounted his camel and ridden forward, leaving to his twoguards the task of driving on the slaves; and, as if apprehensive oftrouble from them, he had directed Terence, Harry, Bill, and theKrooman, to be brought on with their hands tied behind them. 

The three refused to move; and when all efforts to get them on had beentried in vain, the guards made a loud appeal to their sheik. 

Golah came riding back in a great rage. 

Dismounting from his camel he drew the ramrod from his musket; thenrushing up to Terence, who was the nearest to him, administered to him ashower of blows that changed the colour of his shirt from an untidywhite to the darker hue of blood. 

The two guards, following the example of their lord and master, commenced beating Harry and Bill, who, unable to make any resistance hadto endure the torture in silence. 

"Go on, my friends!" exclaimed Colin; "for God's sake, go and leave me!You cannot do anything to avert my fate!"

Colin's entreaties as well as the torture from the blows they received, were alike without effect. His shipmates could not bring themselves todesert their old comrade, and leave him to the terrible death thatthreatened him. 

Rushing up to Bill and Harry, Golah caught hold of each, and hurled themto the ground by the side of Terence. Keeping all three together, henow ordered a camel to be led up; and the order was instantly obeyed byone of the guards. The halter was then taken from the head of theanimal. 

"We 'ave got to go now, " said Bill. "He's going to try the same dodgeas beat me the other day. I shall save him the trouble. "

Bill tried to rise but was prevented. He had refused to walk whenearnestly urged to do so; and now, when he was willing to go on, he hadto wait the pleasure of his owner as to the manner in which his journeyshould be continued. 

While Golah was fastening the rope to Harry's hands, the sharp shrillvoice of Fatima called his attention to some of the people who had goneon before. 

The two women, who led the camels loaded with articles taken from thewreck, had advanced about three hundred yards from the place; and werenow, along with the black slaves, surrounded by a party of men mountedon maherries and horses. 

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO. 

CAPTURED AGAIN. 

Golah's fear of the Arabs met by the well had not been without a cause. His forced night march, to avoid meeting them again, had not secured theobject for which it had been made. 

Approaching from the direction of the rising sun, the Arabs had not beendiscovered in the distance; and Golah, occupied in overcoming theobstinate resistance of the white slaves, had allowed them to come quitenear before they had been observed by him. 

Leaving his captives, the sheik seized his musket, and followed by hisson and brother-in-law rushed forward to protect his wives and property. 

He was too late. Before he could reach them they were in the possessionof others; and as he drew near the spot where they had been captured hesaw a dozen muskets presented towards himself, and heard some one loudlycommanding him in the name of the Prophet to approach in peace. 

Golah had the discretion to yield to a destiny that could not beaverted--the misfortune of being made a prisoner and plundered at thesame time. 

Calmly saying, "It is the will of God, " he sat down, and invited hiscaptors to a conference on the terms of capitulation. 

As soon as the caravan had fallen into the possession of the robbers, the Krooman's hands were unbound by his companion, and he hastened tothe relief of the white slaves. 

"Golah no our massa now, " said he, while untying Harry's wrists, "ourmassa is Arab dat take us norf. We get free. Dat why dis Arab no buyus--he know us he hab for nothing. "

The cords were quickly untied, and the attention of the others was nowturned to disinterring Colin and the woman from their living graves. 

To do this, Harry wanted to use the water-bowl the sheik had left forthe purpose of tantalising his victims with the sight of its contents. 

"Here, drink this water, " said he, holding the vessel to Colin's lips. "I want to make use of the dish. "

"No, no; dig me out without that, " answered Colin. "Leave the water asit is; I have a particular use for it when I get free. I wish the oldsheik to see me drink it. "

Bill, Harry, and the Krooman set to work, and Colin and the woman weresoon uncovered and dragged out. Terence was then awakened toconsciousness by a few drops of the water poured over his face. 

Owing to the cramped position in which he had been placed and so longheld, Colin was for a few minutes unable to walk. They waited, to givehim time to recover the use of his limbs. The slave who had the care ofthe woman's children was now seen coming back with them, and the womanran to meet him. 

The delight of the wretched mother at again embracing her offspring wasso great that the gentle-souled Krooman was once more affected to tears. 

In the conference with the Arab robbers, Golah was unable to obtain theterms he fancied a sheik should be entitled to. 

They offered him two camels, and the choice of one wife out of thethree, on condition he should go back to his own country and return tothe desert no more. 

These terms Golah indignantly refused, and declared that he would ratherdie in defence of his rights. 

Golah was a pure negro, and one of a class of traders much disliked bythe Arabs. He was a lawless intruder on their grounds, a trespasserupon their especial domain--the Great Desert. He had just acquired alarge amount of wealth in goods and slaves that had been cast on theircoast, and these they were determined he should not carry back with himto his own country. 

Though he was as much a robber as themselves they had no sympathy withhim, and would not be satisfied with merely a share of his plunder. They professed to understand all his doings in the past, and accused himof not being a fair trader. 

They told him that he never came upon the desert with merchandise toexchange, but only with camels, to be driven away laden with property, justly belonging to them, the real owners of the land. 

They denied his being a true believer in the Prophet, and concludedtheir talk by declaring that he should be thankful for the liberal termsthey had offered him. 

Golah's opposition to their proposal became so demonstrative that theArabs were obliged to disarm and bind him, though this was notaccomplished without a fierce struggle in which several of hisadversaries were overthrown. 

A blow on the head with a stock of a musket at length reduced him tosubjection, after which his hands were fast tied behind his back. 

During the struggle, Golah's son was prevented from interfering inbehalf of his father by the black slaves who had been so long thevictims of his cruel care; while the brother-in-law, as well as Fatimaand the third wife, remained passive spectators of the scene. 

On Golah being secured, the white slaves with Old Bill at their headcame up and voluntarily surrendered themselves to their new masters. 

Colin had in his hands the bowl of water, and the dried figs that hadbeen placed beside it. Advancing towards Golah he held the figs upbefore his eyes, and then, with a nod and an expression that seemed tosay, "Thank you for this, " he raised the bowl to his lips with theintention of drinking. 

The expression upon the sheik's features became satanic, but suddenlychanged into a glance of pleasure as one of the Arabs snatched thevessel out of Colin's hands and instantly drank off its contents. 

Colin received the lesson meekly, and said not a word. 

The Arabs speedily commenced making arrangements for leaving the place. The first move was to establish a communication between Golah and thesaddle of one of his camels. 

This was accomplished by using a rope as a medium; and the black giantwas compelled to walk after the animal with his hands tied behind him, in the same fashion as he had lately set for Sailor Bill. 

His wives and slaves seemed to comprehend the change in their fortunes;and readily adapted their conduct to the circumstances. 

The greatest transformation of all was observable in the behaviour ofthe favourite Fatima. 

Since his capture, she had kept altogether aloof from her late lord, andshowed not the slightest sympathy for his misfortunes. 

By her actions she seemed to say, "The mighty Golah has fallen, and isno longer worthy of my distinguished regard. "

Very different was the behaviour of the woman, whom the cruel sheikwould have left to die a lingering death. Her husband's misfortuneseemed to awaken within her a love for the father of her children; andher features, as she gazed upon the captive, who, although defeated, wasunsubdued in spirit, wore a mingled expression of pity and grief. 

Hungry, thirsty, weary, and bleeding, enslaved on the Great Desert, still uncertain of what was to be their fate, and doubtful of survivingmuch longer the hardships they might be forced to endure, ouradventurers were far from being happy; but, with all their misery, theyfelt joyful when comparing their present prospects with those beforethem but an hour ago. 

With the exception of Golah, the Arabs had no trouble with theircaptives. The white and black slaves knew they were travelling towardsthe well; and the prospect of again having plenty of water wassufficient inducement to make them put forth all their strength infollowing the camels. 

Early in the evening a short halt was made; when each of the company wasserved with about half a pint of water from the skins. The Arabs, expecting to reach the well soon after, could afford to be thus liberal;but the favour so granted, though thankfully received by the slaves, wasscornfully refused by their late master, the giant-bodied andstrong-minded Golah. 

To accept of food and drink from his enemies, in his present humiliatingposition, bound and dragged along like a slave, was a degradation towhich he scorned to submit. 

On Golah contemptuously refusing the proffered cup of water, the Arabwho offered it simply ejaculated, "Thank God!" and then drank ithimself. 

The well was reached about an hour after midnight; and, after quenchingtheir thirst, the slaves were allowed to go to rest and sleep, aprivilege they stood sorely in need of, having been over thirty hoursafoot, upon their cheerless and arduous journey. 

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE. 

AN UNFAITHFUL WIFE. 

On waking up the next morning, our adventurers were gratified with a bitof intelligence communicated by the Krooman: that they were to have aday of rest. A camel was also to be killed for food. 

The Arabs were going to divide amongst themselves the slaves taken fromGolah; and the opportunity was not to be lost of recruiting theirstrength for a long journey. 

As Sailor Bill reflected upon their sufferings since leaving that sameplace two days before, he expressed regret that they had not beencaptured before leaving the well, and thus spared the horrors they hadendured. 

Stimulated by the remembrance of so much suffering needlessly incurred, he asked the Krooman to explain the conduct of their new masters. 

The Krooman's first attempt at satisfying his curiosity was to statethat the Arabs had acted after a manner peculiar to themselves, in otherwords, that it was "a way they had. "

The old sailor was not satisfied with this answer; and pressed for afurther explanation. 

He was then told that the robbers on the desert were always in danger ofmeeting several caravans at a watering-place; and that any act ofviolence committed there would bring upon the perpetrators everlastingdisgrace, as well as the enmity of all desert travellers. The Kroomanexplained himself by saying, that should a caravan of a hundred menarrive at the well, they would not now interfere in behalf of Golah, butwould only recognise him as a slave. On the contrary, had they foundhim engaged in actual strife with the robbers, they would have assistedhim. 

This was satisfactory to all but Bill. Even Colin, who had been buriedalive, and Terence, who had been so unmercifully beaten, were pleased attheir change of masters on any terms; but the old sailor, sailor-like, would not have been himself without some cause of complaint. 

Before their newly acquired wealth could be divided, the Arabs had tocome to some resolution as to the disposal of the black sheik; who stillremained so unmanageable that he had to be kept bound, with a guardplaced over him. 

The Arabs could not agree amongst themselves as to what should be donewith him. Some of them urged that, despite the colour of his skin, hemight be a true believer in the Prophet; and that, notwithstanding hismanner of trading and acquiring wealth, a system nearly as dishonest astheir own, he was entitled to his liberty, with a certain portion of hisproperty. 

Others claimed that they had a perfect right to add him and his largefamily to the number of their slaves. 

He was not an Arab, but an Ethiopian, like most of his following; and, as a slave, would bring a high price in any of the markets where menwere bought and sold. 

Those who argued thus were in the minority; and Golah was at lengthoffered his wives and their children, with a couple of camels and hisscimitar. 

This offer the black sheik indignantly refused, much to the astonishmentof those who had been so eloquent in his behalf. 

His decision produced another debate; in which the opinions of severalof his captors underwent such a change, that it was finally determinedto consider him as one of the slaves. 

Every article that had been obtained from the wreck was now exposed toview, and a fixed price set upon it. 

The slaves were carefully examined and valued, as well as the camels, muskets, and everything that had belonged to Golah or his dependants. 

When these preliminary arrangements had been completed, the Arabsproceeded to an equitable partition of of the property. 

This proved a very difficult matter to manage, and occupied their timefor the rest of the day. Three or four would covet the same article;and long and noisy discussions would take place before the dispute couldbe settled to their mutual satisfaction. 

The Krooman, who understood the desert language, was attentive to allthat transpired; and, from time to time, informed the white slaves ofwhat was being done. 

At an early period in the discussions, he discovered that each of thefour was to fall to different masters. 

"You and me, " said he to Harry, "we no got two massas, only one. "

His words were soon after proved to be true. They were carried apartfrom each other, evidently with the design of being appropriated bydifferent owners, and the fear that they might also be separated againcame over them. 

When the slaves, camels, tents, and articles that had been gathered fromthe wreck were distributed amongst the eleven Arabs, each one took thecharge of his own; but there still remained Golah, his wives and theirchildren, to be disposed of. 

No one seemed desirous of becoming the owner of the black sheik and hiswives. Even those who had said that he would make a valuable slave, appeared unwilling to take him, although induced to do so by the tauntsof their companions. 

The fact was, that they were afraid of him. He would be too difficultto manage; and none of them wished to be the master of one whoobstinately refused both food and drink, and who so defiantly invokedupon the heads of his captors the curse of Mahomet, and swore by thebeard of the Prophet that the moment his hands were free, he would killthe man who should dare to own or claim him as a slave. 

Golah, with all his faults, was neither cunning nor deceitful; and, having a spirit too great to affect submission, he did not intend toyield. 

He was arrogant, cruel, avaricious and vindictive; but the wrongs he didwere always accomplished in a plain open-handed way, and never bystratagem or treachery. 

By accepting the terms the Arabs had offered him, his strength, courage, and unconquerable will might afterwards have enabled him to obtainrevenge upon his captors, and regain a portion of his property; but itwas not in his nature to sham submission, even for the sake of gaining afuture advantage. 

As not one of the Arabs was willing to accept of him at the value atwhich he had been appraised, or to allow another to have him for less, it was finally decided that he should be retained as the common propertyof all, until he could be sold to some other tribe, when a distributionmight be made of the proceeds of the sale. His wives and children wereto be disposed of in like manner. 

This arrangement was satisfactory to all but Golah himself, whoexpressed himself greatly displeased with it. Nevertheless, he seemed alittle disposed to yield to circumstances; for, soon after the decisionof his captors was made known to him, he called to Fatima, and commandedher to bring him a bowl of water. 

The favourite refused, under the plea that she had been forbidden togive him anything. 

This was true; for, as he had declined to accept of anything at thehands of those claiming to be his masters, they had determined to starvehim into submission. 

Fatima's refusal to obey him caused Golah his greatest chagrin. Everaccustomed to prompt and slavish obedience from others, the idea of hisown wife, his favourite too, denying his modest request, almost drovehim frantic. 

"I am your husband, " he cried, "and whom should you obey but me?Fatima! I commanded you to bring me some water!"

"And I command you not to do it, " said the Arab sheik, who, standingnear by, had heard the order. 

Fatima was an artful, selfish woman, who had gained some influence overher husband by flattering his vanity, and professing a love she hadnever felt. 

She had acted with slavish obedience to him when he was all-powerful;but now that he was himself a slave, her submission had been transferredwith perfect facility to the chief of the band who had captured him. 

It was now that Golah began to realise the fact that he was a conqueredman. 

His heart was nearly bursting with rage, shame, and disappointment; fornothing could so plainly awaken him to the comprehension of his realposition as the fact that Fatima, his favourite, she who had everprofessed for him so much love and obedience, now refused to attend tohis simplest request. 

After making one more violent and ineffectual effort at breaking hisbonds, he sank down upon the earth and remained silent, bitterlycontemplating the degraded condition into which he had fallen. 

The Krooman, who was a very sharp observer of passing events, and had anextensive knowledge of peculiar specimens of human nature, closelywatched the behaviour of the black sheik. 

"He no like us, " he remarked to the whites. "He nebba be slave. Bom-bye you see him go dead. "

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR. 

TWO FAITHFUL WIVES. 

While Golah's mind appeared to be stunned almost to unconsciousness bythe refusal of Fatima to obey his orders, his other two wives weremoving about, as if engaged in some domestic duty. 

Presently the woman he had buried in the sand was seen going towards himwith a calabash of water, followed by the other, who carried a dish ofsangleh. 

One of the Arabs, perceiving their intention, ran up, and, in an angrytone, commanded them to retire to their tents. The two women persistedin their design; and in order to prevent them, without using violence, the Arab offered to serve the food and drink himself. 

This they permitted him to do; but when the water was offered to Golahit was again refused. 

The black sheik would not receive either food or drink from the hand ofa master. 

The sangleh was then consumed by the Arab with a real or sham professionof gratitude; the water was poured into a bucket, and given to one ofthe camels; and the two calabashes were returned to the women. 

Neither a keen longing for food, nor a burning thirst for water, coulddivert Golah's thoughts from the contemplation of something that wascausing his soul extreme anguish. 

His physical torture seemed, for the time, extinguished by some deepmental agony. 

Again the wives, the unloved ones, advanced towards him, bearing waterand food; and again the Arab stepped forward to intercept them. The twowomen persisted in their design, and, while opposing the efforts of theArab to turn them back, they called on the two youths, the relatives ofthe black sheik, as also on Fatima, to assist them. 

Of the three persons thus appealed to, only Golah's son obeyed theirsummons; but his attempt to aid the women was immediately frustrated bythe Arab, who claimed him as a slave, and who now commanded him to standaside. His command having no effect, the Arab proceeded to use force. At the risk of his life the youth resisted. He dared to use violenceagainst a master, a crime that on the desert demands the punishment ofdeath. 

Aroused from his painful reverie by the commotion going on around him, Golah, seeing the folly of the act, shouted to his son to be calm, andyield obedience; but the youth, not heeding the command of his father, continued his resistance. He was just on the point of being cut down, when the Krooman ran forward, and pronouncing in Arabic two wordssignifying "father and son", saved the youth's life. The Arab robberhad sufficient respect for the relationship to stay his hand fromcommitting murder; but to prevent any further trouble with the youngfellow, he was seized by several others, fast bound, and flung to theground by the side of his father. 

The two women, still persisting in their design to relieve the wants oftheir unfortunate husband, were then knocked down, kicked, beaten, andfinally dragged inside the tents. 

This scene was witnessed by Fatima; who, instead of showing sympathy, appeared highly amused by it, so much so as even to give way tolaughter. Her unnatural behaviour once more roused the indignation ofher husband. 

The wrong of being robbed, the humiliation of being bound, the knowledgethat he himself, along with his children, would be sold into slavery, the torture of hunger and thirst, were sources of misery no longerheeded by him; all were forgotten in the contemplation of a far greateranguish. 

Fatima, the favourite, the woman to whom his word should have been law, the woman who had always pretended to think him something more thanmortal, now not only shunning but despising him in the midst of hismisfortunes. 

This knowledge did more towards subduing the giant than all his othersufferings combined. 

"Old Golah looks very down in the mouth, " remarked Terence to hiscompanions. "If it was not for the beating he gave me yesterday, Icould almost pity him. I made an oath, at the time he was thwacking mewith the ramrod, that if my hands were ever again at liberty, I'd see ifit was possible to kill him; but now that they are free, and his arebound, I've not the heart to touch him, bad as he is. "

"That is right, Terry, " said Bill; "it's only wimin an' bits o' boys asthrows wather on a drowned rat, not as I mane to say the owld rascal ispast mischief yet. I believe he'll do some more afore the divil takes'im intirely; but I mane that Him as sits up aloft is able to do His ownwork without your helping Him. "

"You speak truth, Bill, " said Harry; "I don't think there is anynecessity for seeking revenge of Golah for his cruel treatment of us; heis now as ill off as the rest of us. "

"What is that you say?" inquired Colin. "Golah like one of us? Nothingof the kind. He has more pluck, endurance, obstinacy, and true manlyspirit about him than there is in the four of us combined!"

"Was his attempt to starve you dictated by a manly spirit?" asked Harry. 

"Perhaps not; but it was the fault of the circumstances under which hehas been educated. I don't think of that now; my admiration of the manis too strong. Look at his refusing that drink of water when it hadbeen several times offered him!"

"There is something wonderful about him certainly, " assented Harry; "butI don't see anything in him to admire. "

"No more do I, " said Bill. "He might be as comfortable now as we are;and I say a man's a fool as won't be 'appy when he can. "

"What you call his folly, " rejoined Colin, "is but a noble pride thatmakes him superior to any of us. He has a spirit that will not submitto slavery, and we have not. "

"That be truth, " remarked the Krooman; "Golah nebbar be slave. "

Colin was right. By accepting food and drink from his captors, theblack sheik might have satisfied the demands of mere animal nature, butonly at the sacrifice of all that was noble in his nature. Hisself-respect, along with the proud unyielding spirit by which everythinggood and great is accomplished, would have been gone from him for ever. 

Sailor Bill and his companions, the boy slaves, had been taught fromchildhood to yield to circumstances, and still retain some moralfeeling; but Golah had not. 

The only thing he could yield to adverse fate was his life. At thismoment the Krooman, by a gesture, called their attention towards thecaptive sheik, at the same time giving utterance to a sharp ejaculation. 

"Look, " exclaimed he, "Golah no stay longer on de Saara. You him seesoon die now, look at him!"

At the same instant Golah had risen to his feet, inviting his Arabmaster to a conference. 

"There is but one God, " said he; "Mahomet is his prophet, and I am hisservant. I will never be a slave. Give me one wife, a camel, and myscimitar, and I will go. I have been robbed; but God is great, and itis His will, and my destiny. "

Golah had at length yielded, though not because that he suffered forfood and water, not that he feared slavery or death, not that his proudspirit had become weak or given way; but rather that it had grownstronger under the prompting of revenge. 

The Arab sheik conferred with his followers; and there arose a briefcontroversy among them. 

The trouble they had with their gigantic captive, the difficulty theyanticipated in disposing of him, and their belief that he was a goodMussulman, were arguments in favour of granting his request, and settinghim at liberty. 

It was therefore decided to let him go, on the conditions of his takinghis departure at once. 

Golah consented; and they proceeded to untie his hands. While this wasbeing done, the Krooman ran up to Colin's master, and cautioned him toprotect his slave until the sheik had departed. 

This warning was unnecessary, for Golah had other and more seriousthoughts to engage his mind than that of any animosity he might oncehave felt against the young Scotchman. 

"I am free, " said Golah, when his hands were untied. "We are equals, and Mussulmans. I claim your hospitality. Give me some food anddrink. "

He then stepped forward to the well, and quenched his thirst, afterwhich some boiled camel meat was placed before him. 

While he was appeasing an appetite that had been two days in gainingstrength, Fatima, who had observed a strange expression in his eyes, appeared to be in great consternation. She had believed him doomed to alife of slavery, if not to death; and this belief had influenced her inher late actions. 

Gliding up to the Arab sheik, she entreated to be separated from herhusband; but the only answer she received was, that Golah should haveeither of the three wives he chose to take, that he (the sheik) and hiscompanions were men of honour, who would not break the promise they hadgiven. 

A goat's-skin of water, some barley meal, for making sangleh, and a fewother necessary articles, were placed on a camel, which was deliveredover to Golah. 

The black sheik then addressed a few words in some African language tohis son; and, calling Fatima to follow him, he started off across thedesert. 

CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE. 

FATIMA'S FATE. 

A complete change had come over the fortunes of Fatima. Vain, cruel, and tyrannical but the moment before, she was now humbled to the dust ofthe desert. In place of commanding her fellow wives, she now approachedthem with entreaties, begging them to take charge of her child, whichshe seemed determined to leave behind her. Both willingly assented toher wishes. 

Our adventurers were puzzled by this circumstance; for there appeared tobe no reason that Fatima should leave her offspring behind her. Eventhe Krooman could not explain it; and as the shades of night descendedover the desert, the mother separated from her child, perhaps never moreto embrace it in this world of wickedness and woe. 

About two hours before daybreak, on the morning after the departure ofGolah, there was an alarm in the _douar_, which created amongst theArabs a wonderful excitement. 

The man who had been keeping guard over the camp was not to be seen; andone of the fleetest camels, as well as a swift desert horse, was alsogone. 

The slaves were instantly mustered, when it was found that one of themwas likewise missing. It was Golah's son. 

His absence accounted for the loss of the camel, and perhaps the horse, but what had become of the Arab guard?

He certainly would not have absconded with the slave, for he had leftvaluable property behind him. 

There was no time for exchanging surmises over this mystery. Pursuitmust be instantly made for the recovery of slave, camel, and horse. 

The Arab sheik detailed four of his followers to this duty, and theyhasted to make ready for their departure. They would start as soon asthe light of day should enable them to see the course the missinganimals had taken. 

All believed that the fugitives would have to be sought for in asoutherly direction; and therefore the caravan would have to be furtherdelayed in its journey. 

While making preparations for the pursuit, another unpleasant discoverywas made. Two ship's muskets, that had been taken from Golah's party, were also missing. 

They had been extracted from a tent in which two of the Arabs had slept, two of the four who were now preparing to search for the missingproperty. 

The sheik became alarmed. The camp seemed full of traitors; and yet, asthe guns were the private property of the two men who slept in the tent, they could not, for losing them, reasonably be accused of anything morethan stupidity. 

Contrary to the anticipations of all, the tracks of the lost animalswere found to lead off in a north-westerly direction; and at about twohundred yards from the camp a dark object was seen lying upon theground. On examination it proved to be the Arab who had been appointednight guard over the _douar_. 

He was stone dead; and by his side lay one of the missing muskets, withthe stock broken and covered with his own brains. 

The tragedy was not difficult to be explained. The man had seen one ortwo of the hobbled animals straying from the camp. Not thinking thatthey were being led gently away, he had, without giving any alarm, goneout to bring them back. Golah's son, who was leading them off, bykeeping concealed behind one of the animals, had found an opportunity ofgiving the guard his death-blow without any noise to disturb theslumbering denizens of the _douar_. 

No doubt he had gone to rejoin his father, and the adroit manner inwhich he had made his departure, taking with him a musket, a camel, anda horse, not only excited the wonder, but the admiration of those fromwhom he had stolen them. 

In the division of the slaves young Harry Blount and the Krooman hadbecome the property of the Arab sheik. The Krooman having someknowledge of the Arabic language, soon established himself in the goodopinion of his new master. While the Arabs were discussing the mostavailable mode to obtain revenge for the murder of their companion, aswell as to regain possession of the property they had lost, the Krooman, skilled in Golah's character, volunteered to assist them by a littleadvice. 

Pointing to the south, he suggested to them that, by going in thatdirection, they would certainly see or hear something of Golah and hisson. 

The sheik could the more readily believe this, since the country of theblack chief lay to the southward, and Golah, on leaving the _douar_, hadgone in that direction. 

"But why did his dog of a son not go south?" inquired the Arabs, pointing to the tracks of the stolen horse, which still appeared to leadtowards the north-west. 

"If you go north, " replied the Krooman, "you will be sure to see Golah;or if you stay here you will learn something of him. "

"What! will he be in both directions at the same time, and herelikewise?"

"No, not that; but he will follow you. "

The Arabs were willing to believe that there was a chance of recoveringtheir property on the road they had been intending to follow, especiallyas the stolen horse and camel had been taken in that direction. 

They determined, therefore, to continue their journey. 

Too late they perceived their folly in treating Golah as they had done. He was now beyond their reach, and, in all likelihood, had been rejoinedby his son. He was an enemy against whom they would have to keep aconstant watch; and the thought of this caused the old Arab sheik toswear by the Prophet's beard that he would never again show mercy to aman whom he had plundered. 

For about an hour after resuming their march, the footprints of thecamel could be traced in the direction they wished to go; but graduallythey became less perceptible, until at length they were lost altogether. A smart breeze had been blowing, which had filled the tracks with sand, which was light and easily disturbed. 

Trusting to chance, and still with some hope of recovering the stolenproperty, they continued on in the same direction, and, not long afterlosing the tracks, they found some fresh evidence that they were goingthe right way. 

The old sheik, who was riding in advance of the others, on looking tothe right, perceived an object on the sand that demanded a closerinspection. He turned and rode towards it, closely followed by thepeople of his party. 

On drawing near to the object it proved to be the body of a human being, lying back upwards, and yet with the face turned full towards theheavens. The features were at once recognised as those of Fatima, thefavourite!

The head of the unfortunate woman had been severed from her body, andthen placed contiguous to it, with the face in an inverted position. 

The ghastly spectacle was instructive. It proved that Golah, althoughgoing off southward, must have turned back again, and was now not faroff, hovering about the track he believed his enemies would be likely totake. His son, moreover, was in all likelihood along with him. 

When departing along with her husband, Fatima had probably anticipatedthe terrible fate that awaited her; and, for that reason, had left herchild in the care of the other wives. 

Neither of these seemed in the least surprised on discovering the body. Both had surmised that such would be Fatima's fate; and it was for thatreason they had so willingly taken charge of her child. 

The caravan made a short halt, which was taken advantage of by the twowomen to cover the body with sand. 

The journey was then resumed. 

CHAPTER FIFTY SIX. 

FURTHER DEFECTION. 

Notwithstanding that Golah's brother-in-law, who had formerly been afreeman, was now a slave, he seemed well satisfied with the change inhis circumstances. 

He made himself very useful to his new masters in looking after thecamel, and doing all the other necessary work, which his knowledge ofSaaran life enabled him effectually to execute. 

When the Arab caravan came to a halt on the evening of his first day'sjourney along with it, he assisted in unloading the camels, putting thehobbles on them, pitching the tents, and doing anything else which wasrequired to be done. 

While the other slaves were eating the small portion of food allowedthem, one of the camels formerly belonging to Golah, a young and fleetmaherry that had been ridden by Fatima, strayed a short distance fromthe _douar_. Seeing it, the black sheik's brother-in-law, who had beenmaking himself so useful, ran after the animal as if to fetch it back. He was seen passing beyond the camel, as though he intended turning ittowards the camp; but in another instant it was discovered that he hadno such design. The youth was seen to spring up to the back of themaherry, lay hold of its hump, and ride rapidly away. Accustomed tohearing the sound of his voice, the faithful and intelligent animalobeyed his words of command. Its neck was suddenly craned out towardsthe north; and its feet were flung forward in long strides that bore itsrider rapidly away from the rest. The incident caused a tremendouscommotion in the caravan. It was so wholly unexpected that none of theArabs were prepared to intercept the fugitive. The guard for the nighthad not been appointed. They were all seated on the ground, engaged indevouring their evening repast, and before a musket could be dischargedat the runaway, he had got so far into the glimmering twilight that theonly effect of two or three shots fired after him was to quicken thepace of the maherry on which he was fleeing. 

Two fleet horses were instantly saddled and mounted; one by the owner ofthe camel that had been stolen, and the other by the owner of the slavewho had stolen it. 

Each, arming himself with musket and scimitar, felt sure of recapturingthe runaway. Their only doubt arose from the knowledge of the swiftnessof the maherry, and that its rider was favoured by the approachingdarkness. 

The whole encampment was by this time under arms; and after thedeparture of the pursuers, the sheik gathered all the slaves together, and swore by the beard of the Prophet that they should all be killed, and that he would set the example by killing the two belonging tohimself, which were Harry Blount and the Krooman. Several of hisfollowers proceeded to relieve their excitement by each beating theslave or slaves that were his own property, and amongst these irateslave-owners was the master of Sailor Bill. The old man-o'-war's-manwas cudgelled till his objections to involuntary servitude were loudlyexpressed, and in the strongest terms that English, Scotch, and Irishcould furnish for the purpose. 

When the rage of the old sheik had to some extent subsided, he procureda leathern thong, and declared that his two slaves should be fast bound, and never released as long as they remained in his possession. 

"Talk to him, " exclaimed Harry to the Krooman: "tell him, in his ownlanguage, that God is great, and that he is a fool! We don't wish toescape--certainly not at present. "

Thus counselled, the Krooman explained to the sheik that the whiteslaves, as well as himself, who had sailed in English ships, had nointention of running away, but wished to be taken north, where theymight be ransomed; and that they were not such fools as to part from himin a place where they would certainly starve. The Krooman also informedthe sheik that they were all very glad at being taken out of the handsof Golah, who would have carried them to Timbuctoo, whence they nevercould have returned, but must have ended their days in slavery. 

While the Krooman was talking to the sheik several of the others came upand listened. The black further informed them that the white slaves hadfriends living in Agadeer and Swearah (Santa Cruz and Mogador)--friendswho would pay a large price to ransom them. Why, then, should they tryto escape while journeying towards the place where those friends wereliving?

The Krooman went on to say that the young man who had just made off wasGolah's brother-in-law; that, unlike themselves, in going north he wouldnot be seeking freedom but perpetual slavery, and for that reason he hadgone to rejoin Golah and his son. 

This explanation seemed so reasonable to the Arabs that their fears forthe safety of their slaves soon subsided, and the latter were permittedto repose in peace. 

As a precautionary measure, however, two men were kept moving in acircle around the _douar_ throughout the whole of the night; but nodisturbance arose, and morning returned without bringing back the twomen who had gone in pursuit of the cunning runaway. 

The distance to the next watering-place was too great to admit of anydelay being made; and the journey was resumed, in the hope that the twomissing men would be met on the way. 

This hope was realised. 

All along the route, the old sheik, who rode in advance, kept scanningthe horizon, not only ahead, but to the right and left of their course. About ten miles from their night's halting-place he was seen to swervesuddenly from his course, and advance towards something that hadattracted his attention. His followers hastened after him--all exceptthe two women and their children, who lingered a long way behind. 

Lying on the ground, their bodies contiguous to each other, were the twoArabs who had gone in pursuit of the runaway. 

They were both dead. 

One of them had been shot with a musket-ball that had penetrated hisskull, entering directly between his temples. The other had been cutdown with a scimitar, his body being almost severed in twain. 

The youth who had fled the night before, had evidently come up withGolah and his son; and the two men who had pursued him and lost theirlives, their animals, muskets, and scimitars. 

Golah now had two accomplices, and the three were well mounted andwell-armed. 

The anger of the Arabs was frightful to behold. They turned towards thetwo women whom they knew to be Golah's wives. The latter had thrownthemselves on their knees, and were screaming and supplicating formercy. 

Some of the Arabs would have killed them on the instant; but wereprevented by the old sheik, who, although himself wild with rage, hadstill sufficient reason left to tell him that the unfortunate women werenot answerable for the acts of their husband. Our adventurers foundreason to regret the misfortune that had befallen their new masters; forthey could not but regard with alarm the returning power of Golah. 

"We shall fall into his hands again, " exclaimed Terence. "He will killall these Arabs, one after another, and obtain all he has lost, ourselves included. We shall yet be driven to Timbuctoo. "

"Then we should deserve it, " cried Harry, "for it will partly be our ownfault if ever we fall into Golah's power again. "

"I don't think so, " said Bill; "Golah is a wondersome man, and 'as gotsomethin' more nor human natur' to 'elp 'im. I think as 'ow if weshould see 'im 'alf a mile off signalisin' for us to follow 'im, weshould 'ave to go. I've tried my hand at disobeyin' his orders, anddon't do it again, not if I knows it. "

The expressions of anger hitherto portrayed on the countenances of theArabs had given place to those of anxiety. They knew that an enemy washovering around them, an enemy whom they had wronged, whose power theyhad undervalued, and whom they had foolishly restored to liberty. 

The bodies of their companions were hastily interred in the sand, andtheir journey northward was once more resumed. 

CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN. 

A CALL FOR TWO MORE. 

The sufferings of slaves for water and food again commenced, while thepace at which they were compelled to travel, to keep up with the camels, soon exhausted the little strength they had acquired from the rest bythe well. 

During the long afternoon following the burial of the two Arabs, each ofthe boy slaves at different times declared his utter inability toproceed any further. 

They were mistaken; and had yet to learn something of the power whichlove of life exerts over the body. 

They knew that to linger behind would be death. They did not desire todie, and therefore struggled on. 

Like men upon a treadmill, they were compelled to keep on moving, although neither able nor willing. 

The hour of sunset found them wading through sand that had lately beenstirred by a storm. It was nearly as light and loose as snow; and thetoil of moving through it was so wearisome that the mounted Arabs, having some pity on those who had walked, halted early for the night. Two men were appointed to guard the camp in the same manner as upon thenight before; and with the feelings of hunger and thirst partlyappeased, weary with toils of day, our adventurers were soon in a soundslumber. Around them, and half buried in the soft sand, lay stretchedthe other denizens of the _douar_, all slumbering likewise. 

Their rest remained undisturbed until that darkest hour of the night, just before the dawning of day. They were then startled from sleep bythe report of a musket, a report that was immediately followed byanother in the opposite direction. The _douar_ was instantly in wildconfusion. 

The Arabs seized their weapons, and rushed forth from among the tents. 

One of the party that ran in the direction in which the first shot washeard, seeing a man coming towards them, in the excitement of the momentfired his musket and shot the individual who was advancing, who provedto be one of those entrusted with the guard of the camp. 

No enemies could be discovered. They had fled, leaving the two campguards in the agonies of death. 

Some of the Arabs would have rushed wildly hither and thither in searchof the unseen foe, but were prevented by the sheik, who, fearing thatall would be lost, should the _douar_ be deserted by the armed men, shouted the signal for all his followers to gather around him. 

The two wounded men were brought into a tent, where, in a few minutes, one of them, the man who had been shot by one of his companions, breathed his last. He had also received a wound from the first shotthat had been heard, his right arm having been shattered by amusket-ball. 

The spine of the other guard had been broken by a bullet, so thatrecovery was clearly impossible. 

He had evidently heard the first shot fired at his companion from theopposite side of the camp; and was turning his back upon the foe thathad attacked himself. 

The light of day soon shone upon the scene, and they were able toperceive how their enemies had approached so near the camp without beingobserved. 

About a hundred paces from where the guards had been standing at thetime the first two shots were fired, was a furrow or ravine runningthrough the soft sand. 

This ravine branched into two lesser ones, including within their anglethe Arab camp, as also the sentinels stationed to guard it. 

Up the branches the midnight murderers had silently stolen, each takinga side; and in this way had got within easy distance of the unsuspectingsentries. 

In the bottom of one of the furrows, where the sand was more firmlycompacted, was found the impression of human footsteps. 

The tracks had been made by some person hurriedly leaving the spot. 

"Dis be de track ob Golah, " said the Krooman to Harry, after he hadexamined it. "He make um when runnin' 'way after he fire da musket. "

"Very likely, " said Harry; "but how do you know it is Golah's track?"

"'Cause Golah hab largess feet in all de world, and no feet but his makedat mark. "

"I tell you again, " said Terence, who overheard the Krooman's remark, "we shall have to go with Golah to Timbuctoo. We belong to him. TheseArabs are only keeping us a few days, but they will be killed yet, andwe shall have to follow the black sheik in the opposite direction. "

Harry made no reply to this prophetic speech. Certainly there was aprospect of its proving true. 

Four Arabs out of the eleven, of which their party was originallycomposed, were already dead, while still another was dying!

Sailor Bill pronounced Golah, with his son and brother-in-law, quite amatch for the six who were left. The black sheik, he thought, was equalto any four of their present masters in strength, cunning, anddetermination. 

"But the Arabs have us to help them, " remarked Colin. "We should countfor something. "

"So we do, as merchandise, " replied Harry; "we have hitherto beenhelpless as children in protecting ourselves. What can we do? Theboasted superiority of our race or country cannot be true here in thedesert. We are out of our element. "

"Yes, that's sartin!" exclaimed Bill; "but we're not far from it. Shiver my timbers, if I don't smell salt water! Be jabers! if we go ontowards the west we shall see the say afore night. "

During this dialogue the Arabs were holding a consultation as to whatthey should do. 

To divide the camp, and send some after their enemies, was pronouncedimpolitic; the party sent in pursuit, and that left to guard thecaravan, either would be too weak if attacked by their truculent enemy. 

In union alone was strength, and they resolved to remain together, believing that they should have a visit from Golah again, while betterprepared to receive him. 

The footprints leading out from the two ravines were traced for about amile in the direction they wished to follow. 

The tracks of camels and horses were there found; and they could tell bythe signs that their enemies had mounted and ridden off towards thewest. 

They possibly might have avoided meeting Golah again by going eastward;but, from their knowledge of the desert, no water was to be found inthat direction in less than five days' journey. 

Moreover, they did not yet wish to avoid him. They thirsted forrevenge, and were impatient to move on; for a journey of two days wasstill before them before they could hope to arrive at the nearest water. 

When every preparation had been made to resume their route, there wasone obstacle in the way of their taking an immediate departure. 

Their wounded companion was not yet defunct. They saw it would beimpossible for him to live much longer; for the lower part of his body, all below the shattered portion of the spine, appeared already withoutlife. A few hours at most would terminate his sufferings; but for theexpiration of those few hours, or minutes, as fate should decide, hiscompanions seemed unwilling to wait. 

They dug a hole in the sand near where the wounded man was lying. Thiswas but the work of a few minutes. As soon as the grave was completed, the eyes of all were once more turned upon the wretched sufferer. 

He was still alive, and by piteous moans expressing the agony he wasenduring. 

"Bismillah!" exclaimed the old sheik, "why do you not die, my friend?We are waiting for the fulfilment of your destiny. "

"I am dead, " ejaculated the sufferer, speaking in a faint voice, andapparently with great difficulty. 

Having said this, he relapsed into silence and remained motionless as acorpse. 

The sheik then placed one hand upon his temples. "Yes!" he exclaimed, "the words of our friend are those of truth and wisdom. He is dead. "

The wounded man was then rolled into the cavity which had been scoopedout, and they hastily proceeded to cover him with sand. 

As they did so, his hands were repeatedly uplifted, while a low moaningcame from his lips; but his movements were apparently unseen, and hiscries of agony unnoticed. 

His companions remained both deaf and blind to any evidence that mightrefute his own assertion that he was dead. 

The sand was at length heaped up so as to completely cover his body, when by an order from the old sheik his followers turned away from thespot and the kafila moved on. 

CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT. 

ONCE MORE BY THE SEA. 

Sailor Bill's conjecture that they were not far from the sea provedcorrect. 

On the evening of that same day they saw the sun sink down into ashining horizon, which they knew was not that of the burning sand-plainover which they had been so long moving. 

That faint and distant view of his favourite element was a joyful momentfor the old sailor. 

"We are in sight of home!" he exclaimed. "Shiver my timbers if I everlose sight of it again! I shan't be buried in the sand. If I must gounder alive, it shall be under water, like a Christyun. If I couldswim, I'd start right off for Hold Hingland as soon as we get to yondershore. "

The boy slaves were alike inspired with hope and joy at the distantview. 

The sea was still too far off to be reached that night, and the _douar_was pitched about five miles from the shore. 

During this night, three of the Arabs were kept constantly on guard; butthe camp was not disturbed, and next morning they resumed their journey, some with the hope and others with the fear that Golah would troublethem no more. 

The Arabs wished to meet him during the hours of daylight, and securethe property they had lost; and from their knowledge of the part of thedesert they were now traversing, they were in hopes of doing this. Theyknew there was but one place within two days' journey where fresh watercould be obtained; and should they succeed in reaching this place beforeGolah, they could lie in wait for his arrival. They were certain hemust visit this watering-place to save his animals from perishing withthirst. 

At noon-day a halt was made not far from the beach. It was only for ashort while; for they were anxious to reach the well as soon aspossible. The few minutes spent at the halting-place were well employedby the boy slaves in gathering shell-fish and bathing their bodies inthe surf. 

Refreshed by this luxurious food, as well as by the washing, of whichthey were greatly in need, they were able to proceed at a better pace;so that about an hour before sunset the caravan arrived at the well. 

Just before reaching it, the old sheik and one of his companions haddismounted and walked forward to examine such tracks as might be foundabout the place. They were chagrined to find that Golah had beenbefore. He had been to the well, and obtained a supply of water. Hisfootmarks were easily identified. They were fresh, having been made butan hour or two before the arrival of the caravan; and in place of theirhaving to wait for Golah, he was undoubtedly waiting for them. Theyfelt sure that the black sheik was not far off, watching for afavourable opportunity of again paying them a nocturnal visit. Theycould now understand why he had not attempted to molest them on thepreceding night. He had been hastening forward, in order to reach thewell in advance of them. 

The apprehensions of the Arabs became keener and keener after thisdiscovery. They were also much puzzled as to what they should do; and adiversity of opinion arose as to the best plan for guarding the campagainst their implacable foe. Some were in favour of staying by thewell for several days, until the supply of water which their enemy hadtaken with him should be exhausted. Golah would then have to revisitthe well, or perish of thirst upon the desert. The idea was aningenious one, but unfortunately their stock of provisions would notadmit of any delay, and it was resolved that the journey should beresumed at once. 

Just as they were preparing to move away from the well, a caravan oftraders arrived from the south, and the old sheik made anxious inquiriesas to whether the new comers had seen anyone on their route. Thetraders, to whom the caravan belonged, had that morning met three menwho answered to the description of Golah and his companions. They werejourneying south, and had purchased a small supply of food from thecaravan. 

Could it be that Golah had given up the hope of recovering his lostproperty, relinquished his deadly purpose of revenge? The Arabsprofessed much unwillingness to believe it. Some of them loudlyproposed starting southward in pursuit. But this proposition wasoverruled, and it was evident that the old sheik, as well as most of hisfollowers, were in reality pleased to think that Golah would troublethem no more. 

The sheik decreed that the property of those who had perished should bedivided amongst those who survived. This giving universal satisfaction, the Arab kafila took its departure, leaving the caravan of the tradersby the well, where they were intending to remain for some time longer. 

Shortly after leaving the well, the old sheik ordered a halt by theseashore, where he stopped long enough for his slaves to gather someshell-fish, enough to satisfy the hunger of all his followers. 

A majority of the Arabs were under the belief that the black sheik hadstarted at last for his own country, satisfied with the revenge he hadalready taken. They seemed to think that keeping watch over the campwould no longer be necessary. 

With this opinion their Krooman captive did not agree; and, fearing tofall again into the possession of Golah, he laboured to convince his newmaster that they were as likely that night to receive a visit from theblack sheik as they had ever been before. 

He argued that, if Golah had entertained a hope of defeating his foes, eleven in number, when alone, and armed only with a scimitar, hecertainly would not be likely to relinquish that hope after havingsucceeded in killing nearly half of them, and being strengthened by acouple of able assistants. 

The Krooman believed that Golah's going south, as reported by the partymet at the well, was proof that he really intended proceeding north; andhe urged the Arab sheik to set a good guard over the _douar_ through thenight. 

"Tell him, " said Harry, "if they are not inclined to keep guard forthemselves, that we will stand it, if they will only allow us to haveweapons of some kind or other. "

The Krooman made this communication to the Arab sheik, who smiled onlyin reply. 

The idea of allowing slaves to guard an Arab _douar_, especially tofurnish them with fire-arms, was very amusing to the old chieftain ofthe Saara. 

Harry understood the meaning of his smile. It meant refusal; but theyoung Englishman had also become impressed with the danger suggested byTerence: that Golah would yet kill all the Arabs and take the boy slavesback to Timbuctoo. 

"Tell the sheik that he is an old fool, " said he to the interpreter;"tell him that we have a greater objection to falling into the hands ofGolah than he has of losing either us or his own life. Tell him that wewish to go north, where we can be redeemed; and that for this reasonalone we should be far more careful in guarding the camp againstsurprise than any of his own people. "

When this communication was made to the old sheik it seemed to strikehim as having some reason in it; and, convinced by the Krooman'sarguments that there was still danger to be apprehended from Golah'svengeance, he directed that the _douar_ should be strictly guarded, andthat the white slaves might take part in the duty. 

"You shall be taken north and sold to your countrymen, " promised he, "ifyou give us no trouble in the transit. There are but few of my peopleleft now, and it is hard for us to travel all day and keep watch allnight. If you are really afraid of falling into the hands of thisProphet-accursed negro, and will help us in guarding against hismurderous attacks, you are welcome to do so; but if any one of youattempt to play traitor, the whole four of you shall lose your heads. Iswear it by the beard of the Prophet!"

The Krooman assured him that none of the white slaves had any desire todeceive him, adding, that self-interest, if nothing else, would causethem to be true to those who would take them to a place where they wouldhave a chance of being ransomed out of slavery. 

Darkness having by this time descended over the desert, the sheik setabout appointing the guard for the night. He was too suspicious of hiswhite slaves to allow all the four of them to act as guards at the sametime, while he and his companions were asleep. He was willing, however, that one of them should be allowed to keep watch in company with one ofhis own followers. 

In choosing the individual for this duty, he inquired from the Kroomanwhich of the four had been most ill-used by the black sheik. SailorBill was pointed out as the man; and the interpreter gave some detailsof the cruel treatment to which the old man-o'-war's-man had beensubjected at the hands of Golah. 

"Bismillah! that is well, " said the sheik. "Let him keep the watch. After what you say, revenge should hinder him closing his eyes in sleepfor a whole moon. There's no fear that he will betray us. "

CHAPTER FIFTY NINE. 

GOLAH CALLS AGAIN. 

In setting the watch for the night, one of the sentinels was stationedon the shore about a hundred yards north of the _douar_. Hisinstructions were to walk a round of about two hundred paces, extendinginward from the beach. 

Another was placed about the same distance south of the camp, and was topace backwards and forwards after a similar fashion. 

Sailor Bill was stationed on the land side of the camp, where he was tomove to and fro between the beats of the two Arab guards, each of whom, on discovering him at the termination of his round, was to utter theword "_Akka_" so that the sailor should distinguish him from an enemy. 

The Arabs themselves were supposed to be sufficiently intelligent totell a friend from a foe without requiring any countersign. 

Before Bill was sent upon his beat the old sheik went into a tent, andsoon after reappeared with a large pistol, bearing a strong likeness toa blunderbuss. This weapon he placed in the sailor's hand, with theinjunction, translated to him by the interpreter, not to discharge ituntil he should be certain of killing either Golah, or one of hiscompanions. 

The old sailor, although sorely fatigued with the toil of the day'sjourney, had so great a horror of again becoming the property of theblack sheik, that he cheerfully promised to "walk the deck all night, and keep a good look-out for breakers, " and his young companions soughtrepose in full confidence that the promise would be faithfully kept. 

Any one of the boy slaves would willingly have taken his place, andallowed their old comrade to rest for the night, but Bill had beenselected by the old sheik, and from his decree there was no appeal. 

The two Arabs doing duty as sentinels knew, from past experience, thatif the kafila was still followed by Golah, they would be the individualsmost exposed to danger, and this knowledge was sufficient to stimulatethem to the most faithful discharge of their trust. 

Neither of them wished to become victims to the fate which had befallentheir predecessors in office. 

For two or three hours both paced slowly to and fro; and Bill, each timehe approached the end of his beat, could hear distinctly pronounced theword "_Akka_" which proved that his co-sentinels were fully on thealert. 

It so chanced that one of them had no faith in the general belief thatthe enemy had relinquished his sanguinary purposes of vengeance. 

He drew his deductions from Golah's conduct in the past, and during thelong silent hours of the night his fancy was constantly dwelling on themanner in which the dreaded enemy had approached the _douar_ on formeroccasions. 

This sentry was the one stationed to the south of the _douar_; and witheyes constantly striving to pierce the darkness that shrouded thesand-plain, the water, on which a better light was reflected, receivedno attention from him. He believed the _douar_ well protected on theside of the sea, for he had no idea that danger could come from thatdirection. 

He was mistaken. 

Had their enemies been, like himself and his companions, true childrenof the Saara, his plan of watching for their approach might haveanswered well enough; but the latter chanced to be the offspring of adifferent country and race. 

About three hours after the watch had been established, the sentinelplaced on the southern side of the _douar_ was being closely observed bythe black sheik, yet knew it not. 

Golah had chosen a singular plan to secure himself against beingobserved, similar to that selected by the three mids for the likepurpose soon after their being cast away upon the coast. 

He had stolen into the water; and with only his woolly occiput above thesurface, had approached within a few yards of the spot where the Arabsentry turned upon his round. 

In the darkness of the night, at the distance of twelve or fifteenpaces, he might have been discovered had a close survey been made of theshining surface. But there was no such survey, and Golah watched thesentinel, himself unseen. 

The attention of the Arab was wholly occupied in looking for theapproach of a foe from the land side; and he was in continual fear ofhearing the report of a musket or feeling the stroke of its bullet. 

This disagreeable surprise he never expected could come from the sea, but was so fully anticipated from the land, that he paid but little orno attention to the restless waves that were breaking with low moansagainst the beach. 

As he turned his back upon the water for the hundredth time with theintention of walking to the other end of his beat, Golah crept gentlyout of the water and hastened after him. 

The deep sighing of the waves against the shingly shore hindered thesound of footsteps from being heard. 

Golah was only armed with a scimitar; but it was a weapon that, in hishands, was sure to fall with deadly effect. It was a weapon of greatsize and weight, having been made expressly for himself; and with thisupraised, he silently but swiftly glided after the unconscious Arab. 

Adding, the whole strength of his powerful arm to the weight of theweapon, the black sheik brought its sharp edge slantingly down upon theneck of the unsuspecting sentinel. 

With a low moan that sounded in perfect harmony with the sighing of thewaves, the Arab fell to the earth, leaving his musket in the huge handhis assassin had stretched forth to grasp it. Putting the gun to fullcock, Golah walked on in the direction in which the sentry had beengoing. He intended next to encounter the man who was guarding theeastern side of the _douar_. Walking boldly on, he took no trouble toavoid the sound of his footsteps being heard, believing that he would betaken for the sentry he had just slain. After going about a hundredpaces without seeing any one, he paused, and with his large fiercelygleaming eyes strove to penetrate the surrounding gloom. Still no onewas to be seen, and he laid himself along the earth to listen forfootfalls. 

Nothing could be heard; but after glancing for some moments along theground he saw a dark object outlined above the surface. Unable, fromthe distance, to form a correct idea of what it was, he cautiouslyadvanced towards it, keeping on all-fours till he could see that theobject was a human being, prostrate on the ground, and apparentlylistening like himself. Why should the man be listening? Not to notethe approach of his companion, for that should be expected withoutsuspicion, as his attitude would indicate. He might be asleep, reasonedGolah. If so, fortune seemed to favour him; and with this reflection hestealthily moved on towards the prostrate form. 

Though the latter moved not, still Golah was not quite sure that thesentry was asleep. Again he paused, and for a moment fixed his eyes onthe body with a piercing gaze. If the man was not sleeping, why shouldhe allow an enemy to approach so near? Why lie so quietly withoutshowing any sign or giving an alarm? If Golah could despatch thissentinel as he had done the other, without making any noise, he would, along with his two relatives (who were waiting the result of hisadventure), afterwards steal into the _douar_, and all he had lost mightbe again recovered. 

The chance was worth the risk, so thought Golah, and silently moved on. 

As he drew nearer he saw that the man was lying on on his side with hisface turned towards him, and partly concealed by one arm. 

The black sheik could see no gun in his hands; and consequently therewould be but little danger in an encounter with him, if such shouldchance to arise. 

Golah grasped the heavy scimitar in his right-hand, evidently intendingto despatch his victim, as he had done the other, with a single blow. 

The head could be severed from the body at one stroke, and no alarmwould be given to the slumbering camp. 

The heavy blade of shining steel was raised aloft; and the grip of thepowerful hand clutching its hilt became more firm and determined. 

Sailor Bill! has your promise to keep a sharp look-out been broken sosoon?

Beware! Golah is near, with strength in his arm, and murder in hismind!

CHAPTER SIXTY. 

SAILOR BILL STANDING SENTRY. 

After two hours had been passed in moving slowly to and fro, hearing theword "_Akka_, " and seeing nothing but grey sand, Sailor Bill began tofeel weary, and now regretted that the old sheik had honoured him withhis confidence. 

For the first hour of his watch he had kept a good look-out to theeastward, and had given the whole of his attention to his sentinel'sduty. 

Gradually his intense alertness forsook him, and he began to think orthe past and future. 

Themes connected with these subjects seldom troubled Bill, his thoughtsgenerally dwelling upon the present; but, in the darkness and solitudein which he was now placed, there was but little of the present toarrest his attention. For the want of something else to amuse his mind, it was turned to the small cannon he was carrying in his hand. 

"This 'ere thing, " thought he, "ain't o' much use as a pistol, though itmight be used as a war-club at close quarters. I hope I shan't 'ave tofire it hoff. The barrel is thin, and the bullet hinside it must bea'most as large as an 'en's hegg. It 'ud be like enough to bust. Preaps 'tain't loaded, and may 'ave been given to me for amusement. Imay as well make sure about that. "

After groping about for some time, the sailor succeeded in finding asmall piece of stick, with which he measured the length of the barrel onthe outside; then, by inserting the stick into the muzzle, he found thatthe depth of the barrel was not quite equal to its length. 

There was something inside therefore, but he was positive there was noball. He next examined the pan, and found the priming all right. 

"I see 'ow 'tis, " muttered he, "the old sheik only wants me to make arow with it, in case I sees anything as is suspicious. He was afearedto put a ball in it lest I should be killin' one of themselves. That'shis confidence. He only wants me to bark without being able to bite. But this don't suit me at all, at all. Faix, I'll find a bit of a stoneand ram it into the barrel. "

Saying this, he groped about the ground in search of a pebble of theproper size; but for some time could find none to his liking. He couldlay his hand on nothing but the finest sand. 

While engaged in this search he fancied he heard some one approachingfrom the side opposite to that in which he was expecting to hear theword "_Akka_. "

He looked in that direction, but could see nothing save the grey surfaceof the sea-beach. 

Since being on the desert Bill had several times observed the Arabs laythemselves along the earth to listen for the sound of footsteps. Thisplan he now tried himself. 

With his eyes close to the ground, the old sailor fancied he was able tosee to a greater distance than when standing upright. There seemed tobe more light on the surface of the earth than at four or five feetabove it; and objects in the distance were placed more directly betweenhis eyes and the horizon. 

While thus lying extended along the sand, he heard footsteps approachingfrom the shore; but, believing they were those of the sentinel, he paidno attention to them. He only listened for a repetition of those soundshe fancied to have come from the opposite direction. 

But nothing was now heard to the eastward; and he came to the conclusionthat he had been deceived by an excited fancy. 

Of one thing, however, he soon became certain. It was, that thefootsteps which he supposed to be those of the Arab who kept what Billcalled the "larboard watch", were drawing nearer than usual, and thatthe word "_Akka_" was not pronounced as before. 

The old sailor slewed himself around and directed his gaze towards theshore. 

The sound of footsteps was no longer heard, but the figure of a man wasperceived at no great distance from the spot. 

He was not advancing nearer, but standing erect, and apparently gazingsharply about him. 

Could this man be the Arab sentinel?

The latter was known to be short and of slight frame, while the man nowseen appeared tall and of stout build. Instead of remaining in hisupright attitude, and uttering, as the sentry should have done, the word"_Akka_, " the stranger was seen to stoop down, and place his ear closeto the earth as if to listen. 

During a moment or two, while the man's eyes appeared to be turned awayfrom him, the sailor took the precaution to fill the barrel of hispistol with sand. 

Should he give the alarm by firing off the pistol, and then run towardsthe camp?

No! he might have been deceived by an excited imagination. Theindividual before him might possibly be the Arab guard trying todiscover his presence before giving the sign. 

While the sailor was thus undecided, the huge form drew nearer, approaching on all-fours. It came within eight or ten paces of thespot, and then slowly assumed an upright position. Bill now saw it wasnot the sentinel but the black sheik!

The old man-o'-war's-man was never more frightened in his life. Hethought of discharging the pistol, and running back to the _douar_; butthen came the thought that he would certainly be shot down the instanthe should rise to his feet; and fear held him motionless. 

Golah drew nearer and nearer, and the sailor seeing the scimitaruplifted suddenly formed the resolution to act. 

Projecting the muzzle of his huge pistol towards the black, he pulledthe trigger, and at the same instant sprang to his feet. 

There was a loud deafening report, followed by a yell of wild agony. 

Bill stayed not to note the effect of his fire; but ran as fast as hislegs would carry him towards the camp, already alarmed by the report ofthe pistol. 

The Arabs were running to and fro in terrible fear and confusion, shouting as they ran. 

Amidst these shouts was heard, in the direction from which the sailorhad fled, a loud voice frantically calling, "Muley! Muley!"

"'Tis the voice of Golah!" exclaimed the Krooman, in Arabic. "He iscalling for his son, Muley is his son's name!"

"They are going to attack the _douar_, " shouted the Arab sheik; and hiswords were followed by a scene of the wildest terror. 

The Arabs rushed here and there, mingling their cries with those of theslaves; while women shrieked, children screamed, dogs barked, horsesneighed, and even the quiet camels gave voice to their alarm. 

In the confusion, the two wives of Golah, taking their children alongwith them, hurried away from the camp, and escaped undiscovered in thedarkness. 

They had heard the voice of the father of their children, and understoodthat accent of anguish in which he had called out the name of his son. 

They were women--women who, although dreading their tyrant husband inhis day of power, now pitied him in his hour of misfortune. 

The Arabs, anxiously expecting the appearance of their enemy, in greathaste made ready to meet him; but they were left unmolested. 

In a few minutes all was quiet; not a sound was heard in the vicinity ofthe _douar_; and the late alarm might have appeared only a panic ofgroundless fear. 

The light of day was gradually gathering in the east, when the Arabsheik, recovering from his excitement ventured to make an examination ofthe _douar_ and its denizens. 

Two important facts presented themselves as evidence that the frightthey had experienced was not without a cause. The sentry who had beenstationed to guard the camp on its southern side was not present, andGolah's two wives and their children were also absent. 

There could be no mystery about the disappearance of the women. Theyhad gone to rejoin the man whose voice had been heard calling "Muley!"

But where was the Arab sentry? Had another of the party fallen a victimto the vengeance of Golah?

CHAPTER SIXTY ONE. 

GOLAH FULFILS HIS DESTINY. 

Taking the Krooman by one arm, the Arab sheik led him up to the oldman-o'-war's-man; who, sailor-like, having finished his watch, had goneto sleep. 

After being awakened by the sheik, the Krooman was told to ask the whiteman why he had fired his pistol. 

"Why, to kill Golah, the big nager!" answered Bill; "an' I'm mightydesaved if I 'ave not done it. "

This answer was communicated to the sheik, who had the art of expressingunbelief with a peculiar smile, which he now practised. 

Bill was asked if he had seen the black sheik. 

"Seen him! sartinly I did, " answered the sailor. "He was not more norfour paces from me at the time I peppered him. I tell you he is goneand done for. "

The sheik shook his head, and again smiled incredulously. 

Further inquiries were interrupted by the discovery of the body of theArab sentinel whom Golah had killed, and all clustered around it. 

The man's head was nearly severed from his body; and the blow, whichmust have caused instant death, had evidently been given by the blacksheik. Near the corpse, tracks were observed in the sand such as noother human being but Golah could have made. 

It was now broad daylight; and the Arabs, glancing along the shore tosouthward, made another discovery. 

Two camels with a horse were seen upon the beach about half a mile off;and, leaving one of their number to guard the _douar_, the old sheikwith his followers started off in the hope of recovering some of theproperty they had lost. 

They were followed by most of the slaves; who, by the misfortunes oftheir masters, were under less restraint. 

On arriving near the place where the camels were, the young man we havedescribed as Golah's brother-in-law was found to be in charge of them. He was lying on the ground; but on the approach of the Arabs, he sprangto his feet, at the same time holding up both hands. 

He carried no weapon; and the gesture signified, "It is peace. "

The two women, surrounded by their children, were near by, sittingsilent and sorrowful on the sea-beach. They took no heed of theapproach of the Arabs; and did not even look up as the latter drew near. 

The muskets and other weapons were lying about. One of the camels wasdown upon the sand. It was dead; and the young negro was in the act ofeating a large piece of raw flesh he had severed from its hump. 

The Arab sheik inquired after Golah. He to whom the inquiry wasdirected pointed to the sea, where two dark bodies were seen tumblingabout in the surf as it broke against the shingle of the beach. 

The three midshipmen, at the command of the sheik, waded in, and draggedthe bodies out of the water. 

They were recognised as those of Golah and his son, Muley. 

Golah's face appeared to have been frightfully lacerated, and his oncelarge fierce eyes were altogether gone. 

The brother-in-law was called on to explain the mysterious death of theblack sheik and his son. 

His explanation was as follows:--

"I heard Golah calling for Muley after hearing the report of a gun. From that I knew that he was wounded. Muley ran to assist him, while Istayed behind with the horse and camels. I am starving!

"Very soon Muley came running back, followed by his father, who seemedpossessed of an evil spirit. He ran this way and that way, swinging hisscimitar about, and trying to kill us both as well as the camels. Hecould not see, and we managed to keep out of his way. I am starving!"

The young negro here paused, and, once more picking up the piece ofcamel's flesh, proceeded to devour it with an alacrity that proved thetruth of his assertion. 

"Pig!" exclaimed the sheik, "tell your story first, and eat afterwards. "

"Praise be to Allah!" said the youth, as he resumed his narrative;"Golah ran against one of the camels and killed it. "

His listeners looked towards the dead camel. They saw that the bodybore the marks of Golah's great scimitar. 

"After killing the camel, " continued the young man, "the sheik becamequiet. The evil spirit had passed out of him; and he sat down upon thesand. Then his wives came up to him; and he talked to them kindly, andput his hands on each of the children, and called them by name. Theyscreamed when they looked at him, and Golah told them not to befrightened, that he would wash his face, and frighten them no more. Thelittle boy led him to the water, and he rushed into the sea as far as hecould wade. He went there to die. Muley ran after to bring him out, and they were both drowned. I could not help them, for I was starving!"

The emaciated appearance of the narrator gave strong evidence of thetruth of the concluding words of his story. For nearly a week he hadbeen travelling night and day, and the want of sleep and food could nothave been much longer endured. 

At the command of the Arab chief, the slaves now buried the bodies ofGolah and his son. 

Gratified at his good fortune, in being relieved from all furthertrouble with his implacable foeman, the sheik determined to have a dayof rest; which to his slaves was very welcome, as was also the flesh ofthe dead camel, now given them to eat. 

About the death of Golah there was still a mystery the Arabs could notcomprehend, and the services of the Krooman as interpreter were againcalled into requisition. 

When the sheik learnt what the sailor had done, how the pistol had beenmade an effective weapon by filling the barrel with sand, he expressedmuch satisfaction at the manner in which the old man-o'-war's-man hadperformed his duty. 

Full of gratitude for the service thus rendered him, he promised thatnot only the sailor himself, but the boy slaves, his companions, shouldbe taken to Mogador and restored to their friends. 

CHAPTER SIXTY TWO. 

ON THE EDGE OF THE SAARA. 

After a journey of two long dreary days, days that were to the boyslaves periods of agonising torture, from fatigue, hunger, thirst, andexposure to a burning sun, the kafila arrived at another watering-place. 

As they drew near the place, our adventurers perceived that it was thesame where they had first fallen into the hands of Golah. 

"May God help us!" exclaimed Harry Blount, as they approached the place. "We have been here before. We shall find no water, I fear. We did notleave more than two bucketfuls in the hole; and as there has been norain since, that must be dried up long ago. "

An expression of hopeless despair came over the countenances of hiscompanions. They had seen, but a few days before, nearly all the waterdrawn out of the pool, and given to the camels. 

Their fears were soon removed, and followed by the real gratification ofa desire they had long been indulging, the desire to quench theirthirst. There was plenty of water in the pool, a heavy deluge of rainhaving fallen over the little valley since they had left it. 

The small supply of food possessed by the travellers would not admit oftheir making any delay at this watering-place; and the next morning thejourney was resumed. 

The Arabs appeared to bear no animosity towards the young man who hadassisted Golah in killing their companions; and now that the black sheikwas dead, they had no fear that the former would try to escape. Thenegro was one of those human beings who cannot own themselves, and whonever feel at home unless with some one to control them. He quietlytook his place along with the other slaves, apparently resigned to hisfate, a fate that doomed him to perpetual slavery, though a conditionbut little lower than that he had occupied with his brother-in-law. 

Eight days were now passed in journeying in a direction that led alittle to the east of north. 

To the white slaves they were days of indescribable agony, from thosetwo terrible evils that assail all travellers through the Saara, hungerand thirst. Within the distance passed during these eight days they hadfound but one watering-place, where the supply was not only small inquantity, but bad in quality. 

It was a well, nearly dried up, containing a little water, offensive tosight and smell, and only rendered endurable to taste by theirresistible power of thirst. 

The surface of the pool was covered nearly an inch thick with deadinsects, which had to be removed to reach the discoloured elementbeneath. They were not only compelled to use, but were even thankful toobtain, this impure beverage. 

The route followed during these eight days was not along the seashore;and they were therefore deprived of the opportunity of satisfying theirhunger with shell-fish. The Arabs were in haste to reach some placewhere they could procure food for their animals; and at the pace atwhich they rode forward, it required the utmost exertion on the part oftheir slaves to keep up with them. The old man-o'-war's-man, unused toland travelling, could never have held out, had not the Arabs allowedhim, part of the time, to ride on a camel. The feat he had performed, in ridding them of that enemy who had troubled them so much, and who, had he not been thwarted in his attack upon the camp, would probablyhave killed them all, had inspired his masters with some slightgratitude. The sailor, therefore, was permitted to ride, when they sawthat otherwise they would have to leave him behind to die upon thedesert. 

During the last two days of the eight, our adventurers noticed somethingin the appearance of the country over which they were moving, thatinspired them with hope. The face of the landscape became more uneven;while here and there stunted bushes and weeds were seen, as ifstruggling between life and death. 

The kafila had arrived on the northern border of the great Saara; and afew days more would bring them to green fields, shady groves, andstreams of sparkling water. 

Something resembling the latter was soon after discovered. At the closeof the eighth day they reached the bed of what appeared to be a riverrecently dried up. Although there was no current, they found some poolsof stagnant water; and beside one of these the _douar_ was established. 

On a hill to the north were growing some green shrubs, to which thecamels were driven; and upon these they immediately commenced browsing. Not only the leaves, but the twigs and branches, were rapidly twistedoff by the long prehensile lips of the animals, and as greedilydevoured. 

It was twilight as the camp had been fairly pitched; and just then twomen were seen coming towards them leading a camel. They were making forthe pools of water, for the purpose of filling some goatskins which werecarried on their camel. They appeared both surprised and annoyed tofind the pools in possession of strangers. 

Seeing they could not escape observation, the men came boldly forwardand commenced filling their goatskins. While thus engaged they told theArab sheik that they belonged to a caravan near at hand that wasjourneying southward; and they should continue their journey early thenext morning. 

After the departure of the two men the Arabs held a consultation. 

"They have told us a lie, " remarked the old sheik; "they are not on ajourney, or they would have halted here by the water. By the beard ofour Prophet, they have spoken falsely!"

With this opinion his followers agreed; and it was suggested that thetwo men they had seen were of some party encamped by the seashore, andundoubtedly amusing themselves with a wreck, or gathering wealth in someother unusual way. 

Here was an opportunity not to be lost; and the Arabs determined to havea share in whatever good fortune Providence might have thrown in the wayof those already upon the ground. If it should prove to be a wreckthere might be serious difficulty with those already in possession; itwas resolved, therefore, to wait for the morning, when they could form abetter opinion of their chances of success, should a conflict benecessary to secure it. 

CHAPTER SIXTY THREE. 

THE RIVAL WRECKERS. 

Early next morning the kafila was _en route_ for the seashore, which wasdiscovered not far distant. On coming near, a _douar_ of seven tentswas seen standing upon the beach, and several men stepped forward toreceive them. 

The usual salutations were exchanged, and the new comers began to lookabout them. Several pieces of timber lying along the shore gaveevidence that their conjecture, as to a wreck having taken place, hadbeen a correct one. 

"There is but one God, and He is kind to us all, " said the old sheik;"He casts the ships of unbelievers on our shores, and we have come toclaim a share of his favours. "

"You are welcome to all you can justly claim, " answered a tall man, whoappeared to be the leader of the party of wreckers. "Mahomet is theProphet of Him who sends favours to all, both good and bad. If He hassent anything for you, look along the sea-beach and find it. "

On this invitation the camels of the kafila were unloaded, and the tentspitched. The new comers then set about searching for the debris of thewrecked vessel. 

They discovered only some spars, and other pieces of ship timbers, whichwere of no value to either party. 

A consultation now took place between the old sheik and his followers. They were unanimous in the belief that a sunken ship was near them, andthat they had only to watch the rival wreckers and learn where she wassubmerged. 

Desisting from their search, they resolved to keep a look-out. 

When this determination became known to the other party, its chief, after conferring with his companions, came forward, and, announcinghimself as the representative of his people, proposed a conference. 

"I am Sidi Hamet, " said he, "and the others you see here are my friendsand relatives. We are all members of the same family, and faithfulfollowers of the Prophet. God is great, and has been kind to us. Hehas sent us a prize. We are about to gather the gifts of his mercy. Goyour way, and leave us in peace. "

"I am Rias Abdallah Yezzed, " answered the old sheik, "and neither mycompanions nor myself are so bad but that we, too, may be numbered amongthose who are entitled to God's favour, when it pleases Him to cast onour shores the ships of the infidel. "

In rejoinder Sidi Hamet entered upon a long harangue; in which heinformed the old sheik that in the event of a vessel having gone topieces, and the coast having been strewn with merchandise, each partywould have been entitled to all it could gather, but unfortunately forboth, those pleasant circumstances did not now exist; although it wastrue that the hulk of a vessel, containing a cargo that could not washashore, was lying under water near by. They had discovered it, andtherefore laid claim to all that it contained. 

Sidi Hamet's party was a strong one, consisting of seventeen men; andtherefore could afford to be communicative without the least danger ofbeing disturbed in their plans and prospects. 

They acknowledged that they had been working ten days, in clearing thecargo out of the sunken vessel, and that their work was not yet halfdone, the goods being very difficult to get at. 

The old sheik inquired of what the cargo consisted; but could obtain nosatisfactory answer. 

Here was a mystery. Seventeen men had been ten days unloading the hulkof a wrecked ship, and yet no articles of merchandise were to be seennear the spot. 

A few casks, some pieces of old sail, with a number of cooking utensilsthat had belonged to a ship's galley, lay upon the beach; but thesecould not be regarded as forming any portion of the cargo of a ship. 

The old sheik and his followers were in a quandary. 

They had often heard of boxes full of money having been obtained fromwrecked ships. 

Sailors cast away upon their coast had been known to bury suchcommodities; and afterwards, under torture, to reveal the spot where theinterment had been made. 

Had this vessel, on which the wreckers were engaged, been freighted withmoney, and had the boxes been buried as soon as brought ashore?

It was possible, thought the new comers. They must wait and learn; andif there was any means by which they could claim a share in the goodfortune of those who had first discovered the wreck, those means must beadopted. 

The original discoverers were too impatient to stay proceedings tilltheir departure; and feeling secure in the superiority of numbers, theyrecommenced their task of discharging the submerged hulk. 

They advanced to the water's edge, taking along with them a long ropethat had been found attached to the spars. At one end of this rope theyhad made a running noose, which was made fast to a man, who swam outwith it to the distance of about a hundred yards. 

The swimmer then dived out of sight. He had gone below to visit thewreck, and attached the rope to a portion of the cargo. 

A minute after his head was seen above the surface, and a shout was sentforth. Some of his companions on the beach now commenced hauling in therope, the other end of which had been left in their hands. 

When the noose was pulled ashore, it was found to embrace a large blockof sandstone weighing about twenty-five or thirty pounds!

The Krooman had already informed Harry Blount and his companions ofsomething he had learned from the conversation of the wreckers; and thethree mids had been watching with considerable interest the movements ofthe diver and his assistants. 

When the block of sandstone was dragged up on the beach they stared ateach other with expressions of profound astonishment. 

No wonder: the wreckers were employed in clearing the ballast out of asunken ship!

What could be their object? Our adventurers could not guess. Nor, indeed, could the wreckers themselves have given a good reason forundergoing such an amount of ludicrous labour. 

Why they had not told the old sheik what sort of cargo they were savingfrom the wreck, was because they had no certain knowledge of its value, or what in reality it was they were taking so much time and trouble toget safely ashore. 

As they believed that the white slaves must have a perfect knowledge ofthe subject upon which they were themselves so ignorant, they closelyscanned the countenances of the latter as the block of the ballast wasdrawn out upon the dry sand. 

They were rewarded for their scrutiny. 

The surprise exhibited by Sailor Bill and the three mids confirmed thewreckers in their belief that they were saving something of grand value;for, in fact, had the block of sandstone been a monstrous nugget ofgold, the boy slaves could not have been more astonished at beholdingit. 

Their behaviour increased the ardour of the salvers in the pursuit inwhich the were engaged, along with the envy of the rival party; who, bythe laws of the Saaran coast, were not allowed to participate in theirtoil. 

The Krooman now endeavoured to undeceive his master as to the value ofthe "salvage", telling him that what their rivals were taking out of thesunken ship was nothing but worthless stone. 

But his statement was met with a smile of incredulity. Those engaged ingetting the ballast ashore regarded the Krooman's statements with equalcontempt. He was either a liar or a fool, and therefore unworthy of theleast attention. With this reflection they went on with their work. 

After some time spent in reconsidering the subject, the old sheik calledthe Krooman aside; and when out of hearing of the wreckers asked him togive an explanation of the real nature of what he himself persisted incalling the "cargo" of the wreck, as well as a true statement of itsvalue. 

The slave did as he was desired; but the old sheik only shook his head, once more declaring his incredulity. 

He had never heard of a ship that did not carry a cargo of somethingvaluable. He thought that no men would be so stupid and foolish as togo from one country to another in ships loaded only with worthlessstones. 

As nothing else in the shape of cargo was found aboard the wreck, thestones must be of some value. So argued the Arab. 

While the Krooman was trying to explain the real purpose for which thestones had been placed in the hold of the vessel, one of the wreckerscame up and informed him that a white man was in one of their tents, that he was ill, and wished to see and converse with the infidel slaves, of whose arrival he had just heard. 

The Krooman communicated this piece of intelligence to our adventurers;and the tent that contained the sick white man having been pointed outto them, they at once started towards it, expecting to see someunfortunate countryman, who, like themselves, had been cast away on theinhospitable shores of the Saara. 

CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR. 

ANOTHER WHITE SLAVE. 

On entering within the tent to which they had been directed, they found, lying upon the ground, a man of about forty years of age. Although heappeared a mere skeleton, consisting of little more than skin and bones, he did not present the general aspect of a man suffering from illhealth; nor yet would he have passed for a white man anywhere out ofAfrica. 

"You are the first English people I've seen for over thirty years, " saidhe, as they entered the tent; "for I can tell by your looks that everyone of you is English. You are my countrymen. I was white once myself;and you will be as black as I am when you have been sun-scorched herefor forty-three years, as I have been. "

"What!" exclaimed Terence; "have you been a slave in the Saara so longas that? If so, God help us! What hope is there of our ever gettingfree?"

The young Irishman spoke in a tone of despair. 

"Very little chance of your ever seeing home again, my lad, " answeredthe invalid! "but I have a chance now, if you and your comrades don'tspoil it. For God's sake don't tell these Arabs that they are the foolsthey are, for making salvage of the ballast! If you do, they'll be sureto make an end of me. It's all my doing. I've made them believe thestones are valuable, so that they may take them to some place where Ican escape. It is the only chance I have had for years, don't destroyit, as you value the life of a fellow-countryman. "

From further conversation with the man, our adventurers learned that hehad been shipwrecked on the coast many years before, and had ever sincebeen trying to get transported to some place where he might be ransomed. He declared that he had been backward and forward across the desertforty or fifty times; and that he had belonged to not less than fiftymasters!

"I have only been with these fellows a few weeks, " said he, "andfortunately when we came this way we were able to tell where the sunkenship was, by seeing her foremast then sticking out of the water. Thevessel was in ballast; and the crew probably put out to sea in theirboats, without being discovered. It was the first ship my masters hadever heard of without a cargo; and they would not believe but that thestones were such, and must be worth something, else why should they becarried about the world in a ship? I told them it was a kind of stonefrom which gold was obtained; but that it must be taken to some placewhere there was plenty of coal or wood, before the gold could be meltedout of it, and then entrusted to white men who understood the art ofextracting the precious metal from the rocks. 

"They believe all this: for they can see shining particles in thesandstone which they think is really gold, or something that can beconverted into it. For four days they forced me to toil, at diving andassisting them; but that didn't suit my purpose; and I've at lengthsucceeded in making them believe that I am not able to work any longer. "

"But do you really think, " asked Harry Blount, "that they will carry theballast any distance without learning its real value?"

"Yes; I did think that you might take it to Mogador, and that they wouldlet me go along with them. "

"But some one will meet them, and tell them that their lading isworthless?" suggested Colin. 

"No, I think that fear of losing their valuable freight will keep themfrom letting any one know what they've got. They are hiding it in thesand now, as fast as they get it ashore; for fear some party strongerthan themselves should come along and take it away from them. I intendto tell them after they have started on their journey, not to let anyone see or know what they have, until they are safe within the walls ofMogador, where they will be under the protection of the governor. Theyhave promised to take me along with them, and if I once get within sightof a seaport, not all the Arabs in Africa will hinder me from recoveringmy liberty. "

While the pretended invalid was talking to them, Sailor Bill had beenwatching him, apparently with eager interest. 

"Beg pardon for 'aving a small taste o' differences wid you in themather ov your age, " said the sailor, as soon as the man had ceasedspeaking; "but I'll never belave you've been about 'ere for forty years. It can't be so long as that. "

The two men, after staring at each other for a moment, uttered thewords, "Jim!"

"Bill!" and then, springing forward, each grasped the hand of the other. Two brothers had met!

The three mids remembered that Bill had told them of a brother, who, when last heard from was a slave somewhere in the Saara, and they neededno explanation of the scene now presented to them. 

The two brothers were left alone; and after the others had gone out ofthe tent they returned to the Krooman; who had just succeeded inconvincing the sheik that the stones being fished out of the sunken shipwere, at that time and place, of no value whatever. 

All attempts on the part of the old sheik to convince the wreckers as hehad been convinced himself, proved fruitless. 

The arguments he used to them were repeated to the sailor, Bill'sbrother; and by him were easily upset with a few words. 

"Of course they will try to make you believe the cargo is no good, "retorted Jim. "They wish you to leave it, so that they can have it allto themselves. Does not common sense tell you that they are liars?"

This was conclusive; and the wreckers continued their toil, extractingstone after stone out of the hold of the submerged ship. 

Sailor Bill at his brother's request then summoned his companions to thetent. 

"Which of you have been trying to do me an injury?" inquired Jim. "Itold you not to say that the stones were worthless. "

It was explained to him how the Krooman had been enlightening hismaster. 

"Call the Krooman, " said Jim, "and I'll enlighten him. If these Arabsfind out that they have been deceived, I shall be killed, and yourmaster, the old sheik, will certainly lose all his property. Tell himto come here also. I must talk to him. Something must be doneimmediately, or I shall be killed. "

The Krooman and the old sheik were conducted into the tent; and Jimtalked to them in the Arabic language. 

"Leave my masters alone to their folly, " said he to the sheik; "and theywill be so busy that you can depart in peace. If not, and you convincethem that they have been deceived, they will rob you of all you havegot. You have already said enough to excite their suspicions, and theywill in time learn that I have been humbugging them. My life is nolonger safe in their company. You buy me, then; and let us all take ourdeparture immediately. "

"Are the stones in the wreck really worth nothing?" asked the sheik. 

"No more than the sand on the shore; and when they find out that such isthe case, some one will be robbed. They have come to the sea-coast toseek wealth, and they will have it one way or the other. They are atribe of bad men. Buy me, and leave them to continue the task they haveso ignorantly undertaken. "

"You are not well, " replied the sheik; "and if I buy you, you cannotwalk. "

"Let me ride on a camel until I get out of sight of these my masters, "answered Jim; "you will then see whether I can walk or not. They willsell me cheap: for they think I am done up. But I am not; I was onlyweary of diving after worthless stones. "

The old sheik promised to follow Jim's advice; and ordered hiscompanions to prepare immediately for the continuance of their journey. 

Sidi Hamet was called, and asked by Rias Abdallah if he would sell someof the stones they had saved from the infidel ship. 

"Bismillah! No!" exclaimed the wrecker. "You say they are of no value, and I do not wish to cheat any true belief of the Prophet. "

"Will you give me some of them, then?"

"No! Allah forbid that Sidi Hamet should ever make a worthless presentto a friend!"

"I am a merchant, " rejoined the old sheik, "and wish to do business. Have you any slaves, or other property, you can sell me?"

"Yes! You see that Christian dog, " replied the wrecker, pointing toSailor Bill's brother; "I will sell him. "

"You have promised to take me to Swearah, " interrupted Jim. "Do notsell me, master; I think I shall get well some time, and will then workfor you as hard as I can. "

Sidi Hamet cast upon his infidel slave a look of of contempt at thisallusion to his illness; but Jim's remark, and the angry glance, wereboth unheeded by the Arab sheik. 

The slave's pretended wishes not to be sold were disregarded; and forthe consideration of an old shirt and a small camel-hair tent, he becamethe property of Rias Abdallah Yezzed. 

The old sheik and his followers then betook themselves to their camels;and the kafila was hurried up the dry bed of the river, leaving thewreckers to continue their toilsome and unprofitable task. 

CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE. 

SAILOR BILL'S BROTHER. 

After leaving the coast, the travellers kept at a quick pace, and SailorBill and his brother had but little opportunity of holding conversetogether. When the _douar_ had been pitched for the night, the old saltand the "young gentlemen", his companions, gathered around the man whoseexperience in the miseries of Saaran slavery so far exceeded their own. 

"Now, Jim, " began the old man-o'-war's-man, "you must spin us the yarnof all your cruising since you've been here. We've seen somethin' o'the elephant since we've been cast ashore, and that's not long. I don'twonder at you sayin' you 'ave been aboard this craft forty-three years. "

"Yes, that is the correct time according to my reckoning, " interruptedJim; "but, Bill, you don't look much older than when I saw you last. How long ago was it?"

"About eleven years. "

"Eleven years! I tell you that I've been here over forty. "

"'Ow can that be?" asked Bill. "Dang it, man, you'll not be forty yearsold till the fourteenth o' next month. You 'ave lost yer senses, an' introth, it ain't no wonder!"

"That is true, for there is nothing in the Saara to help a man keep hisreckoning. There are no seasons; and every day is as like another astwo seconds in the same minute. But surely I must have been here formore than eleven years?"

"No, " answered Bill, "ye 'ave no been here only a wee bit langer thantin; but afther all ye must 'ave suffered in that time it is quare thatye should a know'd me at all, at all. "

"I did not know you until you spoke, " rejoined Jim. "Then I couldn'tdoubt that it was you who stood before me, when I heard our father'sbroad Scotch, our mother's Irish brogue, and the talk of the cockneysamongst whom your earliest days were passed, all mingled together. "

"You see, Master Colly, " said Bill, turning to the young Scotchman, "mybrother Jim has had the advantage of being twelve years younger than I;and when he was old enough to go to school, I was doing something tohelp kape him there, and for all that I believe he is plased to see me. "

"Pleased to see you!" exclaimed Jim. "Of course I am. "

"I'm sure av it, " said Bill. "Well, then, brother, go ahead, an' spinus your yarn. "

"I have no one yarn to spin, " replied Jim, "for a narrative of myadventures in the desert would consist of a thousand yarns, each givinga description of some severe suffering or disappointment. I can onlytell you that it seems to me that I have passed many years in travellingthrough the sands of the Saara, years in cultivating barley on itsborders, years in digging wells, and years in attending flocks of goats, sheep, and other animals. I have had many masters, all bad, and someworse, and I have had many cruel disappointments about regaining myliberty. I was once within a single day's journey of Mogador; and wasthen sold again and carried back into the very heart of the desert. Ihave attempted two or three times to escape; but was recaptured eachtime, and nearly killed for the unpardonable dishonesty of trying to robmy master of my own person. I have often been tempted to commitsuicide; but a sort of womanly curiosity and stubbornness has preventedme. I wished to see how long Fortune would persecute me; and I wasdetermined not to thwart her plans by putting myself beyond their reach. I did not like to give in: for anyone who tries to escape from troubleby killing himself shows that he has come off sadly worsted in the warof life. "

"You are quite right, " said Harry Blount; "but I hope that your hardestbattles in that war are now over. Our masters have promised to carry usto some place where we may be ransomed by our countrymen, and you ofcourse will be taken along with us. "

"Do not flatter yourselves with that hope, " said Jim. "I was amusedwith it for several years. Every master I have had gave me the samepromise, and here I am yet. I did think when my late owners were savingthe stone from the wreck, that I could get them to enter the walls ofsome seaport town, and that possibly they might take me along with them. But that hope has proved as delusive as all others I have entertainedsince shipwrecked on the shore of this accursed country. I believethere are a few who are fortunate enough to regain their liberty; butthe majority of sailors cast away on the Saaran coast never have thegood fortune to get away from it. They die under the hardships andill-treatment to which they are exposed upon the desert, without leavinga trace of their existence any more than the dogs or camels belonging totheir common masters. 

"You have asked me to give an account of my life since I have beenshipwrecked. I cannot do that; but I shall give you an easy rule bywhich you may know all about it. We will suppose you have all beenthree months in the Saara, and Bill here says that I have been here tenyears; therefore I have experienced about forty times as long a periodof slavery as one of yourselves. Now, multiply the sum total of yoursufferings by forty, and you will have some idea of what I haveundergone. 

"You have probably witnessed some scenes of heartless cruelty--scenesthat shocked and wounded the most sensitive feelings of your nature. Ihave witnessed forty times as many. While suffering the agonies ofthirst and hunger, you may have prayed for death as a relief to youranguish. Where such have been your circumstances once, they have beenmine for forty times. 

"You may have had some bright hopes of escaping, and once morerevisiting your native land; and then have experienced the bitterness ofdisappointment. In this way I have suffered forty times as much as anyone of you. "

Sailor Bill and the young gentlemen who had been for several days underthe pleasant hallucination that they were on the high road to freedom, were again awakened to a true sense of their situation by the words of aman far more experienced than they in the deceitful ways of the desert. 

Before separating for the night, the three mids learnt from Bill and hisbrother that the latter had been first officer of the ship that hadbrought him to the coast. They could perceive by his conversation thathe was an intelligent man, one whose natural abilities and artificialacquirements were far superior to those of their shipmate, the oldman-of-war's-man. 

"If such an accomplished individual, " reasoned they, "has been for tenyears a slave in the Saara, unable to escape or reach any place wherehis liberty might be restored, what hope is there for us?"

CHAPTER SIXTY SIX. 

A LIVING STREAM. 

Every hour of the journey presented some additional evidence that thekafila was leaving the Great Desert behind, and drawing near a land thatmight be considered fertile. 

On the day after parting from the wreckers, a walled town was reached;and near it, on the sides of some of the hills, were seen growing a fewpatches of barley. 

At this place the caravan rested for the remainder of the day. Thecamels and horses were furnished with a good supply of food and waterdrawn from deep wells. It was the best our adventurers had drunk sincebeing cast away on the African coast. 

Next morning the journey was continued. 

After they had been on the road about two hours, the old sheik and acompanion, riding in advance of the others, stopped before what seemedin the distance a broad stream of water. 

All hastened forward, and the boy slaves beheld a sight that filled themwith much surprise and considerable alarm. It was a stream, a stream ofliving creatures moving over the plain. 

It was a migration of insects, the famed locusts of Africa. 

They were young ones, not yet able to fly; and for some reason, unknownperhaps even to themselves, they were taking this grand journey. 

Their march seemed conducted in regular order and under strictdiscipline. 

They formed a living moving belt of considerable breadth, the sides ofwhich appeared as straight as any line mathematical science could havedrawn. 

Not one could be seen straggling from the main body, which was movingalong a track too narrow for their numbers, scarce half of them havingroom on the sand, while the other half were crawling along on the backsof their _compagnons de voyage_. 

Even the Arabs appeared interested in this African mystery, and pausedfor a few minutes to watch the progress of the glittering streampresented by these singular insects. 

The old sheik dismounted from his camel: and with his scimitar broke thestraight line formed by the border of the moving mass, sweeping them offto one side. 

The space was instantly filled up again by those advancing from behind, and the straight edge restored, the insects crawling onward without theslightest deviation. 

The sight was not new to Sailor Bill's brother. He informed hiscompanions that should a fire be kindled on their line of march, theinsects, instead of attempting to pass around it would move right intoits midst until it should become extinguished with their dead bodies. 

After amusing himself for a few moments in observing these insects, thesheik mounted his camel, and followed by the kafila, commenced movingthrough the living stream. 

A hoof could not be put down without crushing a score of the creatures;but immediately on the hoof being lifted, the space was filled with asmany as had been destroyed. 

Some of the slaves, with their naked feet, did not like wading throughthis living crawling stream. It was necessary to use force to compelthem to pass over it. 

After looking right and left, and seeing no end to the column ofinsects, our adventurers made a rush, and ran clear across it. 

At every step their feet fell with a crunching sound, and were raisedagain, streaming with the blood of the mangled locusts. 

The belt of the migratory insects was about sixty yards in breath; yet, short as was the distance, the boy slaves declared that it was moredisagreeable to pass over than any ten miles of the desert they hadpreviously traversed. 

One of the blacks, determined to make the crossing as brief as possible, started in a rapid run. When about half way through, his foot slipped, and he fell full length amidst the crowd of creepers. 

Before he could regain his feet, hundreds of the disgusting insects hadmounted upon him, clinging to his clothes, and almost smothering him bytheir numbers. 

Overcome by disgust, horror, and fear, he was unable to rise; and two ofhis black companions were ordered to drag him out of the disagreeablecompany into which he had stumbled. 

After being rescued and delivered from the clutch of the locusts, it wasmany minutes before he recovered his composure of mind, along withsufficient nerve to resume his journey. 

Sailor Bill had not made the crossing along with the others; and forsome time resisted all the attempts of the Arabs to force him over theinsect stream. 

Two of them at length laid hold of him; and, after dragging him somepaces into the crawling crowd left him to himself. 

Being thus brought into actual contact with the insects, the old sailorsaw that the quickest way of getting out of the scrape was to cross overto the other side. 

This he proceeded to do in the least time and with the greatest possiblenoise. His paces were long, and made with wonderful rapidity; and eachtime his foot came to the ground he uttered a horrible yell, as thoughit had been planted upon a sheet of red-hot iron. 

Bill's brother had now so far recovered from his feigned illness, thathe was able to walk along with the boy slaves. 

Naturally conversing about the locusts, he informed his companions thatthe year before he had been upon a part of the Saaran coast where acloud of these insects had been driven out to sea by a storm anddrowned. They were afterwards washed ashore in heaps; the effluvia fromwhich became so offensive that the fields of barley near the shore couldnot be harvested, and many hundred acres of the crop were wholly lost tothe owners. 

CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN. 

THE ARABS AT HOME. 

Soon after encountering the locusts, the kafila came upon a well-beatenroad running through a fertile country, where hundreds of acres ofbarley could be seen growing on both sides. 

That evening, for some reason unknown to the slaves, their masters didnot halt at the usual hour. They saw many walled villages, where dweltthe proprietors of the barley-fields, but hurried past them withoutstopping either for water or food, although their slaves were sadly inneed of both. 

In vain the latter complained of thirst and begged for water. The onlyreply to their entreaties was a harsh command to move on fasterfrequently followed by a blow. 

Towards midnight, when the hopes and strength of all were nearlyexhausted, the kafila arrived at a walled village where a gate wasopened to admit them. The old sheik then informed his slaves that theyshould have plenty of food and drink, and would be allowed to rest fortwo or three days in the village. 

A quantity of water was then thickened with barley meal, and of thisdiet they were permitted to have as much as they could consume. 

It was after night when they entered the gate of the village, andnothing could be seen. Next morning they found themselves in the centreof a square enclosure surrounded by about twenty houses standing withina high wall. Flocks of sheep and goats, with a number of horses, camelsand donkeys were also within the enclosure. 

Jim informed his companions that most of the Saaran Arabs have fixedhabitations, where they dwell the greater part of the year, generallywalled towns, such as the one they had now entered. 

The wall is intended for a protection against robbers, at the same timethat it serves as a penn to keep their flocks from straying ortrespassing on the cultivated fields during the night-time. 

It was soon discovered that the Arabs had arrived at their home; for, assoon as day broke they were seen in company with their wives andfamilies. This accounted for their not making halt at any of the othervillages. Being so near their own they had made an effort to reach itwithout extending their journey into another day. 

"I fear we are in the hands of the wrong masters for obtaining ourfreedom, " said Jim to his companions. "If they were traders they mighttake us farther north and sell us, but it's clear they are not! Theyare graziers, farmers, and robbers when the chance arises, that's whatthey be! While waiting for their barley to ripen, they have been on araiding expedition to the desert in the hope of capturing a few slavesto assist them in reaping their harvest. "

Jim's conjecture was soon after found to be correct. On the old sheikbeing asked when he intended taking his slaves on to Swearah, heanswered--

"Our barley is now ripe; and we must not leave it to spoil. You musthelp us in the harvest; and that will enable us to go to Swearah all thesooner. "

"Do you really intend to take your slaves to Swearah?" asked theKrooman. 

"Certainly!" replied the sheik. "Have we not promised? But we cannotleave our fields now. Bismillah! our grain must be gathered. "

"It is just as I supposed, " said Jim. "They will promise anything. They do not intend taking us to Mogador at all. The same promise hasbeen made to me by the same sort of people a score of times. "

"What shall we do?" asked Terence. 

"We must do nothing, " answered Jim. "We must not assist them in anyway; for the more useful we are to them, the more reluctant they will beto part with us. I should have obtained my liberty years ago had I nottried to gain the goodwill of my Arab masters by trying to make myselfuseful to them. That was a mistake, and I can see it now. We must notgive them the slightest assistance in their barley-cutting. "

"But they will compel us to help them?" suggested Colin. 

"They cannot do that if we remain resolute; and I tell you all that youhad better be killed at once than submit. If we assist in theirharvest, they will find something else for us to do; and your best days, as mine have been, will be passed in slavery! Each of you must makehimself a burden and expense to whoever owns him; and then we may bepassed over to some trader who has been to Mogador, and knows that hecan make money by taking us there to be redeemed. That is our onlychance. These Arabs don't know that we are sure to be purchased for agood price in any large seaport town; and they will not run any risk intaking us there. Furthermore, these men are outlaws, desert robbers, and I don't believe that they dare enter the Moorish dominions. We mustget transferred to other hands; and the only way to do that is to refusework. "

Our adventurers agreed to be guided by Jim's counsels, althoughconfident that they would experience much difficulty in following them. 

Early on the morning of the second day, after the Arabs reached theirhome, all the slaves, both white and black, were roused from theirslumbers; and after a spare breakfast of barley-gruel, were commanded tofollow their masters to the grain-fields outside the walls of the town. 

"Do you want us to work?" asked Jim, addressing himself directly to theold sheik. 

"Bismillah! Yes, " exclaimed the Arab. "We have kept you too long inidleness. What have you done, or who are you, that we should maintainyou? You must work for your living, as we do ourselves!"

"We cannot do anything on land, " said Jim. "We are sailors, and haveonly learnt to work on board a ship. "

"By Allah, you will soon learn! Come, follow us to the barley-fields!"

"No; we have all agreed to die rather than work for you! You promisedto take us to Swearah and we will go there or die. We will not beslaves any longer!"

Most of the Arabs, with their wives and children, had now assembledaround the white men, who were ordered instantly to move on. 

"It will not do for us to say we will not or can't move on, " said Jim, speaking to his companions in English. "We must go to the field. Theycan make us do that; but they can't make us work. Go quietly to thefield; but don't make yourselves useful when you get there. "

This advice was followed; and the boy slaves soon found themselves bythe side of a large patch of barley, ready for the reaping-hook. Asickle of French manufacture was then placed in the hands of each, andthey were instructed how to use them. 

"Never mind, " said Jim. "Go to work with a will, mates! We'll showthem a specimen of how reaping is done aboard ship!"

Jim proceeded to set an example by cutting the grain in a carelessmanner, letting the heads fall in every direction, and then tramplingthem under foot as he moved on. 

The same plan was pursued by his brother Bill, the Krooman, and HarryBlount. 

In the first attempt to use the sickle Terence was so awkward as to fallforward and break the implement into two pieces. 

Colin behaved no better: since he managed to cut one of his fingers, andthen apparently fainted away at the sight of the blood. 

The forenoon was passed by the Arabs in trying to train their slaves tothe work, but in this they were sadly unsuccessful. 

Curses, threats, and blows were expended upon them to no purpose, forthe Christian dogs seemed only capable of doing much harm and no good. During the afternoon they were allowed to lie idle upon the ground, andwatch their masters cutting the barley; although this indulgence waspurchased at the expense of lacerated skins and aching bones. Nor wasthis triumph without the cost of further suffering; for they were notallowed a mouthful of food or a drop of water, although an abundance ofboth had been distributed to the other labourers in the field. 

All five, however, remained obstinate, notwithstanding hunger andthirst, threats, cursings, and stripes; each one disdaining to be thefirst to yield to the wishes of their Arab masters. 

CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT. 

WORK OR DIE!

That night, after being driven within the walls of the town, the whiteslaves, along with their guard, and the Krooman, were fastened in alarge stone building partly in ruins, that had been recently used as agoat-penn. 

They were not allowed a mouthful of food nor a drop of water, andsentinels walked around all night to prevent them from breaking out oftheir prison. 

No longer targets for the beams of a blazing sun, they were partlyrelieved from their sufferings; but a few handfuls of barley they hadmanaged to secrete and bring in from the field, proved only sufficientto sharpen an appetite which they could devise no means of appeasing. 

A raging thirst prevented them from having any repose; and, on beingturned out next morning, and ordered back to the barley-fields, weakwith hunger and want of sleep, they were strongly tempted to yieldobedience to their masters. 

The black slaves had worked well the day before; and, having satisfiedtheir masters, had received plenty of food and drink. 

Their white companions in misery saw them eating their breakfast beforebeing ordered to the field. 

"Jim, " said Sailor Bill, "I've 'alf a mind to give in. I must 'avesomethin' to heat an' drink. I'm starvin' all over. "

"Don't think of it, William, " said his brother. "Unless you wish toremain for years in slavery as I have done, you must not yield. Ouronly hope of obtaining liberty is to give the Arabs but one chance ofmaking anything by us, the chance of selling us to our countrymen. Theywon't let us die, don't think it! We are worth too much for that. Theywill try to make us work if they can; but we are fools if we let themsucceed. "

Again being driven to the field, another attempt was made by the Arabsto get some service out of them. 

"We can do nothing now, " said Jim to the old sheik: "we are dying withhunger and thirst. Our life has always been on the sea, and we can donothing on land. "

"There is plenty of food for those who earn it, " rejoined the sheik;"and we cannot give those food who do not deserve it. "

"Then give us some water. "

"Allah forbid! We are not your servants to carry water for you. "

All attempts to make the white slaves perform their task having failed, they were ordered to sit down in the hot sun, where they were tantalisedwith the sight of the food and water of which they were not permitted totaste. 

During the forenoon of the day, all the eloquence Jim could command wasrequired to prevent his brother from yielding. The old man-o'-war's-manwas tortured by extreme thirst, and was once or twice on the eve ofselling himself in exchange for a cooling draught. 

Long years of suffering on the desert had inured Jim to its hardships;and not so strongly tempted as the others, it was easier for him toremain firm. 

Since falling into the company of his countrymen, his hope of freedomhad revived; and he was determined to make a grand effort to regain it. 

He knew that five white captives were worth the trouble of taking tosome seaport frequented by English ships; and he believed if theyrefrained from making themselves useful there was a prospect of theirbeing thus disposed of. 

Through his influence, therefore, the refractory slaves remained staunchin their resolution to abstain from work. 

Their masters now saw that they were better off in the field than in theprison. They could not be prevented from obtaining a few heads of thebarley, which they greedily ate, nor from obtaining a little moisture bychewing the roots of the weeds growing around them. 

As soon as this was noticed, two of the Arabs were sent to conduct themback to the place where they had been confined on the night before. 

It was with the utmost exertion that Sailor Bill and Colin were able toreach the town; while the others, with the exception of Jim, were in avery weak and exhausted state. Hunger and thirst were fast subduingthem, in body, if not in spirit. 

On reaching the door of the goat-penn, they refused to go in, allclamouring loudly for food and water. 

Their entreaties were met with the declaration that it was the will ofGod that those who would not work should suffer starvation. 

"Idleness, " argued their masters, "is always punished by ill health;"and they wound up by expressing their thanks that such was the case. 

It was not until the two Arabs had obtained the assistance of several ofthe women and boys of the village that they succeeded in getting thewhite slaves within the goat-penn. 

"Jim, I tell you I can't stand this any longer, " said Sailor Bill. "Call an' say to 'em as I gives in, and will work to-morrow, if theywill let me have some water. "

"And so will I, " said Terence. "There is nothing in the future tocompensate for this suffering, and I can endure it no longer. "

"Nor will I, " exclaimed Harry; "I must have something to eat and drinkimmediately. We shall all be punished in the next world for self-murderin this, unless we yield. "

"Courage! patience!" exclaimed Jim. "It is better to suffer for a fewhours more than to remain all your lives in slavery. "

"What do I care for the future?" muttered Terence; "the present iseverything. He is a fool who kills himself to-day to keep from beinghungry ten years after. I will try to work to-morrow, if I live solong. "

"Yes, call an' tell 'em, Jim, as 'ow we gives in, an' they'll send ussome refreshment, " entreated the old sailor. "It ain't in human naturto die of starvation if one can 'elp it. "

But neither Jim nor the Krooman would communicate to the Arabs thewishes of their companions; and the words and signals the old sailormade to attract the attention of those outside were unheeded. 

Early in the evening, both Colin and the Krooman also expressedthemselves willing to sacrifice the future for the present. 

"We have nothing to do with the future, " said Colin, in answer to Jim'sentreaties that they should remain firm. "The future is the care ofGod, and we are only concerned with the present. We ought to promiseanything if we can obtain food by it. "

"I think so too, now, " said the Krooman; "for it am worse than sure datif we starve now we no be slaves bom-bye. "

"They will not quite starve us to death, " said Jim. "I have told youbefore that we are worth too much for that. If we will not work theywill sell us, and we may reach Mogador. If we do work, we may stay herefor years. I entreat you to hold out one day longer. "

"I cannot, " answered one. 

"Nor I, " exclaimed another. 

"Let us first get something to eat, and then take our liberty by force, "said Terence. "I fancy that if I had a drink of water I could whip allthe Arabs on earth. "

"And so could I, " said Colin. 

"And I, too, " added Harry Blount. 

Sailor Bill had sunk upon the floor, hardly conscious of what the otherswere saying; but, partly aroused by the word water, repeated it, muttering, in a hoarse whisper, "Water! water!"

The Krooman and the three youths joined in the cry; and then all, asloudly as their parched throats would permit, shouted the words, "Water!water!"

The call for water was apparently unheeded by the Arab men, but it wasevidently music to many of the children of the village, for it attractedthem to the door of the goat-penn, around which they clustered, listening with strong expressions of delight. 

Through a long night of indescribable agony, the cry of "Water! Water!"was often repeated in the penn, and at each time in tones fainter andmore supplicating than before. 

The cry at length became changed from a demand to a piteous prayer. 

CHAPTER SIXTY NINE. 

VICTORY. 

Next morning, when the Arabs opened the door of the prison, Sailor Billand Colin were found unable to rise; and the old salt seemed quiteunconscious of all efforts made to awaken his attention. 

Not till then did Jim's resolution begin to give way. He would nowsubmit, to save them from further suffering; but although knowing it wasthe wish of all that he should tender their submission on the terms theArabs required, for a while he delayed doing so, in order to discoverthe course their masters designed adopting towards them. 

"Are you Christian dogs willing to earn your food now?" inquired the oldsheik, as he entered the goat-penn. 

Faint and weak with hunger, nearly mad with thirst, alarmed for thecondition of his brother, and pitying the agony of the others, Jim wasabout to answer the sheik's question in the affirmative; but there wassomething in the tone in which the question had been put that determinedhim to refrain for a little longer. 

The earthly happiness of six men might depend upon the next word heshould utter, and that word he would not speak without somedeliberation. 

With an intellect sharpened by torture, Jim turned his gaze from the oldsheik upon several other Arabs that had come near. 

He could see that they had arrived at some decision amongst themselves, as to what they should do, and that they did not seem much interested inthe ultimatum demanded by the sheik's inquiry. 

This lack of excitement or interest did not look like further starvationand death; and in place of telling the Arabs that they were willing tosubmit, Jim informed the old sheik that all were determined to dierather than remain slaves. 

"There is not one of us that wishes to live, " he added, "except for thepurpose of seeing our native land again. Our bodies are now weak, butour spirits are still strong. We will die!"

On receiving this answer, the Arabs departed, leaving the Christians inthe penn. 

The Krooman, who had been listening during the interview, then faintlycalled after them to return; but he was stopped by Jim, who stillentertained the hope that his firmness would yet be rewarded. 

Half an hour passed, and Jim began to doubt again. He might not havecorrectly interpreted the expressions he had noted upon the faces of theArabs. 

"What did you tell them?" muttered Terence. "Did you tell them that wewere willing to work, if they would give us water?"

"Yes, certainly!" answered Jim, now beginning to regret that he had nottendered their submission before it might be too late. 

"Then why do they not come and relieve us?" asked Terence in a whisper, hoarse from despair. 

Jim vouchsafed no answer, and the Krooman seemed in too much mental andbodily anguish to heed what had been said. 

Shortly after, Jim could hear the flocks being driven out of the town, and looking through a small opening in the wall of the penn, he couldsee some of the Arabs going out towards the barley-fields. 

Could it be that he had been mistaken; that the Arabs were going toapply the screw of starvation for another day? Alarmed by thisconjecture, he strove to hail them, and bring them back, but the effortonly resulted in a hoarse whisper. 

"May God forgive me!" thought he. "My brother, as well as all theothers, will die before night! I have murdered them, and perhapsmyself!"

Driven frantic with the thought, frenzy furnished him with the will andstrength to speak out. 

His voice could now be heard; for the walls of the stone building rangwith the shouts of a madman. 

He assailed the door with such force that the structure gave way, andJim rushed out, prepared to make any promises or terms with theirmasters, to save the lives he had endangered by his obstinacy. 

His submission was not required, for on looking out, two men and threeor four boys were seen coming towards the penn, bearing bowls of water, and dishes filled with barley-gruel. 

Jim had conquered in the strife between master and man. The old sheikhad given orders for the white slaves to be fed. 

Jim's frenzy immediately subsided into an excitement of a differentnature. 

Seizing a calabash of water, he ran to his brother Bill, and raising himinto a sitting posture, he applied the vessel to the man-o'-war's-man'slips. 

Bill had not strength even to drink, and the water had to be poured downhis throat. 

Not until all of his companions had drunk, and swallowed a few mouthfulsof the barley-gruel, did Jim himself partake of anything. 

The effect of food and water in restoring the energies of a starving manis almost miraculous; and he now congratulated his companions on thesuccess of his scheme. 

"It is all right!" he exclaimed. "We have conquered them! We shall nothave to reap their harvest! We shall be fed, fattened, and sold, andperhaps be taken to Mogador. We should thank God for bringing us allsafely through the trial. Had we yielded, there would have been no hopeof ever regaining our liberty!"

CHAPTER SEVENTY. 

SOLD AGAIN. 

Two days elapsed, during which time our adventurers were served withbarley-gruel twice a day. They were allowed a sufficient quantity ofwater, with only the trouble of bringing it from the well, and enduringa good deal of insult and abuse from the women and children whom theychanced to meet on their way. 

The second Krooman, who, in a moment of weakness inspired by the tortureof thirst, had assisted the other slaves at their task, now tried invain to get off from working. He came each evening to the penn toconverse with his countryman, and at these meetings bitterly expressedhis regret that he had submitted. 

There was no hope for him now, for he had given proof that he could bemade useful to his owners. 

On the evening of the second day after they had been relieved fromstarvation, the white slaves were visited in their place of confinementby three Arabs they had not before seen. 

These were well-armed, well-dressed, fine-looking fellows, havingaltogether a more respectable appearance than any inhabitants of thedesert they had yet encountered. 

Jim immediately entered into conversation with them, and learned thatthey were merchants, travelling with a caravan, and that they hadclaimed the hospitality of the town for that night. 

They were willing to purchase slaves, and had visited the penn toexamine those their hosts were offering for sale. 

"You are just the men we are most anxious to see, " said Jim, in theArabic language, which, during his long residence in the country, he hadbecome acquainted with, and could speak fluently. "We want somemerchant to buy us, and take us to Mogador, where we may find friends toransom us. "

"I once bought two slaves, " rejoined one of the merchants, "and at greatexpense took them to Mogador. They told me that their consul would besure to redeem them, but I found that they had no consul there. Theywere not redeemed, and I had to bring them away again, losing all thetrouble and expense of a long journey. "

"Were they Englishmen?" asked Jim. 

"No, Spaniards. "

"I thought so. Englishmen would certainly have been ransomed. "

"That is not so certain, " replied the merchant; "the English may notalways have a consul in Mogador to buy up his countrymen. "

"We do not care whether there is one or not, " answered Jim. "One of theyoung fellows you see here has an uncle, a rich merchant in Mogador, whowill ransom not only him, but all his friends. The three young men yousee are officers of an English ship of war. They have rich fathers inEngland, all of them grand sheiks; and they were learning to be captainsof war-ships, when they were lost on this coast. The uncle of one ofthem in Mogador will redeem the whole party of us. "

"Which is he who has the rich uncle?" inquired one of the Arabs. 

Jim pointed to Harry Blount, saying, "That is the youngster. His uncleowns many great vessels that come every year to Swearah, laden with richcargoes. "

"What is the name of this uncle?"

To give an appearance of truth to his story, Jim knew that it wasnecessary for some of the others to say something that would confirm it;and turning towards Harry, he muttered, "Master Blount, you are expectedto say something, only two or three words; anything you like!"

"For God's sake, get them to buy us!" said Harry, in complying with thestrange request made to him. 

Believing that the name he must give to the Arabs should somethingresemble in sound the words Harry had spoken, Jim told them that thename of the Mogador merchant was "For God's sake buy us. "

After repeating these words two or three times, the Arabs were able topronounce them, after a fashion. 

"Ask the young man, " commanded one of them, "if he is sure the merchant`For-God's-sake-bias' will ransom you all?"

"When I am done speaking to you, " said Jim, whispering to Harry, "sayYes! nod your head, and then utter some words!"

"Yes!" exclaimed Harry, giving his head an abrupt inclination. "I thinkI know what you are trying to do, Jim. All right!"

"Yes!" said Jim, turning to the Arabs; "the young fellow says that he isquite certain his uncle will buy us all. Our friends at home will repayhim. "

"But how about the black man?" asked one of the merchants. "He is not aEnglishman?"

"No; but he speaks English. He has sailed in English ships, and willcertainly be redeemed with the rest. "

The Arabs now retired from the penn, after promising to call and see ouradventurers early in the morning. 

After their departure, Jim related the whole of the conversation to hiscompanions, which had the effect of inspiring them with renewed hope. 

"Tell them anything, " said Harry, "and promise anything; for I thinkthere is no doubt of our being ransomed if taken to Mogador, althoughI'm sure I have no uncle there, and don't know whether there's anyEnglish consul at that port. "

"To get to Mogador is our only chance, " said Jim; "and I wish I wereguilty of no worse crime than using deception to induce some one to takeus there. I have a hope that these men will buy us on speculation; and, if lies will induce them to do so, they shall have plenty of them fromme. And you, " continued he, turning to the Krooman, "you must not letthem know that you speak their language, or they will not give a dollarfor you. When they come here in the morning, you must converse with therest of us in English, so that they may have reason to think that youwill also be redeemed. "

Next morning, the merchants again came to the penn; and the slaves, attheir request, arose and walked out to the open space in front, wherethey could be better examined. 

After becoming satisfied that all were capable of travelling, one of theArabs, addressing Jim, said, "We are going to purchase you, if yousatisfy us that you are not trying to deceive us, and agree to the termswe offer. Tell the nephew of the English merchant that we must be paidone hundred and fifty Spanish dollars for each of you. "

Jim made the communication to Harry; who at once consented that this sumshould be paid. 

"What is the name of his uncle?" asked one of the Arabs. "Let the youngman tell us. "

"They wish to know the name of your uncle, " said Jim, turning to Harry. "The name I told you yesterday. You must try and remember it; for Imust not be heard repeating it to you. "

"For God's sake buy us!" exclaimed Harry. 

The Arabs looked at each other with an expression that seemed to say, "It's all right!"

"Now, " said one of the party, "I must tell you what will be the penalty, if we be deceived. If we take you to Mogador, and find that there is noone there to redeem you--if the young man, who says he has an uncle, benot telling the truth, then we shall cut his throat, and bring the restof you back to the desert, to be sold into perpetual slavery. Tell himthat. "

"They are going to buy us, " said Jim to Harry Blount; "but if we are notredeemed in Mogador, you are to have your throat cut for deceivingthem. "

"All right!" said Harry, smiling at the threat; "that will be betterthan living any longer a slave in the Saara. "

"Now look at the Krooman, " suggested Sailor Bill, "and say somethingabout him. "

Harry, taking the hint, turned towards the African. 

"I hope, " said he, "that they will purchase the poor fellow; and that wemay get him redeemed. After the many services he has rendered us, Ishould not like to leave him behind. "

"He consents that you may kill the Krooman if we are not ransomed, " saidJim, speaking to the Arab merchants, "but he does not like to promisemore than one hundred dollars for a negro. His uncle might refuse topay more. "

For some minutes the Arab conversed with each other in a low tone; andthen one of them replied, "It is well. We will take one hundred dollarsfor the negro. And now get ready for the road. We shall start with youto-morrow morning by daybreak. "

The merchants then went off to complete their bargain with the oldsheik, and make other arrangements for their departure. 

For a few minutes the white slaves kept uttering exclamations of delightat the prospect of being once more restored to liberty. Jim then gavethem a translation of what he had said about the Krooman. 

"I know the Arab character so well, " said he, "that I did not wish toagree to all their terms without a little haggling, which prevents themfrom entertaining the suspicion that we are trying to deceive them. Besides, as the Krooman is not an English subject, there may be greatdifficulty in getting him redeemed; and we should therefore beforehandbargain for him as cheap as possible. "

Not long after the Arab merchants had taken their departure from thepenn, a supply of food and drink was served out to them; which, from itscopiousness, proved that it was provided at the expense of their newowners. 

This beginning augured well for their future treatment; and that nightwas spent by the boy slaves in a state of contentment and repose greaterthan they had experienced since first setting foot on the inhospitableshores of the Saara. 

CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE. 

ONWARD ONCE MORE. 

Early next morning our adventurers were awakened and ordered to preparefor the road. 

The Arab merchants had purchased from their late hosts three donkeys, upon which the white slaves were allowed to ride in turns. Harry Blunt, however, was distinguished from the rest. As the nephew of the richmerchant, "For God's sake buy us!" he was deemed worthy of higherfavour, and was permitted to have a camel. 

In vain he protested against being thus elevated above his companions. The Arabs did not heed his remonstrance; and at a few words from Jim hediscontinued them. 

"They think that we are to be released from slavery by the money of yourrelative, " said Jim, "and you must do nothing to undeceive them. Not tohumour them might awaken their suspicions. Besides, as you are theresponsible person of the party, the one whose throat is to be cut ifthe money is not found, you are entitled to a little distinction, ascompensation for extra anxiety. "

The Krooman, who had joined the slaves in cutting the grain, was in thefield at work when the merchants moved off; and was not present to bidfarewell to his more fortunate countryman. 

After travelling about twelve miles through a fertile country, much ofwhich was in cultivation, the Arab merchants arrived at a largereservoir of water, where they encamped for the night. 

The water was in a stone tank, placed so as to catch all the rain thatfell in a long narrow valley, gradually descending from some hills tothe northward. 

Jim had visited the place before; and told his companions that the tankhad been constructed by a man whose memory was much respected, and whodied nearly a hundred years ago. 

During the night, the Krooman, who had been left behind, entered theencampment, confident in the belief that he had escaped from histaskmasters. 

At sunset he had contrived to conceal himself among the barley sheaves, until his masters were out of sight, when he had started off on thetrack taken by the Arab merchants. 

He was not allowed long indulgence in his dream of liberty. On thefollowing morning, as the kafila was about to continue its journey, three men were seen approaching on swift camels; and shortly after RiasAbdallah Yezzed and two of his followers rode up. 

They were in pursuit of the runaway Krooman, and in great rage at thetrouble which he had caused them. So anxious were the boy slaves thatthe poor fellow should continue along with them, that, for their sake, the Arab merchants made a strenuous effort to purchase him; but RiasAbdallah obstinately refused to sell him at anything like a reasonableprice. The Krooman had given proof that he could be very useful in theharvest field; and a sum much greater than had been paid for any of theothers was demanded for him. He was worth more to his present ownersthan what the Arab merchants could afford to give; and was thereforedragged back to the servitude from which he had hoped to escape. 

"You can see now that I was right, " said Jim. "Had we consented to cuttheir harvest, we should never have had an opportunity of regaining ourliberty. Our labour for a single year would have been worth as much tothem as the price they received for us, and we should have been held inperpetual bondage. "

Jim's companions could perceive the truth of this observation; but notwithout being conscious that their good fortune was, on their part, wholly undeserved, and that had it not been for him, they would haveyielded to the wishes of their late masters. 

After another march the merchants made halt near some wells, aroundwhich a large Arab encampment was found already established, the flocksand herds wandering over the adjacent plain. Here our adventurers hadan opportunity of observing some of the manners and customs of thisnomadic people. 

Here, for the first time, they witnessed the Arab method of makingbutter. 

A goat's-skin, nearly filled with the milk of camels, asses, sheep, andgoats, all mixed together, was suspended to the ridge-pole of a tent, and swung to and fro by a child until the butter was produced. The milkwas then poured off, and the butter clawed out of the skin by the blackdirty fingers of one of the women. 

The Arabs allege that they were the first people who discovered the artof making butter; though the discovery does not entitle them to anygreat credit, since they could scarce have avoided making it. Thenecessity of carrying milk in these skin bags, on a journey, must haveconducted them to the discovery. The agitation of the fluid, whilebeing transported on the backs of camels, producing the result, naturally suggested the idea of bringing it about by similar means whenthey were not travelling. 

At this place the slaves were treated to some barley cakes, and wereallowed a little of the butter; and this, notwithstanding the filthymode in which it had been prepared, appeared to them the most deliciousthey had ever tasted. 

During the evening, the three merchants, along with several other Arabs, seated themselves in a circle; when a pipe was lit, and passed roundfrom one to another. Each would take a long draw, and then hand thepipe to his left-hand neighbour. 

While thus occupied, they kept up an animated conversation, in which theword "Swearah" was often pronounced. Swearah, of course, meant"Mogador. "

"They were talking about us, " said Jim, "and we must learn for whatpurpose. I am afraid there is something wrong. Krooman, " he continued, addressing himself to the black, "they don't know that you understandtheir language. Lie down near them, and pretend to be asleep; but takenote of every word they say. If I go up to them, they will drive meaway. "

The Krooman did as desired, and, carelessly sauntering near the circle, appeared to be searching for a soft place on which to stretch his bodyfor the night. 

This he discovered some seven or eight paces from the spot where theArabs were seated. 

"I have been disappointed about obtaining my freedom so many times, "muttered Jim, "that I can scarce believe I shall ever succeed. Thosefellows are talking about Mogador; and I don't like their looks. Hark!what is that about `more than you can get in Swearah!' I believe thesenew Arabs are making an offer to buy us. If so, may their Prophet cursethem!"

CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO. 

ANOTHER BARGAIN. 

The conversation amongst the Arabs was kept up until a late hour; and, during the time it continued our adventurers were impatiently awaitingthe return of the Krooman. 

He came at length, after the Arabs had retired to their tents; and allgathered round him, eager to learn what he had heard. 

"I find out too much, " said he, in answer to their inquiries; "too much, and no much good. "

"What was it?"

"Two of you to be sold to-morrow. "

"What two?"

"No one know. One man examine us all in the morning, but take onlytwo. "

After suffering a long lesson teaching the virtue of patience, theylearnt from Krooman that one of those who had been conversing with theirmasters was a grazier, owning large droves of cattle; and that he hadlately been to Swearah. 

He had told the merchants that they would not be able to get a largeprice for their slaves in that place, and that the chances were muchagainst their making more than the actual expenses incurred in so long ajourney. He assured the Arab merchants that no Christian consul orforeign merchant in Mogador would pay a dollar more for redeeming sixslaves than what they could be made to pay for two or three; that theywere not always willing or prepared to pay anything; and that wheneverthey did redeem a slave, they did not consider his value, but only thetime and expense that had been incurred in bringing him to the place. 

Under the influence of these representations, the Arab merchants hadagreed to sell two of these white slaves to the grazier, thinking theywould get as much for the remaining four as they would by taking all sixto the end of the journey. 

The owner of the herds was to make his choice in the morning. 

"I thought there was a breaker ahead last night, " exclaimed Jim, afterthe Krooman had concluded his report. "We must not be separated exceptby liberty or death. Our masters must take us all to Mogador. There istrouble before us yet; but we must be firm, and overcome it. Firmnesshas saved us once, and may do so again. "

After all had promised to be guided in the coming emergency by Jim, theylaid themselves along the ground and sought rest in sleep. 

Next morning, while they were eating their breakfast, they were visitedby the grazier who was expected to make choice of two of their number. 

"Which is the one who speaks Arabic?" he inquired from one of themerchants. 

Jim was pointed out, and was at once selected as one of the two to bepurchased. 

"Tell 'im to buy me, too, Jim, " said Bill, "We'll sail in company, youand I, though I don't much like partin' with the young gentlemen here. "

"You shall not part either with them or me, if I can help it, " answeredJim; "but we must expect some torture. Let all bear it like devils, anddon't give in. That's our only chance!"

Glancing his eyes over the other slaves, the grazier selected Terence asthe second for whom he was willing to pay a price. 

His terms having been accepted by the merchants, they were aboutconcluding the bargain, when they were accosted by Jim. 

He assured them that he and his companions were determined to die beforethey should be separated, that none of them would do any work ifretained in slavery, and that all were determined to be taken toSwearah. 

The merchants and the buyer only smiled at this interruption; and wenton with the negotiation. 

In vain did Jim appeal to their cupidity, reminding them that themerchant, "For God's sake buy us", would pay a far higher price forhimself and his companions. 

His arguments and entreaties failed to change their determination, thebargain was concluded, and Jim and Terence were made over to their newmaster. 

The merchants then mounted their camels, and ordered the other four tofollow them. 

Harry Blount, Colin, and Sailor Bill, answered this command by sulkilysitting down upon the sand. 

Another command from the merchants was given, in sharp tones thatbetrayed their rising wrath. 

"Obey them!" exclaimed Jim. "Go on; and Master Terence and I willfollow you. We'll stand the brunt of the battle. They shall not holdme here alive!"

Colin and Bill each mounted a donkey, and Harry his camel; the Arabmerchants seeming quite satisfied at the result of their slightexhibition of anger. 

Jim and Terence attempted to follow them; but their new master wasprepared for this; and, at a word of command, several of his followersseized hold of and fast bound both of them. 

Jim's threat, that they should not hold him alive, had thus proved butan idle boast. 

Harry, Colin, and Bill, now turned back, dismounted, and showed theirdetermination to remain with their companions down along side of them. 

"These Christian dogs do not wish for liberty!" exclaimed one of themerchants. "Allah forbid that we should force them to accept it. Whowill buy them?"

These words completely upset all Jim's plans. He saw that he wasdepriving the others of the only opportunity they might ever have ofobtaining their liberty. 

"Go on, go on!" he exclaimed. "Make no further resistance. It ispossible they may take you to Mogador. Do not throw away the chance. "

"We are not goin' to lave you, Jim, " said Bill, "not even for liberty, leastways, I'm not. Don't you be afeerd o' that!"

"Of course we will not, unless we are forced to do so, " added Harry. "Have you not said that we must keep together?"

"Have you not all promised to be guided by me?" replied Jim. "I tellyou now to make no further resistance. Go on with them, if you wishever to be free!"

"Jim knows what he is about, " interposed Colin: "let us obey him. "

With some reluctance Harry and Bill were induced to mount again; butjust as they were moving away, they were recalled by Jim, who told themnot to leave; and that all must persevere in the determination not to beseparated. 

"The man has certainly gone mad, " reflected Harry Blount, as he turnedback once more. "We must no longer be controlled by him; but Terencemust not be left behind. We cannot forsake him. "

Again the three dismounted; and returning to the spot where Jim andTerence lay fast bound along the sand, sat determinedly down besidethem. 

CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE. 

MORE TORTURE. 

The sudden change of purpose and the counter-orders given by Jim werecaused by something he had just heard while listening to theconversation of the Arabs. 

Seeing that the merchants, rather than have any unnecessary trouble withthem, were disposed to sell them all, Jim had been unwilling to deprivehis brother and the others of an opportunity of obtaining their freedom. For this reason had he entreated them to leave Terence and himself totheir fate. 

But just as he had prevailed on Harry and his companions to go quietly, he learnt from the Arabs that the man who had purchased Terence andhimself refused to buy any more of them; and also that the other Arabspresent were either unable or unwilling to buy them. 

The merchants, therefore, would have to take them farther before theycould dispose of them. 

In Jim's mind then revived the hope that, by opposing the wishes of hislate masters, he and Terence might be bought back again, and taken on toMogador. It was this hope that had induced him to recall hiscompanions, after having urged them to depart. 

A few words explained his apparently strange conduct to Harry and Colin, and they again promised to resist every attempt made to take them anyfarther unless all should go in company. 

The merchants in vain commanded and entreated that the Christian dogsshould move on. They used threats, and then resorted to blows. 

Harry, to whom they had hitherto shown some respect, was beaten untilhis scanty garments were saturated with blood. 

Unwilling to see them suffering so much torture unsupported by anyselfish desire, Jim again counselled Harry and the others to yieldobedience to their masters. 

In this counsel he was warmly seconded by Terence. 

But Harry declared his determination not to desert his old shipmateColin, and Bill remained equally firm under the torture; while theKrooman, knowing that his only chance of liberty depended on remainingtrue to the white slaves, and keeping in their company, could not beinduced to yield. 

Perceiving that all his entreaties, addressed to his brother, Harry, andColin, could not put an end to the painful scene he was compelled towitness, Jim strove to effect his purpose by making an appeal to hislate masters. 

"Buy us back, and take us all to Swearah as you promised, " said he. "Ifyou do so, we will go cheerfully, as we were doing before. I tell you, you will be well paid for your trouble. "

One of the merchants, placing some confidence in the truth of thisrepresentation, now offered to buy Jim and Terence on his own account;but their new master refused to part with his freshly acquired property. 

A crowd of men, women, and children, had now gathered around the spot;and from all sides were heard shouts of "Kill the obstinate Christian`dogs'. How dare they resist the will of true believers!"

This advice was given by those who had no pecuniary interest in thechattels in question; but the merchants, who had invested a large sum inthe purchase of their white slaves, had no idea of making such asacrifice for the gratification of a mere outburst of passion. 

There was but one way for them to overcome the difficulty that had sounexpectedly presented itself. This was to separate the slaves byforce; taking the four along with them, and leaving the other two to thepurchaser, who would not revoke his bargain. 

To accomplish this, the assistance of the bystanders was required, andreadily obtained. 

Harry was seized and hoisted to the back of his camel; to which he wasfirmly bound. 

Colin, Bill, and the Krooman, were each set astride of a donkey, andthen made fast by having their feet tied under the animal's belly. 

For a small sum the merchants then engaged two of the bystanders toaccompany them, and guard the white slaves to the frontier of theMoorish empire--a distance of two days' journey. 

Just as the party was about to move away from the spot, one of themerchants, addressing himself to Jim, made the following observations:--

"Tell the young man--the nephew of the merchant `For God's sake bias'--that since we have started for Swearah, in the belief that his story istrue, we shall now take him there, whether he be willing or not; and ifhe has in any way deceived us, he shall surely die. "

"He has not deceived you, " said Jim; "take him and the rest of us there, and you will certainly be rewarded. "

"Then, why do they not go willingly?"

"Because they do not wish to leave their friends. "

"Ungrateful dogs! cannot they be thankful for their own good fortune?Do they take us for slaves, that we should do their will?"

While this conversation was going go, the other two merchants had headedtheir animals to the road; and in a minute after, Harry Blount and Colinhad parted with their old messmate Terence, without a hope of everseeing him again. 

CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR. 

HOPE DEFERRED. 

For the first hour of their journey, Harry, Colin, and Sailor Bill, wereborne along, fast bound upon the backs of their animals. Sodisagreeable did they find this mode of locomotion, that the Krooman wasrequested to inform their masters that they were willing to accompanythem without further opposition, if allowed the freedom of their limbs. This was the first occasion on which the Krooman had made known to theArab merchants that he could speak their language. 

After receiving a few curses and blows for having so long concealed hisknowledge of it, the white slaves were unbound, and the animals theybestrode were driven along in advance of the others, while the two hiredguards were ordered to keep a careful watch over them. 

The journey was continued until a late hour of the night, when thetravellers arrived at a high wall enclosing a small village. 

After the slaves had been conducted inside, and the gate fastened behindthem, their masters, relieved of all anxiety about losing theirproperty, accepted the hospitality of the sheik of the place, and tooktheir departure for his house, leaving orders that the white slavesshould be fed. 

After the latter had eaten a hearty meal, consisting of barley-bread andmilk, they were conducted to a penn, which was to be their sleepingplace, and where they passed the greater part of the night in fightingthe fleas. 

Never before had either of them encountered these insects either solarge in size or of so keen appetites. 

It was only at the time at which their journey should have been resumed, that they forgot their hopes and cares in the repose of sleep. Weary inbody and soul, they slept on till a late hour; and when aroused toconsciousness by an Arab bringing their breakfast, they were surprisedto see that the sun was high up in the heavens. 

Why had they not been awakened before?

Why this delay?

In the mind of each was an instinctive fear that there must be somethingwrong, that some other obstacle had arisen, blocking up their road tofreedom. 

Hours passed, and still their masters came not near them. 

They remained in much anxiety, vainly endeavouring to surmise what hadcaused the interruption to their journey. 

Knowing that the merchants had expressed an intention to conduct them toMogador as soon as possible, they could not doubt but that the delayarose from some cause affecting their welfare. 

Late in the afternoon they were visited by their masters; and in thatinterview their worst fears were more than realised. 

By the aid of the Krooman, one of the merchants informed Harry that hehad deceived them, that the sheik, of whose hospitality they had beenpartaking, had often visited Swearah, and was acquainted with all theforeign residents there. He had told them that there was no one of thename of "For God's sake bias. "

He had assured them that they were being imposed upon; and that bytaking the white slaves to Swearah they would certainly lose them. 

"We will not kill you, " said one of their masters to Harry, "for we havenot had the trouble of carrying you the whole distance; and besides, weshould be doing an injury to ourselves. We shall take you back to theborders of the desert, and there sell you for what you will fetch. "

Harry told the Krooman to inform his masters that he had freely pledgedhis existence on the truth of the story he had told them, that heassuredly had a rich friend in Mogador, who would redeem them all; butthat, should his uncle not be in the place at the time they shouldarrive there, it would make no difference, as they would certainly beransomed by the English consul. "Tell them, " added Harry, "that if theywill take us to Mogador, and we are not ransomed as I promised, theyshall be welcome to my life. I should then willingly die. Tell themnot to sell us until they have proved my words to be false; and not towrong both themselves and us by trusting too much to the words of astranger. "

To this communication the merchants made reply: that they had been toldthat slaves brought from the desert into the Empire of Morocco could, and sometimes did, claim the protection of that government, which setthem free without paying anything; and those who had been at the expenseof bringing them did not get even thanks for their trouble. 

One of the merchants, whose name was Bo Muzem, seemed inclined to listenwith some favour to the representations of Harry; but he was overruledby the other two: so that all the young Englishman's assertions aboutthe wealth of his parents at home, and the immense worth he and hiscomrades were to their country, as officers in its navy, failed toconvince those to whom his words were addressed. 

The merchants at length went away, leaving Harry and Colin in an agonyof despair; while Sailor Bill and the Krooman seemed wholly indifferentabout their future destiny. The prospect of being again taken to thedesert seemed to have so benumbed the intellect of both, as to leavethem incapable of emotion. 

Hope, fear, and energy, appeared to have forsaken the old sailor, who, usually so fond of thinking aloud, had not now sufficient spirit left, even for the anathematising of his enemies. 

CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE. 

EL HAJI. 

Late in the evening of the second day passed within the walls of thetown, two travellers knocked at the gate for admittance. 

One of them gave a name which created quite a commotion in the village, all seeming eager to receive the owner with some show of hospitality. 

The merchants sat up to a late hour, in company with these strangers andthe sheik of the place. 

Notwithstanding this, they were astir upon the following morning beforedaybreak, busied in making preparations to renew their journey. 

Our adventurers, on being allowed some breakfast, were commanded to eatit in all haste, and then assist in preparing the animals for the road. 

They were also informed that they were to be taken back to the Saara, and sold. 

"Shall we go, or die?" asked Colin. "I, for one, had rather die thanagain pass through the hardships of a journey in the desert. "

Neither of the others made any reply to this. The spirit of despair hadtaken too strong a hold upon them. 

The merchants were themselves obliged to caparison the animals; and justas they were about to use some strong arguments to induce theirrefractory slaves to mount, they were told that "El Haji" ("thepilgrim") wished to have an interview with the Christians. 

Soon after, one of the strangers who had entered the town the nightbefore, was seen slowly approaching. 

He was a tall, venerable-looking Arab, with a long white beard reachingdown to the middle of his breast. 

Having performed the pilgrimage to the Prophet's Tomb, he was entitledto the respect and hospitality of all good Mussulmans, whithersoever hemight wander. 

With the Krooman as interpreter, he asked many questions; and seemed tobe much interested in the fate of the miserable looking objects beforehim. 

After his inquiries had been answered as to the name of the vessel inwhich they had reached the country, the time they had passed in slavery, and the manner of treatment which had produced their emaciated andwretched condition, he made other inquiries about their friends andrelatives at home. 

Harry informed him that Colin and himself had parents, brothers, andsisters, who were now probably mourning them as lost; that they andtheir two companions were sure to be ransomed, could they find some onewho would take them to Mogador. He also added that their presentmasters had promised to take them to that place, but were now preventedfrom doing so, through an apprehension that they would not be rewardedfor their trouble. 

"I will do all I can to assist you, " said El Haji, after the Krooman hadgiven the interpretation of Harry's speech. "I owe a debt of gratitudeto one of your countrymen, and I shall endeavour to repay it. When inCairo I was unwell, and in want of food. An officer belonging to anEnglish ship of war gave me a coin of gold. That piece of money provedboth life and fortune to me; for with it I was able to continue myjourney, and reach my friends. We are all the children of the true God;and it is our duty to assist one another. I must have a talk with yourmasters. "

The old pilgrim then turning to the three merchants, said--

"My friends, you have promised to take these Christian slaves toSwearah, where they might be redeemed. Are you bad men, who fear notGod, that your promise should be thus broken?"

"We think that they have deceived us, " answered one of the merchants, "and we are afraid to carry them within the emperor's dominions, wherethey might be taken from us without our receiving anything. We are poormen, and nearly all our merchandise has been given for these slaves. Wecannot afford to lose them. "

"You will not lose the value of them, " rejoined the old man, "by takingthem to Swearah. They belong to a country the Government of which willnot allow its subjects to remain in bondage; and there is not an Englishmerchant in Swearah that would not redeem them. Any one who shouldrefuse to do so would scarce dare return to his own country again. Youwill make more by taking them to Swearah than anywhere else. "

"But they can give themselves up to the governor when they reachSwearah, " urged one of the merchants, "and we may be ordered out of thetown without receiving a single dollar for them. Such has been donebefore. The good sheik here knows of an Arab merchant who was treatedso. He lost all, while the governor got the ransom, and put it in hisown pocket. "

This was an argument El Haji was unable to answer; but he was not longin finding a plan for removing the difficulty thus presented. 

"Do not take them within the empire of Morocco, " said he, "until afteryou have been paid for them. Two of you can stay with them here, whilethe third goes on to Swearah with a letter from this young man to hisfriends. You have as yet no proof that he is trying to deceive you; andtherefore, as true men, you have no excuse for breaking your promise tohim. Take a letter to Swearah; and if the money be not paid, then dowith them as you please, and the wrong will not rest upon your heads. "

Bo Muzem, the youngest of the merchants, immediately seconded thepilgrim's proposal, and spoke energetically in its favour. 

He observed they were but one day's journey from Agadeer, a frontiertown of Morocco; and that from there Swearah could be reached in threedays. 

The other two for a few minutes held consultation apart; and then one ofthem announced that they had resolved upon following El Haji's advice. Bo Muzem might go to Swearah as the bearer of a letter from Harry to hisuncle. 

"Tell the young man, " said one of the merchants, addressing himself tothe interpreter, "tell him from me, that if the ransom be not paid, heshall surely die on Bo Muzem's return. Tell him that. "

The Krooman made the communication, and Harry without demur accepted theconditions. 

A piece of dirty crumpled paper, a reed pen, and some ink, were thenplaced before Harry. While the letter was being written, Bo Muzemcommenced making preparations for his journey. 

Knowing that their only hope of liberty depended on their situationbeing made known to some countryman resident in Mogador, Harry took upthe pen; and, with much difficulty, succeeded in scribbling thefollowing words:--

 "Sir, --Two midshipmen of H. M. S. -- (cast away a few weeks ago near Cape Blanco), and two seamen, are now held in slavery at a small town one day's journey from Agadeer. The bearer of this note is one of our masters. His business in Mogador is to learn if we will be ransomed; and if he be unsuccessful in finding any one who will pay the money to redeem us, the writer of this note is to be killed. If you cannot or will not pay the money they require (one hundred and fifty dollars for each) please direct the bearer to some one whom you think will do so. 

 "There is another midshipman from the same vessel, and an English sailor, one day's journey south of this place. 

 "Perhaps the bearer of this note, Bo Muzem, may be induced to purchase them, so that they also may be ransomed. 

 "Henry Blount. "

This letter Harry folded, and directed to "Any English merchant inMogador. "

By the time it was written, Bo Muzem had mounted and made himself readyfor the road. 

After receiving the letter, he wished Harry to be informed once more, that, should the journey to Swearah prove a fruitless one, nothing buthis (Harry's) life would compensate him (Bo Muzem) for thedisappointment. 

After promising to be back in eight days, and enjoining upon hispartners to look well after their property during his absence, Bo Muzemtook his departure for the port of Mogador. 

CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX. 

BO MUZEM'S JOURNEY. 

Although an Arab merchant, Bo Muzem was an honest man, one, who in allbusiness transactions, told the truth, and expected to hear it fromothers. 

Notwithstanding this, he pursued his journey towards Mogador with but afaint belief that the representations made by the young Englishman wouldprove true, and with the determination of taking the life of the lattershould he find himself deceived. He placed more faith in the story toldhim by the sheik than in the mere hypothesis of the pilgrim, that thewhite slaves would certainly find some one to ransom them. 

His journey was partly undertaken through a sense of duty. After thepromise made to the slaves, he thought it but right to become fullyconvinced that they were not to be redeemed before the idea of takingthem to Mogador could be honourably abandoned. 

He pressed forward upon his journey with the perseverance andself-denial so peculiar to his race. After crossing the spurs of theAtlas Mountains he reached, on the evening of the third day, a smallwalled town, within three hours' ride of the famed seaport of Mogador. 

Here he stopped for the night, intending to proceed to the city early onthe next morning. Immediately on entering the town, Bo Muzem met aperson whose face wore a familiar look. 

It was the grazier to whom, but a few days before, he had sold the twoslaves, Terence and Jim. 

"Ah my friend, you have ruined me!" exclaimed the grazier, after thefirst salutations had passed between them. "I have lost those twouseless Christian dogs you sold me, and I am a ruined man. "

Bo Muzem requested him to explain himself. 

"After your departure, " said the grazier, "I tried to get some work outof the infidels; but they would not obey me; and I believed they wouldhave died before doing anything to make themselves useful. As I am apoor man, I could not afford to keep them in idleness; nor yet to killthem, which I had a strong inclination to do. The day after you leftme, I received intelligence from Swearah, which commanded me to go thereimmediately no business of importance; and thinking that possibly someChristian fool in that place might give something for his infidelcountrymen, I took the two dogs along with me. 

"They promised that, if I would carry them to the English consul, hewould pay a large price for their ransom. When we entered Mogador, andreached the consul's house, the dogs told me that they were free; anddefied me to take them out of the city. I could not get a piastre formy trouble and expense. The governor of Swearah and the Emperor ofMorocco are on good terms with the infidels' Government; and they alsohate us Arabs of the desert. There is no justice in Mogador for such aswe. If you take your slaves into the city, you will lose them. "

"I shall not bring them into the empire of Morocco, " replied Bo Muzem, "until I have first received the money for them. "

"You will never get it in Swearah. Their consul will not pay a dollar, but will try to have them liberated without giving you anything. "

"But I have a letter from one of the slaves to his uncle, a richmerchant in Swearah. The uncle will pay the money. "

"The slave has lied to you. He has no uncle there, and I can soonconvince you that such is the case. There is now staying in thisvillage a Mogador Jew, who is acquainted with every infidel merchant inthe city, and he also understands the languages they speak. Let him seethe letter. "

Anxious to be convinced of whether he was being deceived or not, BoMuzem readily agreed to this proposition; and in company with thegrazier, he repaired to the house where the Jew was residing. 

The latter, on being shown Harry's letter, and asked to whom it wasaddressed, replied--

"To any English merchant in Mogador. "

"Bismillah!" exclaimed Bo Muzem. "All English merchants cannot beuncles to the young dog who wrote this letter!"

"Tell me, " added he, "did you ever hear of an English merchant inMogador named `For-God-sake-bias?'"

The Jew smiled, and with some difficulty restraining an inclination tolaugh outright at the question, gave the Arab a translation of thewords, "For God's sake, buy us. "

Bo Muzem was now satisfied that he had been "sold. "

"I shall get no further, " said he, after they had parted with the Jew. "I shall return to my partners. We shall kill the Christian dog whowrote the letter and sell his two companions for what we can get forthem. "

"That is your best plan, " rejoined the grazier. "They do not deservefreedom; and may Allah forbid that hereafter any true believer shouldtry to help them to it!"

Early next morning Bo Muzem set out on his return journey, thankful forthe good fortune that had enabled him so early to detect the imposturethat was being practised upon him. 

He was accompanied by the grazier, who chanced to be journeying in thesame direction. 

"The next Christian slaves I see for sale I intend buying, " remarked thelatter, as they journeyed along. 

"Bismillah!" exclaimed Bo Muzem; "that is strange. I thought you hadhad enough of them?"

"So I have, " assented the grazier; "but that's just why I want more ofthem. I want revenge on the unbelieving dogs; and will buy them for thepurpose of obtaining it. I will work them until they are too old foranything, and then let them die in a ditch. "

"Then buy the ones we have for sale, " proposed Bo Muzem. "We arewilling to sell them cheap, all but one. The man who wrote this letterI must kill. I have sworn it by the Prophet's beard. "

As both parties appeared anxious for a bargain, they soon came to anunderstanding as to the terms; and the grazier promised to give tendollars in money and four heads of horses for each of the slaves thatwas for sale. He also agreed that one of his herdsmen should assist indriving the cattle to any settlement where a market might be found forthem. 

The simple Bo Muzem had now in reality been "sold": for the story he hadbeen told about the escape for the two slaves, Terence and Jim, waswholly and entirely false. 

CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN. 

RAIS MOURAD. 

Six days had passed, during which the white slaves were comparativelywell treated, far better than at any other time since their shipwreck. They were not allowed to suffer from thirst, and were supplied withnearly as much food as they required. 

On the sixth day after the departure of Bo Muzem, they were visited bytheir masters, accompanied by a stranger who was a Moor. 

They were commanded to get up on their feet; and were then examined bythe Moor in a manner that awakened suspicions that he was about to buythem. 

The Moor wore a caftan richly embroidered on the breast and sleeves, andconfined around the waist with a silken sash or girdle. 

A pair of small yellow Morocco leather boots peeped out beneath trousersof great width made of the finest satin; and on his head was a turban ofbright scarlet silk. 

Judging from the respect shown to him by the merchants, he was anindividual of much importance. This was also evident from the number ofhis followers, all of whom were mounted on beautiful Arabian horses. 

The appearance of his whole retinue gave evidence that he was somepersonage of great wealth and influence. 

After he had examined the slaves, he retired with the two merchants; andshortly afterwards the Krooman learnt from one of his followers that thewhite slaves had become the property of the wealthy Moor. 

The bright anticipations of liberty that had filled their souls for thelast few days vanished at this intelligence. Each felt a shock of pain, of hopeless despair, that for some moments stunned him almost tospeechlessness. 

Harry Blount was the first to awaken to the necessity of action. 

"Where are our masters the merchants?" he exclaimed. "They cannot, theyshall not sell us. Come, all of you! Follow me!"

Rushing forth from the penn, that had been allowed them for a residence, the young Englishman, followed by his companions, started towards thedwelling of the sheik, to which place the merchants and the Moor hadretired. 

All were now excited with disappointment and despair; and on reachingthe sheik's house, the two Arab merchants were called out to listen to avolley of reproaches. 

"Why have you sold us?" asked the Krooman, as the merchants came forth. "Have you not promised that we should be taken to Swearah, and has notyour partner gone there to obtain the money for our ransom?"

The two merchants were, at this moment, on good terms with themselvesand all the world besides. They had made what they believed to be agood bargain, and were in the humour for being agreeable. 

Moreover, they did not wish to be thought guilty of a wrong, even byChristian slaves; and they therefore condescended to give someexplanation. 

"Suppose, " said one of them, "that our partner Bo Muzem should find aman in Mogador who is willing to ransom you, how much are we to get foryou?"

"One hundred dollars for me, " answered the Krooman, "and one hundred andfifty for each of the others. "

"True; and for that we should have to take you there, and be at theexpense of maintaining you on the road?"

"Yes. "

"Well, Rais Mourad, this wealthy Moor, has paid us one hundred and fiftydollars for each of you; and should we not be fools to take you all theway to Mogador for less money? Besides, we might not get paid anything, whereas we have received it in cash from Rais Mourad. You are no longerour slaves, but his. "

When the Krooman had made this communication to the others, they sawthat all further parley with the Arab merchants was useless; and thattheir destiny was now in the keeping of Rais Mourad. 

At Harry's request, the Krooman endeavoured to ascertain in whatdirection the Moor was going to take them; but the only information theyreceived was that Rais Mourad knew his own business, and was not in thehabit of conferring with his slaves as to what he should do with them. 

Some of the followers of the Moor now came forward; and the slaves wereordered back to their penn, where they found some food awaiting them. They were commanded to eat it immediately, as they were soon to setforth upon a long journey. 

Not one of them, after their cruel disappointment, had any appetite; andSailor Bill doggedly declared that he would never taste food again. 

"Don't despair, Bill, " said Harry; "there is yet hope for us. "

"Where, where is it?" exclaimed Colin; "I cannot perceive it. "

"If we are constantly changing owners, " argued Harry, "we may yet fallinto the hands of some one who will take us to Mogador. "

"Is that your only hope?" asked Colin in a tone of disappointment. 

"Think of poor Jim, " added Bill; "he's 'ad fifty masters, been ten yearsin slavery, and not free yet; and no 'ope av it neyther. "

"Shall we go quietly with our new master?" asked Colin. 

"Yes, " answered Harry; "I have had quite enough of resistance, and thebeating that is sure to follow it. My back is raw at this moment. Thenext time I make any resistance, it shall be when there is a chance ofgaining something by it, instead of a sound thrashing. "

Rais Mourad being unprovided with animals for his slaves to ride upon, and wishing to travel at a greater speed than they could walk, purchasedfour small horses from the sheik of the place. It was during the timethese horses were being caught and made ready for the road, that ouradventurers were allowed to eat their dinner. 

Although Harry, as well as the others, had determined on making noopposition to going along with Rais Mourad, they were very anxious tolearn where he intended to take them. 

All the inquiries made by the Krooman, for the purpose of gratifyingthis curiosity, only produced the answer, "God knows, and will not tellyou. Why should we do more than He?"

Just as the horses were brought out, and all were nearly ready for astart, there occurred a commotion at the gate of the town; and nextmoment Bo Muzem, accompanied by the grazier, rode in through thegateway. 

CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT. 

BO MUZEM BACK AGAIN. 

As soon as the white slaves recognised the messenger to Mogador, theyall rushed forward to meet him. 

"Speak, Krooman!" exclaimed Harry. "Ask him if the money for our ransomwill be paid? If so, we are free, and they dare not sell us again. "

"Here--here!" exclaimed Bill, pointing to the man who came along with BoMuzem. "Axe this man where be brother Jim an' Master Terence?"

Harry and Colin turned towards the man, from whom Bill desired thisinquiry to be made, and recognised in him the grazier to whom Terenceand Jim had been sold. 

The Krooman had no opportunity for putting the question; for Bo Muzem, on drawing near to the gate of the town, had allowed his passion tomount into a violent storm. As soon as he beheld the slaves, he shoutedout, "Christian dogs! you have deceived me! Let every man, woman, andchild, in this town assemble, and be witnesses of the fate that thislying infidel so richly deserves. Let all witness the death of a slave, who has falsely declared he has an uncle in Swearah, named`For-God's-sake-bias'. Let all witness the revenge Bo Muzem will takeon the unbelieving dog who has deceived him. "

As soon as Bo Muzem's tongue was stopped sufficiently to enable him tohear the voices of those around him, he was informed that the whiteslaves were all sold, the nephew of "For-God's-sake-bias" among therest, and on better terms than he and his partners had expected to getat Swearah. 

Had Harry Blount been reserved, Bo Muzem would have been much pleased atthis news; but he now declared that his partners had no right to sellwithout his concurrence--that he owned an interest in the slaves; andthat the dog who had deceived him should not be sold, but should sufferthe penalty incurred, for sending him, Bo Muzem, on his long andbootless journey. 

Rais Mourad now came upon the ground. The Moor was not long incomprehending all the circumstances connected with the affair. Heinstantly ordered his followers to gather around the white slaves, andescort them outside the walls of the town. 

Bo Muzem attempted to prevent the order from being executed. He wasopposed by everybody, not only by by the Moor, but his own partners, asalso the sheik of the town, who declared that there should be no bloodspilt among those partaking of his hospitality. 

The slaves were now mounted on the horses that had been provided forthem, and conducted through the gateway, leaving Bo Muzem half franticwith impotent rage. 

There was but one man to sympathise with him in his disappointment--thegrazier to whom Terence and Jim had been sold, and who had madearrangements for the purchase of the other three. 

Riding up to the Moor, this man declared that the slaves were hisproperty, that he had purchased them the day before; and had given foreach four horses, and ten dollars in money. 

He loudly protested against being "choused" out of his bargain, anddeclared that he would bring two hundred men, if necessary, for thepurpose of reclaiming his own. 

Rais Mourad, paying no attention to this threat, gave orders to hisfollowers to move on; and, although it was now almost night, he startedoff in the direction of Agadeer. 

Before he had proceeded far, he perceived the Arab grazier riding atfull speed in the opposite direction, and towards his own home. 

"I wish, " said Colin, "that we had made some inquiries of that fellowabout Jim and Terence; but it's too late now. "

"Yes, too late, " echoed Harry; "and I wish that he had obtainedpossession in the place of our present master; we should then have allcome together again. But what are we to think of this last turn ofFortune's wheel?"

"I am rather pleased at it, " answered Colin. "A while ago we were indespair because the Moor had bought us. That was a mistake. If he hadnot done so, you, Harry, would have been killed. "

"Bill!" added the young Scotchman, turning to the sailor, "what are youdreaming about?"

"Nothink, " answered Bill, "I'm no goin' to drame or think any mair. "

"We are agwine straight for Swearah, " observed the Krooman, as he spokeglancing towards the north-west. 

"That is true, " exclaimed Harry, looking in the same direction. "Can itbe that we are to be taken to Mogador, after all? If so, there is hopefor us yet. "

"But Bo Muzem could find no one there who would pay the money for ourransom, " interposed Colin. 

"He nebba go thar, " said the Krooman. "He nebba hab de time. "

"I believe the Krooman is right, " said Harry. "We have been told thatMogador is four days' journey from here; and the merchant was gone butsix days. "

The conversation of the slaves was here interrupted by the Moors, whokept constantly urging them to greater speed. 

The night came on very dark, but Rais Mourad would not allow them tomove at a slower pace. 

Sailor Bill, being as he declared unused to "navigate any sort o' landcraft", could only keep his seat on the animal he bestrode, by allowingit to follow the others, while he clutched its mane with a firm grasp ofboth hands. 

The journey was continued until near midnight; when the old sailor, unable any longer to endure the fatigue, managed to check the pace ofhis animal and dismount. 

The Moors endeavoured to make him proceed, but were unsuccessful. 

Bill declared that should he again be placed on the horse, he shouldprobably fall off and break his neck. 

This was communicated to Rais Mourad, who had turned back in a rage toinquire the cause of the delay. It was the Krooman who acted asinterpreter. 

The Moor's anger immediately subsided on learning that one of the slavescould speak Arabic. 

"Do you and your companions wish for freedom?" asked Rais Mourad, addressing himself to the Krooman. 

"We pray for it every hour. "

"Then tell that foolish man that freedom is not found here, that toobtain it he must move on along with me. "

The Krooman made the communication as desired. 

"I don't want to hear any more about freedom, " answered Bill; "I've'eard enough av it. If any on 'em is goin' to give us a chance for ourliberty, let 'em do it without so many promises. "

The old sailor remained obstinate. 

Neither entreaties nor threats could induce him to go farther; and RaisMourad gave orders to his followers to halt upon the spot, saying thathe should stay there for the remainder of the night. The halt wasaccordingly made, and a temporary camp established. 

Although exhausted with their long, rough ride, Harry and Colin couldnot sleep. The hope of liberty was glowing too brightly within theirbosoms. 

This hope had not been inspired by anything that had been said or doneby Rais Mourad, for they now placed no trust in the promises of any one. 

Their hopes were simply based upon the belief that they were journeyingtowards Mogador, and that the Moor, their master, was an intelligentman--a man who ought to know that he would not lose his money by takingEnglish subjects to a place where they would be sure of being ransomed. 

CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE. 

A PURSUIT. 

On the first appearance of day Rais Mourad ordered the march to beresumed, himself riding in the advance over a long ridge of sand. Thesun soon after shone forth, and on a high hill about four leaguesdistant were seen the white walls of the City of Santa Cruz, or, as itis called by the Arabs, Agadeer. 

Descending from the sand-ridge, the cavalcade moved over a level plaincovered with grain crops and dotted here and there with small walledvillages, each surrounded by a plantation of vines and date-trees. 

At one of the villages near the road the cavalcade made halt and wasadmitted within the walls. Throwing themselves down in the shade ofsome date-trees the white slaves soon fell into a sound slumber. 

Three hours after they were awakened to breakfast, which consisted ofhot barley cakes and honey. 

Before they had finished their repast, Rais Mourad came up to the spotand entered into conversation with the Krooman. 

"What does the Moor say?" inquired Harry. 

"He say dat if we be no bad, and no cheat him, he take us to Swearah tode English consul. "

"Of course we will promise that, or anything else, " asserted Harry, "andkeep the promise too, if we can. He will be sure of being well paid forus. Tell him that!"

The Krooman obeyed; and the Moor, in reply, said that he was well awarethat he would be paid something by the consul, but that he required awritten promise from the slaves themselves as to the amount. 

He wanted them to sign an agreement that he should receive two hundreddollars for each of them. 

This they readily assented to; and the Moor then produced a piece ofpaper, a reed pen, and some ink. 

Rais Mourad wrote the agreement himself in Arabic on one side of thepaper, and then reading it sentence by sentence requested the Krooman totranslate it to his companions. 

The translation given by the Krooman was as follows:--

 "To English Consul. 

 "We be four Christian slave. Rais Mourad buy us of Arab. We promise to gib him two hundred dollar for one, or eight hundred dollar for four, if he take us to you. Please pay him quick. "

Harry and Colin signed the paper without any hesitation, and it was thenhanded, along with the pen, to Sailor Bill. 

The old sailor took the paper and, after carefully surveying everyobject around him, walked up to one of the saddles lying on the ground afew paces off. Spreading the paper on the saddle he knelt down and verydeliberately set about the task of making his autograph. 

Slowly, as the hand of a clock moving over the face of the dial, didBill's hand pass over the paper, while his head oscillated from side toside as each letter was being shaped. 

After he had succeeded in painting a few characters which, in hisopinion, expressed the name of "William McNeal, " the document was handedto Harry, who was asked to write a similar agreement on the other sideof the paper, which they were also to sign. 

Rais Mourad was determined on being certain that his slaves had puttheir names to such an agreement as he wished, and therefore had writtenit himself, so that he might not be deceived. 

About two hours before sunset all were again in the saddle, and, ridingout through the gateway of the town, took a path leading up the mountainon which stands the city of Santa Cruz. 

When about half way up, a party of horsemen, between twenty and thirtyin number, was seen coming after them at full speed. 

Rais Mourad remembered the threat made by the grazier, who claimed theslaves as his property; and every exertion was made by him to reach thecity before his party could be overtaken. 

The horses ridden by the white slaves were small animals, in poorcondition, and were unable to move up the steep hill with much speed, although the riders had been reduced by starvation to the very lightestof weights. 

Before reaching the level plain on the top of the hill, the pursuers hadgained on them rapidly, and lessened the distance between the twoparties by nearly half a mile. The nearest gate of the city was stillmore than a mile ahead, and towards it the Moors urged their horses withall the energy that could be inspired by oaths, kicks, and blows. 

As Rais Mourad's party approached the gate, the heads of their pursuerswere seen just rising over the crest of the hill behind them. But asthe Moor saw that his slaves were now safe, he checked his speed, andthe few yards that remained of the journey were performed at a slowpace: for the great man did not wish to enter the gate of a strange cityin a hasty or undignified manner. 

There was no delay in passing the sentinels; and in five minutes afterthe weary slaves dismounted from their nearly exhausted steeds, and werecommanded by Rais Mourad to thank God that they had arrived safe withinthe limits of the great Empire of Morocco. 

In less than a quarter of an hour later, Bo Muzem and the grazier rodethrough the gateway, accompanied by a troop of fierce-looking Arabhorsemen. 

The wrath of the merchant seemed to have waxed greater in the interval, and he appeared as if about to make an immediate attack upon HarryBlount, the chief object of his spiteful vengeance. 

In this he was prevented by Rais Mourad, who appealed to an officer ofthe city guard to protect him and his property. 

The officer informed Bo Muzem that, while within the walls of the city, he must not molest other people, and the latter was compelled to givehis word that he would not do so, that is to say, he was "bound over tokeep the peace. "

The other Arabs, in whose company he had come, were also given tounderstand that they were in a Moorish city; and, as they saw that theywere powerless to do harm without receiving punishment, their fiercedeportment soon gave way to a demeanour more befitting the streets of acivilised town. 

Both pursued and pursuers were cautioned against any infringement of thelaws of the place, and as a different quarter was assigned to eachparty, all chances of a conflict were, for the time, happily frustrated. 

CHAPTER EIGHTY. 

MOORISH JUSTICE. 

The next morning, Rais Mourad was summoned to appear before the governorof the place. He was ordered also to bring his slaves along with him. He had no reluctance in obeying these orders; and a soldier conductedhim and his followers to the governor's residence. 

Bo Muzem and the grazier were there before him; and the governor soonafter made his appearance in the large room where both parties werewaiting audience. 

He was a fine-looking man, of amiable aspect, about sixty-five years ofage. From his appearance, Harry and Colin had but little fear for theresult of his decision in any appeal that might be made to him. 

Bo Muzem was the first to speak. He stated that, in partnership withtwo other merchants, he had purchased the four slaves then present. Hehad never given his consent to the sale made by his partners to theMoor; and there was one of the slaves who, it had been distinctlyunderstood, was not to be sold at all. That slave he now claimed as hisown property. He had been commissioned by his partners to go toSwearah, and there dispose of the whole lot. He had sold the other twoto his friend Mahommed, who was by his side. He had no claim on them. Mahommed, the grazier, was now their lawful owner. 

The grazier was next called upon to make his statement. 

This was soon done. All he had to say was, that he had purchased threeChristian slaves from his friend, Bo Muzem; and had given four horsesand ten dollars in money for each of them. They had been taken awayforcibly by the Moor, Rais Mourad, from whom he now claimed them. 

Rais Mourad was now called upon to answer the accusation. The questionwas put: why he retained possession of another man's property?

In reply, he stated that he had purchased the slaves from two Arabmerchants, and had paid for them on the spot, giving one hundred andfifty silver dollars for each. 

After the Moor had finished his statement, the governor remained silentfor an interval of two or three minutes. 

Presently, turning to Bo Muzem, he asked, "Did your partners offer you ashare of the money they received for the slaves?"

"Yes, " answered the merchant, "but I would not accept it. "

"Have you, or your partners, received from the man who claims three ofthe slaves, twelve horses and thirty dollars?"

After some hesitation, Bo Muzem answered in the negative. 

"The slaves belong to the Moor, Rais Mourad, who has paid the money forthem, " said the governor, "and they shall not be taken from him here. Depart from my presence, all of you. "

All retired; and, as they did so, the grazier was heard to mutter somewords about there being no justice for poor Arabs in Morocco. 

Rais Mourad gave orders to his followers to prepare for the road; andjust as they were ready to start, he requested Bo Muzem to accompany himoutside the walls of the city. 

The merchant consented, on condition that his friend Mahommed thegrazier should go along with him. A peculiar smile overspread thefeatures of Rais Mourad as he granted this request. 

The Arab grazier, anxious to have another opportunity of wrangling overhis claim, accompanied his deluded companion outside the city gates. 

"My good friend, " said Rais Mourad, patronisingly speaking to Bo Muzem, "you have been deceived. Had you taken these Christians to Swearah, asyou promised to do, you would have been paid for them all that you couldreasonably have asked. I live in Swearah, and was obliged to make along journey to the south upon urgent business. Fortunately, on myreturn, I met with your partners, and bought their slaves from them. The profit I shall make on them will more than repay me all the expensesof my journey. The man Mahommed, whom you call your friend, has boughttwo other Christians. He has sold them to the English consul. Havingmade two hundred piastres by that transaction, he was anxious to tradeyou out of these others, and make a few hundred more. He was deceivingyou for the purpose of obtaining your property at a cheap rate. Thereis but one God, Mahomet is his Prophet, and you, Bo Muzem, are a fool!"

Bo Muzem required no further evidence in confirmation of the truth ofthis statement. He could not doubt that the Moor was an intelligentman, who knew what he was about when buying the slaves. The grazier hadcertainly purchased the two slaves spoken of; had acknowledged havingcarried them to Swearah, and was now anxious to obtain the other three. 

All was now clear to Bo Muzem; and for a moment he stood mute andmotionless under a sense of shame at his own stupidity. 

This feeling was succeeded by one of wild rage against the man who hadso craftily outwitted him. 

Drawing his scimitar, he rushed towards the grazier; who, having beenattentive to all that had been said, was not wholly unprepared for theattack. 

The Arabs generally never acquire much skill in the use of the scimitar;and an affair between them with this weapon is soon decided. 

The combat between the merchant and his antagonist was not an exceptionto other affrays of the kind. It was a desperate struggle for life ordeath, witnessed by the white slaves, who felt no sympathy for either ofthe combatants. 

A Mussulman in a quarrel generally places more dependence on the justiceof his cause than on his strength or skill; and when such is not thecase, much of his natural prowess is lost to him. 

Confident in the rectitude of his indignation, Bo Muzem, with hisMahommedan ideas of fatalism, was certain that the hour had not yetarrived for him to die; nor was he mistaken. 

His impetuous onset could not be resisted by a man unfortified with thebelief that he had acted justly; and Mahommed the grazier was soonstruck to the ground, and left rolling in the dust in the agonies ofdeath. 

"There's one less av 'em, anyhow!" exclaimed Sailor Bill, as he sawJim's master cease to exist. "I wish he had brought brother Jim andMaster Terence here afore he died. I wonder what he has done wi' 'em?"

"We should learn, if possible, " answered Harry, "and before we get anyfarther away from them. Suppose we speak to the Moor about them? Hemay be able to get possession of them for us. "

At Harry's request, the Krooman proceeded to make the desiredcommunication; but was prevented by Rias Mourad, who peremptorilyordered the slaves into their places, for the purpose of continuing thejourney which the tragic incident had interrupted. 

After cautioning Bo Muzem to beware of the followers of Mahommed, whonow lay dead at his feet, the Moor, placing himself at the head of hiskafila, moved off in the direction of Mogador. 

CHAPTER EIGHTY ONE. 

THE JEWS' LEAP. 

The road followed by Rais Mourad on the day after leaving Santa Cruz wasthrough a country of very uneven surface. 

Part of the time the kafila would be traversing a narrow valley by theseashore, and in the next hour following a zigzag path up the side ofsome precipitous mountain. 

In such places the animals would have to proceed in single file, whilethe Moor kept constantly cautioning his slaves against falling from thebacks of their horses. 

While stopping for an hour at noon for the animals to be rested, theKrooman turned over a flat stone, and underneath it discovered a largescorpion. 

After making a hole in the sand about six inches deep, and five or sixin diameter, he "chucked" the reptile into it. 

He then went in search of a few more scorpions to keep the prisonercompany. Under nearly every stone turned over, one or more of thesereptiles were found; all of which the Krooman cast into the hole wherehe had placed the first. 

When he had secured about a dozen within the walls of a prison fromwhich they could not escape, he began teasing them with a stick. 

Enraged at this treatment, the reptiles commenced a mortal combat amongthemselves, a spectacle which was witnessed by the white slaves withabout the same interest as that between the two Arabs in the morning. In other words, they did not care who got the worst of it. 

A battle between two scorpions would commence with much activeskirmishing on both sides, each seeking to fasten its claws on theother. 

Whenever one of the reptiles succeeded in getting a fair grip, itsadversary would exhibit every disposition to surrender, apparentlybegging for its life. But all to no purpose, as no quarter would begiven. 

The champion would inflict the fatal sting; and the unfortunateindividual receiving it would expire upon the instant. 

After all the scorpions had been killed, except one, the Krooman himselffinished the survivor with a blow of his stick. 

When rebuked by Harry, for what the young Englishman regarded as an actof wanton cruelty, he answered that "it was the duty of every man tokill scorpions. "

In the afternoon the kafila reached a place called the Jews' Leap. Itwas a narrow path along the side of a mountain, the base of which waswashed by the sea. 

The path was about half a mile long and not more than four or five feetbroad. The right-hand side was bounded by a wall of rocks, in someplaces perpendicular and rising to a height of several hundred feet. 

On the left-hand side was the Atlantic Ocean, about four hundred feetbelow the level of the path. 

There was no hope for any one who should fall from this path--no hopebut heaven. 

Not a bush, tree, or any obstacle was seen to offer the slightestresistance to the downward course of a falling body. 

The Krooman had travelled this track before, and therefore knew it. Heinformed his companions that no one ever ventured on the path in wetweather; that it was at all times considered dangerous; but that as itsaved a tiresome journey of seven miles around the mountain, it wasgenerally taken in dry seasons. He further told them that the name ofthe "Jews' Leap", was given to the precipice from a number of Jewshaving once been forced over it. 

It was in the night-time. They had met a numerous body of Moors comingin the opposite direction. Neither party could turn back; a conflictarose, and several on both sides were hurled over the precipice into thesea. 

On this occasion as many Moors as Jews had been thrown from the path;but it had pleased the former to give the spot the name of the "Jews'Leap", which it still retains. 

Before venturing upon this dangerous road, Rais Mourad was careful toascertain that no one was coming from the opposite direction. 

After shouting at the top of his voice, and getting no reply, he led theway along the ledge, bidding his followers to trust more to theiranimals than to themselves. 

As the white slaves entered on the pass, two Moors were left behind tocome after them, as a guard. When all had proceeded a short distancealong the ledge, the horse ridden by Harry Blount became frightened. Itwas a young animal; and having been reared upon the plains of thedesert, was unused to mountain roads. 

While the other horses were walking along very cautiously, Harry's steedsuddenly stopped, and refused to go any farther. 

In such a place a rider has good cause to be alarmed at any eccentricbehaviour in the animal he bestrides; and Harry was just preparing todismount, when his horse commenced making a retrograde movement, as ifdetermined to turn round and go back. 

The young Englishman was behind his companions, and closely followed byone of the Moors. The latter becoming alarmed for his own safety, struck the refractory horse a blow with his musket in order to force iton. 

In an instant the hind legs of the foolish animal dropped over the edgeof the precipice, while its body with the weight of its rider clingingto its neck, was about evenly balanced on the brink. 

The horse made a violent struggle to avoid going over. With its noseand forefeet laid close along the path, it vainly strove to regain theposition from which it had so imprudently parted. 

At this moment its rider determined to make a desperate exertion for thesaving of his life. 

Seizing the animal by the ears, and drawing himself up, he placed onefoot on the brink of the precipice; and then sprang clear over thehorse's head, just as the creature relinquished its hold. 

In another instant the unfortunate quadruped was precipitated into thesea, its body striking the water with a dull plunge, as if the life hadalready gone out of it. 

The remainder of the ledge was traversed without any difficulty; andafter all had got safely over, Harry's companions were loud incongratulating him upon his narrow escape. 

The youth remained silent. 

His soul was too full of gratitude to God to take any heed of the wordsof man. 

CHAPTER EIGHTY TWO. 

CONCLUSION. 

On the evening of the second day after passing the Jews' Leap, RaisMourad, with his followers, reached the city of Mogador, but too late toenter its gates, which were closed for that day. 

For a great part of the night, Harry, Colin, and Sailor Bill were unableto sleep. 

They were kept awake by the memory of the sufferings they had endured inthe desert, but more by the anticipation of liberty, which they believedto be now near. 

They arose with the sun, impatient to enter the city and learn what wasto be their fate; but Rais Mourad, knowing that no business could bedone until three or four hours later, would not permit them to passinside the gate. 

For three hours they waited with the greatest impatience. So much hadtheir minds become excited with the prospect of getting free that thisdelay began to bring about the opposite extreme of despair, when theywere again elated at the sight of Rais Mourad returning from the town. 

Giving the command to his followers, he led the way through the greatcity gate. 

After passing along several narrow streets, on turning a corner ouradventurers saw, waving over the roof of one of the houses, a flag thatfilled their souls with joy inexpressible. It was the flag of OldEngland!

It indicated the residence of the English consul. On seeing it, allthree gave forth a loud simultaneous cheer, and hastened forward in themidst of a crowd of Moorish men, women and children that had collectedaround them. 

Rais Mourad knocked at the gate of the Consulate, which was instantlyopened, and the white slaves were ushered into the court-yard. At thesame instant two individuals came running forth from the house. Theywere Terence and Jim!

A fine-looking man, about fifty years of age, now stepped forward; andtaking Harry and Colin by the hand, congratulated them on the certaintyof soon recovering their liberty. 

The presence of Terence and Jim in the Consulate at Mogador was soonexplained. The Arab grazier, after buying them, had started immediatelyfor Swearah taking the two along with him. On bringing them to theEnglish consul he received the amount of their redemption, and they wereat once set free. At the same time he had given his promise to purchasethe other three white slaves and bring them to Mogador. 

The consul made no hesitation in paying the price that had been promisedfor Harry, Colin and Bill; but he did not consider himself justified inexpending the money of his Government in the redemption of the Krooman, who was not an English subject. 

The poor fellow, on hearing this, was overwhelmed with despair at theprospect of being restored to a life of perpetual slavery. 

His old companions in misfortune could not remain tranquil spectators ofhis grief. They promised he should be free. Each of the middies hadwealthy friends at home on whom he could draw for money; and they werein hopes that some English merchant in Mogador would advance the amount. 

They were not disappointed. The very next day the Krooman's difficultywas settled to his satisfaction. 

The consul having mentioned his case to several foreign merchants, asubscription list was opened; and the cash necessary to the purchase ofhis freedom was easily procured. 

The three mids were furnished with plenty of everything they required;and only awaited the arrival of some English ship to carry them back tothe shores of their native land. 

They had not long to wait; for shortly after, the tall masts of aBritish man-of-war threw their shadows athwart the waters of MogadorBay. 

The middies were once more installed in quarters that befitted them;while Sailor Bill and his brother, as well as their Krooman comrade, found a welcome in the forecastle of the ship. 

All three of these young officers afterwards rose to rank anddistinction in the naval service of their country. It was their goodfortune often afterwards to come in contact with each other, and talklaughingly of that terrible time, no longer viewed with dread oraversion, when they were serving their apprenticeship as Boy Slaves inthe Saara. 

THE END.