Chapter FIFTY NINE: Golah Calls Again (1)

In setting the watch for the night, one of the sentinels was stationed on the shore about a hundred yards north of the _douar_. His instructions were to walk a round of about two hundred paces, extending inward from the beach.

Another was placed about the same distance south of the camp, and was to pace backwards and forwards after a similar fashion.

Sailor Bill was stationed on the land side of the camp, where he was to move 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 the word "_Akka_" so that the sailor should distinguish him from an enemy.

The Arabs themselves were supposed to be sufficiently intelligent to tell a friend from a foe without requiring any countersign.

Before Bill was sent upon his beat the old sheik went into a tent, and soon after reappeared with a large pistol, bearing a strong likeness to a blunderbuss. This weapon he placed in the sailor's hand, with the injunction, translated to him by the interpreter, not to discharge it until he should be certain of killing either Golah, or one of his companions.

The old sailor, although sorely fatigued with the toil of the day's journey, had so great a horror of again becoming the property of the black sheik, that he cheerfully promised to "walk the deck all night, and keep a good look-out for breakers," and his young companions sought repose in full confidence that the promise would be faithfully kept.

Any one of the boy slaves would willingly have taken his place, and allowed their old comrade to rest for the night, but Bill had been selected by the old sheik, and from his decree there was no appeal.

The two Arabs doing duty as sentinels knew, from past experience, that if the kafila was still followed by Golah, they would be the individuals most exposed to danger, and this knowledge was sufficient to stimulate them to the most faithful discharge of their trust.

Neither of them wished to become victims to the fate which had befallen their predecessors in office.

For two or three hours both paced slowly to and fro; and Bill, each time he approached the end of his beat, could hear distinctly pronounced the word "_Akka_" which proved that his co-sentinels were fully on the alert.

It so chanced that one of them had no faith in the general belief that the enemy had relinquished his sanguinary purposes of vengeance.

He drew his deductions from Golah's conduct in the past, and during the long silent hours of the night his fancy was constantly dwelling on the manner in which the dreaded enemy had approached the _douar_ on former occasions.

This sentry was the one stationed to the south of the _douar_; and with eyes constantly striving to pierce the darkness that shrouded the sand-plain, the water, on which a better light was reflected, received no attention from him. He believed the _douar_ well protected on the side of the sea, for he had no idea that danger could come from that direction.

He was mistaken.

Had their enemies been, like himself and his companions, true children of the Saara, his plan of watching for their approach might have answered well enough; but the latter chanced to be the offspring of a different country and race.

About three hours after the watch had been established, the sentinel placed on the southern side of the _douar_ was being closely observed by the black sheik, yet knew it not.

Golah had chosen a singular plan to secure himself against being observed, similar to that selected by the three mids for the like purpose soon after their being cast away upon the coast.

He had stolen into the water; and with only his woolly occiput above the surface, had approached within a few yards of the spot where the Arab sentry turned upon his round.

In the darkness of the night, at the distance of twelve or fifteen paces, he might have been discovered had a close survey been made of the shining surface. But there was no such survey, and Golah watched the sentinel, himself unseen.

The attention of the Arab was wholly occupied in looking for the approach of a foe from the land side; and he was in continual fear of hearing 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 or no attention to the restless waves that were breaking with low moans against the beach.

As he turned his back upon the water for the hundredth time with the intention of walking to the other end of his beat, Golah crept gently out of the water and hastened after him.

The deep sighing of the waves against the shingly shore hindered the sound of footsteps from being heard.

Golah was only armed with a scimitar; but it was a weapon that, in his hands, was sure to fall with deadly effect. It was a weapon of great size and weight, having been made expressly for himself; and with this upraised, he silently but swiftly glided after the unconscious Arab.

Adding, the whole strength of his powerful arm to the weight of the weapon, the black sheik brought its sharp edge slantingly down upon the neck of the unsuspecting sentinel.

With a low moan that sounded in perfect harmony with the sighing of the waves, the Arab fell to the earth, leaving his musket in the huge hand his assassin had stretched forth to grasp it. Putting the gun to full cock, Golah walked on in the direction in which the sentry had been going. He intended next to encounter the man who was guarding the eastern side of the _douar_. Walking boldly on, he took no trouble to avoid the sound of his footsteps being heard, believing that he would be taken for the sentry he had just slain. After going about a hundred paces without seeing any one, he paused, and with his large fiercely gleaming eyes strove to penetrate the surrounding gloom. Still no one was to be seen, and he laid himself along the earth to listen for footfalls.

Nothing could be heard; but after glancing for some moments along the ground he saw a dark object outlined above the surface. Unable, from the distance, to form a correct idea of what it was, he cautiously advanced towards it, keeping on all-fours till he could see that the object was a human being, prostrate on the ground, and apparently listening like himself. Why should the man be listening? Not to note the approach of his companion, for that should be expected without suspicion, as his attitude would indicate. He might be asleep, reasoned Golah. If so, fortune seemed to favour him; and with this reflection he stealthily moved on towards the prostrate form.

Though the latter moved not, still Golah was not quite sure that the sentry was asleep. Again he paused, and for a moment fixed his eyes on the body with a piercing gaze. If the man was not sleeping, why should he allow an enemy to approach so near? Why lie so quietly without showing any sign or giving an alarm? If Golah could despatch this sentinel as he had done the other, without making any noise, he would, along with his two relatives (who were waiting the result of his adventure), afterwards steal into the _douar_, and all he had lost might be 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 his face turned towards him, and partly concealed by one arm.

The black sheik could see no gun in his hands; and consequently there would be but little danger in an encounter with him, if such should chance to arise.

Golah grasped the heavy scimitar in his right-hand, evidently intending to 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 alarm would be given to the slumbering camp.

The heavy blade of shining steel was raised aloft; and the grip of the powerful hand clutching its hilt became more firm and determined.

Sailor Bill! has your promise to keep a sharp look-out been broken so soon?

Beware! Golah is near, with strength in his arm, and murder in his mind!

CHAPTER SIXTY.

SAILOR BILL STANDING SENTRY.

After two hours had been passed in moving slowly to and fro, hearing the word "_Akka_," and seeing nothing but grey sand, Sailor Bill began to feel weary, and now regretted that the old sheik had honoured him with his confidence.

For the first hour of his watch he had kept a good look-out to the eastward, and had given the whole of his attention to his sentinel's duty.

Gradually his intense alertness forsook him, and he began to think or the past and future.

Themes connected with these subjects seldom troubled Bill, his thoughts generally dwelling upon the present; but, in the darkness and solitude in which he was now placed, there was but little of the present to arrest 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 it might be used as a war-club at close quarters. I hope I shan't 'ave to fire it hoff. The barrel is thin, and the bullet hinside it must be a'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. I may as well make sure about that."

After groping about for some time, the sailor succeeded in finding a small piece of stick, with which he measured the length of the barrel on the outside; then, by inserting the stick into the muzzle, he found that the depth of the barrel was not quite equal to its length.

There was something inside therefore, but he was positive there was no ball. 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 a row with it, in case I sees anything as is suspicious. He was afeared to put a ball in it lest I should be killin' one of themselves. That's his 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 stone and ram it into the barrel."

Saying this, he groped about the ground in search of a pebble of the proper size; but for some time could find none to his liking. He could lay his hand on nothing but the finest sand.

While engaged in this search he fancied he heard some one approaching from the side opposite to that in which he was expecting to hear the word "_Akka_."

He looked in that direction, but could see nothing save the grey surface of the sea-beach.

Since being on the desert Bill had several times observed the Arabs lay themselves along the earth to listen for the sound of footsteps. This plan he now tried himself.

With his eyes close to the ground, the old sailor fancied he was able to see to a greater distance than when standing upright. There seemed to be more light on the surface of the earth than at four or five feet above it; and objects in the distance were placed more directly between his eyes and the horizon.

While thus lying extended along the sand, he heard footsteps approaching from the shore; but, believing they were those of the sentinel, he paid no attention to them. He only listened for a repetition of those sounds he fancied to have come from the opposite direction.

But nothing was now heard to the eastward; and he came to the conclusion that he had been deceived by an excited fancy.

Of one thing, however, he soon became certain. It was, that the footsteps which he supposed to be those of the Arab who kept what Bill called the "larboard watch", were drawing nearer than usual, and that the word "_Akka_" was not pronounced as before.

The old sailor slewed himself around and directed his gaze towards the shore.

The sound of footsteps was no longer heard, but the figure of a man was perceived at no great distance from the spot.

He was not advancing nearer, but standing erect, and apparently gazing sharply about him.

Could this man be the Arab sentinel?

The latter was known to be short and of slight frame, while the man now seen appeared tall and of stout build. Instead of remaining in his upright attitude, and uttering, as the sentry should have done, the word "_Akka_," the stranger was seen to stoop down, and place his ear close to the earth as if to listen.

During a moment or two, while the man's eyes appeared to be turned away from him, the sailor took the precaution to fill the barrel of his pistol with sand.

Should he give the alarm by firing off the pistol, and then run towards the camp?

No! he might have been deceived by an excited imagination. The individual before him might possibly be the Arab guard trying to discover 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 the spot, and then slowly assumed an upright position. Bill now saw it was not the sentinel but the black sheik!

The old man-o'-war's-man was never more frightened in his life. He thought of discharging the pistol, and running back to the _douar_; but then came the thought that he would certainly be shot down the instant he should rise to his feet; and fear held him motionless.

Golah drew nearer and nearer, and the sailor seeing the scimitar uplifted suddenly formed the resolution to act.

Projecting the muzzle of his huge pistol towards the black, he pulled the 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 his legs would carry him towards the camp, already alarmed by the report of the 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 sailor had fled, a loud voice frantically calling, "Muley! Muley!"

"'Tis the voice of Golah!" exclaimed the Krooman, in Arabic. "He is calling for his son, Muley is his son's name!"

"They are going to attack the _douar_," shouted the Arab sheik; and his words were followed by a scene of the wildest terror.

The Arabs rushed here and there, mingling their cries with those of the slaves; while women shrieked, children screamed, dogs barked, horses neighed, and even the quiet camels gave voice to their alarm.

In the confusion, the two wives of Golah, taking their children along with them, hurried away from the camp, and escaped undiscovered in the darkness.

They had heard the voice of the father of their children, and understood that accent of anguish in which he had called out the name of his son.

They were women--women who, although dreading their tyrant husband in his day of power, now pitied him in his hour of misfortune.

The Arabs, anxiously expecting the appearance of their enemy, in great haste 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 of the _douar_; and the late alarm might have appeared only a panic of groundless fear.

The light of day was gradually gathering in the east, when the Arab sheik, recovering from his excitement ventured to make an examination of the _douar_ and its denizens.

Two important facts presented themselves as evidence that the fright they had experienced was not without a cause. The sentry who had been stationed to guard the camp on its southern side was not present, and Golah's two wives and their children were also absent.

There could be no mystery about the disappearance of the women. They had 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 victim to 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 old man-o'-war's-man; who, sailor-like, having finished his watch, had gone to sleep.

After being awakened by the sheik, the Krooman was told to ask the white man why he had fired his pistol.

"Why, to kill Golah, the big nager!" answered Bill; "an' I'm mighty desaved if I 'ave not done it."

This answer was communicated to the sheik, who had the art of expressing unbelief 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 nor four paces from me at the time I peppered him. I tell you he is gone and done for."

The sheik shook his head, and again smiled incredulously.

Further inquiries were interrupted by the discovery of the body of the Arab sentinel whom Golah had killed, and all clustered around it.

The man's head was nearly severed from his body; and the blow, which must have caused instant death, had evidently been given by the black sheik. Near the corpse, tracks were observed in the sand such as no other human being but Golah could have made.

It was now broad daylight; and the Arabs, glancing along the shore to southward, 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 sheik with his followers started off in the hope of recovering some of the property they had lost.

They were followed by most of the slaves; who, by the misfortunes of their masters, were under less restraint.

On arriving near the place where the camels were, the young man we have described 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 sprang to 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, sitting silent and sorrowful on the sea-beach. They took no heed of the approach 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 was down upon the sand. It was dead; and the young negro was in the act of eating a large piece of raw flesh he had severed from its hump.

The Arab sheik inquired after Golah. He to whom the inquiry was directed pointed to the sea, where two dark bodies were seen tumbling about in the surf as it broke against the shingle of the beach.

The three midshipmen, at the command of the sheik, waded in, and dragged the 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 once large fierce eyes were altogether gone.

The brother-in-law was called on to explain the mysterious death of the black 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 I stayed behind with the horse and camels. I am starving!

"Very soon Muley came running back, followed by his father, who seemed possessed of an evil spirit. He ran this way and that way, swinging his scimitar about, and trying to kill us both as well as the camels. He could 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 of camel's flesh, proceeded to devour it with an alacrity that proved the truth 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 body bore the marks of Golah's great scimitar.

"After killing the camel," continued the young man, "the sheik became quiet. The evil spirit had passed out of him; and he sat down upon the sand. Then his wives came up to him; and he talked to them kindly, and put his hands on each of the children, and called them by name. They screamed when they looked at him, and Golah told them not to be frightened, that he would wash his face, and frighten them no more. The little boy led him to the water, and he rushed into the sea as far as he could 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 the truth of the concluding words of his story. For nearly a week he had been travelling night and day, and the want of sleep and food could not have been much longer endured.

At the command of the Arab chief, the slaves now buried the bodies of Golah and his son.

Gratified at his good fortune, in being relieved from all further trouble with his implacable foeman, the sheik determined to have a day of rest; which to his slaves was very welcome, as was also the flesh of the dead camel, now given them to eat.

About the death of Golah there was still a mystery the Arabs could not comprehend, and the services of the Krooman as interpreter were again called into requisition.

When the sheik learnt what the sailor had done, how the pistol had been made an effective weapon by filling the barrel with sand, he expressed much satisfaction at the manner in which the old man-o'-war's-man had performed his duty.

Full of gratitude for the service thus rendered him, he promised that not only the sailor himself, but the boy slaves, his companions, should be 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 boy slaves periods of agonising torture, from fatigue, hunger, thirst, and exposure to a burning sun, the kafila arrived at another watering-place.

As they drew near the place, our adventurers perceived that it was the same 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 not leave more than two bucketfuls in the hole; and as there has been no rain since, that must be dried up long ago."

An expression of hopeless despair came over the countenances of his companions. They had seen, but a few days before, nearly all the water drawn out of the pool, and given to the camels.

Their fears were soon removed, and followed by the real gratification of a desire they had long been indulging, the desire to quench their thirst. There was plenty of water in the pool, a heavy deluge of rain having fallen over the little valley since they had left it.

The small supply of food possessed by the travellers would not admit of their making any delay at this watering-place; and the next morning the journey was resumed.

The Arabs appeared to bear no animosity towards the young man who had assisted Golah in killing their companions; and now that the black sheik was dead, they had no fear that the former would try to escape. The negro was one of those human beings who cannot own themselves, and who never feel at home unless with some one to control them. He quietly took his place along with the other slaves, apparently resigned to his fate, a fate that doomed him to perpetual slavery, though a condition but little lower than that he had occupied with his brother-in-law.

Eight days were now passed in journeying in a direction that led a little to the east of north.

To the white slaves they were days of indescribable agony, from those two terrible evils that assail all travellers through the Saara, hunger and thirst. Within the distance passed during these eight days they had found but one watering-place, where the supply was not only small in quantity, but bad in quality.

It was a well, nearly dried up, containing a little water, offensive to sight and smell, and only rendered endurable to taste by the irresistible power of thirst.

The surface of the pool was covered nearly an inch thick with dead insects, which had to be removed to reach the discoloured element beneath. They were not only compelled to use, but were even thankful to obtain, 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 their hunger with shell-fish. The Arabs were in haste to reach some place where they could procure food for their animals; and at the pace at which they rode forward, it required the utmost exertion on the part of their slaves to keep up with them. The old man-o'-war's-man, unused to land travelling, could never have held out, had not the Arabs allowed him, 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 probably have killed them all, had inspired his masters with some slight gratitude. The sailor, therefore, was permitted to ride, when they saw that otherwise they would have to leave him behind to die upon the desert.

During the last two days of the eight, our adventurers noticed something in the appearance of the country over which they were moving, that inspired them with hope. The face of the landscape became more uneven; while here and there stunted bushes and weeds were seen, as if struggling between life and death.

The kafila had arrived on the northern border of the great Saara; and a few days more would bring them to green fields, shady groves, and streams of sparkling water.

Something resembling the latter was soon after discovered. At the close of the eighth day they reached the bed of what appeared to be a river recently dried up. Although there was no current, they found some pools of stagnant water; and beside one of these the _douar_ was established.

On a hill to the north were growing some green shrubs, to which the camels were driven; and upon these they immediately commenced browsing. Not only the leaves, but the twigs and branches, were rapidly twisted off by the long prehensile lips of the animals, and as greedily devoured.

It was twilight as the camp had been fairly pitched; and just then two men were seen coming towards them leading a camel. They were making for the pools of water, for the purpose of filling some goatskins which were carried on their camel. They appeared both surprised and annoyed to find the pools in possession of strangers.

Seeing they could not escape observation, the men came boldly forward and commenced filling their goatskins. While thus engaged they told the Arab sheik that they belonged to a caravan near at hand that was journeying southward; and they should continue their journey early the next 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 a journey, or they would have halted here by the water. By the beard of our Prophet, they have spoken falsely!"

With this opinion his followers agreed; and it was suggested that the two men they had seen were of some party encamped by the seashore, and undoubtedly amusing themselves with a wreck, or gathering wealth in some other unusual way.

Here was an opportunity not to be lost; and the Arabs determined to have a share in whatever good fortune Providence might have thrown in the way of those already upon the ground. If it should prove to be a wreck there might be serious difficulty with those already in possession; it was resolved, therefore, to wait for the morning, when they could form a better opinion of their chances of success, should a conflict be necessary to secure it.

CHAPTER SIXTY THREE.

THE RIVAL WRECKERS.

Early next morning the kafila was _en route_ for the seashore, which was discovered not far distant. On coming near, a _douar_ of seven tents was seen standing upon the beach, and several men stepped forward to receive them.

The usual salutations were exchanged, and the new comers began to look about them. Several pieces of timber lying along the shore gave evidence that their conjecture, as to a wreck having taken place, had been 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 to claim a share of his favours."

"You are welcome to all you can justly claim," answered a tall man, who appeared to be the leader of the party of wreckers. "Mahomet is the Prophet of Him who sends favours to all, both good and bad. If He has sent anything for you, look along the sea-beach and find it."

On this invitation the camels of the kafila were unloaded, and the tents pitched. The new comers then set about searching for the debris of the wrecked vessel.

They discovered only some spars, and other pieces of ship timbers, which were 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, and that they had only to watch the rival wreckers and learn where she was submerged.

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, announcing himself as the representative of his people, proposed a conference.

"I am Sidi Hamet," said he, "and the others you see here are my friends and relatives. We are all members of the same family, and faithful followers of the Prophet. God is great, and has been kind to us. He has sent us a prize. We are about to gather the gifts of his mercy. Go your way, and leave us in peace."

"I am Rias Abdallah Yezzed," answered the old sheik, "and neither my companions nor myself are so bad but that we, too, may be numbered among those who are entitled to God's favour, when it pleases Him to cast on our shores the ships of the infidel."

In rejoinder Sidi Hamet entered upon a long harangue; in which he informed the old sheik that in the event of a vessel having gone to pieces, and the coast having been strewn with merchandise, each party would have been entitled to all it could gather, but unfortunately for both, those pleasant circumstances did not now exist; although it was true that the hulk of a vessel, containing a cargo that could not wash ashore, was lying under water near by. They had discovered it, and therefore laid claim to all that it contained.

Sidi Hamet's party was a strong one, consisting of seventeen men; and therefore could afford to be communicative without the least danger of being disturbed in their plans and prospects.

They acknowledged that they had been working ten days, in clearing the cargo out of the sunken vessel, and that their work was not yet half done, the goods being very difficult to get at.

The old sheik inquired of what the cargo consisted; but could obtain no satisfactory answer.

Here was a mystery. Seventeen men had been ten days unloading the hulk of a wrecked ship, and yet no articles of merchandise were to be seen near the spot.

A few casks, some pieces of old sail, with a number of cooking utensils that had belonged to a ship's galley, lay upon the beach; but these could 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 from wrecked ships.

Sailors cast away upon their coast had been known to bury such commodities; and afterwards, under torture, to reveal the spot where the interment had been made.

Had this vessel, on which the wreckers were engaged, been freighted with money, and had the boxes been buried as soon as brought ashore?

It was possible, thought the new comers. They must wait and learn; and if there was any means by which they could claim a share in the good fortune of those who had first discovered the wreck, those means must be adopted.

The original discoverers were too impatient to stay proceedings till their departure; and feeling secure in the superiority of numbers, they recommenced their task of discharging the submerged hulk.

They advanced to the water's edge, taking along with them a long rope that had been found attached to the spars. At one end of this rope they had made a running noose, which was made fast to a man, who swam out with it to the distance of about a hundred yards.

The swimmer then dived out of sight. He had gone below to visit the wreck, and attached the rope to a portion of the cargo.

A minute after his head was seen above the surface, and a shout was sent forth. Some of his companions on the beach now commenced hauling in the rope, the other end of which had been left in their hands.

When the noose was pulled ashore, it was found to embrace a large block of sandstone weighing about twenty-five or thirty pounds!

The Krooman had already informed Harry Blount and his companions of something he had learned from the conversation of the wreckers; and the three mids had been watching with considerable interest the movements of the diver and his assistants.

When the block of sandstone was dragged up on the beach they stared at each other with expressions of profound astonishment.

No wonder: the wreckers were employed in clearing the ballast out of a sunken ship!

What could be their object? Our adventurers could not guess. Nor, indeed, could the wreckers themselves have given a good reason for undergoing such an amount of ludicrous labour.

Why they had not told the old sheik what sort of cargo they were saving from 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 to get safely ashore.

As they believed that the white slaves must have a perfect knowledge of the subject upon which they were themselves so ignorant, they closely scanned the countenances of the latter as the block of the ballast was drawn out upon the dry sand.

They were rewarded for their scrutiny.

The surprise exhibited by Sailor Bill and the three mids confirmed the wreckers in their belief that they were saving something of grand value; for, in fact, had the block of sandstone been a monstrous nugget of gold, the boy slaves could not have been more astonished at beholding it.

Their behaviour increased the ardour of the salvers in the pursuit in which the were engaged, along with the envy of the rival party; who, by the laws of the Saaran coast, were not allowed to participate in their toil.

The Krooman now endeavoured to undeceive his master as to the value of the "salvage", telling him that what their rivals were taking out of the sunken ship was nothing but worthless stone.

But his statement was met with a smile of incredulity. Those engaged in getting the ballast ashore regarded the Krooman's statements with equal contempt. He was either a liar or a fool, and therefore unworthy of the least attention. With this reflection they went on with their work.

After some time spent in reconsidering the subject, the old sheik called the Krooman aside; and when out of hearing of the wreckers asked him to give an explanation of the real nature of what he himself persisted in calling the "cargo" of the wreck, as well as a true statement of its value.

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 something valuable. He thought that no men would be so stupid and foolish as to go from one country to another in ships loaded only with worthless stones.

As nothing else in the shape of cargo was found aboard the wreck, the stones must be of some value. So argued the Arab.

While the Krooman was trying to explain the real purpose for which the stones had been placed in the hold of the vessel, one of the wreckers came 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 out to them, they at once started towards it, expecting to see some unfortunate countryman, who, like themselves, had been cast away on the inhospitable 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 he appeared a mere skeleton, consisting of little more than skin and bones, he did not present the general aspect of a man suffering from ill health; nor yet would he have passed for a white man anywhere out of Africa.

"You are the first English people I've seen for over thirty years," said he, as they entered the tent; "for I can tell by your looks that every one 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 here for forty-three years, as I have been."

"What!" exclaimed Terence; "have you been a slave in the Saara so long as that? If so, God help us! What hope is there of our ever getting free?"

The young Irishman spoke in a tone of despair.

"Very little chance of your ever seeing home again, my lad," answered the invalid! "but I have a chance now, if you and your comrades don't spoil it. For God's sake don't tell these Arabs that they are the fools they are, for making salvage of the ballast! If you do, they'll be sure to make an end of me. It's all my doing. I've made them believe the stones are valuable, so that they may take them to some place where I can escape. It is the only chance I have had for years, don't destroy it, as you value the life of a fellow-countryman."

From further conversation with the man, our adventurers learned that he had been shipwrecked on the coast many years before, and had ever since been trying to get transported to some place where he might be ransomed. He declared that he had been backward and forward across the desert forty or fifty times; and that he had belonged to not less than fifty masters!

"I have only been with these fellows a few weeks," said he, "and fortunately when we came this way we were able to tell where the sunken ship was, by seeing her foremast then sticking out of the water. The vessel was in ballast; and the crew probably put out to sea in their boats, without being discovered. It was the first ship my masters had ever heard of without a cargo; and they would not believe but that the stones were such, and must be worth something, else why should they be carried about the world in a ship? I told them it was a kind of stone from which gold was obtained; but that it must be taken to some place where there was plenty of coal or wood, before the gold could be melted out of it, and then entrusted to white men who understood the art of extracting the precious metal from the rocks.

"They believe all this: for they can see shining particles in the sandstone which they think is really gold, or something that can be converted into it. For four days they forced me to toil, at diving and assisting them; but that didn't suit my purpose; and I've at length succeeded 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 the ballast any distance without learning its real value?"

"Yes; I did think that you might take it to Mogador, and that they would let me go along with them."

"But some one will meet them, and tell them that their lading is worthless?" suggested Colin.

"No, I think that fear of losing their valuable freight will keep them from letting any one know what they've got. They are hiding it in the sand now, as fast as they get it ashore; for fear some party stronger than themselves should come along and take it away from them. I intend to tell them after they have started on their journey, not to let any one see or know what they have, until they are safe within the walls of Mogador, where they will be under the protection of the governor. They have promised to take me along with them, and if I once get within sight of a seaport, not all the Arabs in Africa will hinder me from recovering my liberty."

While the pretended invalid was talking to them, Sailor Bill had been watching him, apparently with eager interest.

"Beg pardon for 'aving a small taste o' differences wid you in the mather ov your age," said the sailor, as soon as the man had ceased speaking; "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 the words, "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 needed no explanation of the scene now presented to them.

The two brothers were left alone; and after the others had gone out of the tent they returned to the Krooman; who had just succeeded in convincing the sheik that the stones being fished out of the sunken ship were, at that time and place, of no value whatever.

All attempts on the part of the old sheik to convince the wreckers as he had been convinced himself, proved fruitless.

The arguments he used to them were repeated to the sailor, Bill's brother; 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 all to themselves. Does not common sense tell you that they are liars?"

This was conclusive; and the wreckers continued their toil, extracting stone after stone out of the hold of the submerged ship.

Sailor Bill at his brother's request then summoned his companions to the tent.

"Which of you have been trying to do me an injury?" inquired Jim. "I told you not to say that the stones were worthless."

It was explained to him how the Krooman had been enlightening his master.

"Call the Krooman," said Jim, "and I'll enlighten him. If these Arabs find out that they have been deceived, I shall be killed, and your master, the old sheik, will certainly lose all his property. Tell him to come here also. I must talk to him. Something must be done immediately, or I shall be killed."

The Krooman and the old sheik were conducted into the tent; and Jim talked to them in the Arabic language.

"Leave my masters alone to their folly," said he to the sheik; "and they will be so busy that you can depart in peace. If not, and you convince them that they have been deceived, they will rob you of all you have got. You have already said enough to excite their suspicions, and they will in time learn that I have been humbugging them. My life is no longer safe in their company. You buy me, then; and let us all take our departure 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 is the case, some one will be robbed. They have come to the sea-coast to seek wealth, and they will have it one way or the other. They are a tribe of bad men. Buy me, and leave them to continue the task they have so ignorantly undertaken."

"You are not well," replied the sheik; "and if I buy you, you cannot walk."

"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 will sell me cheap: for they think I am done up. But I am not; I was only weary of diving after worthless stones."

The old sheik promised to follow Jim's advice; and ordered his companions to prepare immediately for the continuance of their journey.

Sidi Hamet was called, and asked by Rias Abdallah if he would sell some of 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 present to 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 to Sailor Bill's brother; "I will sell him."

"You have promised to take me to Swearah," interrupted Jim. "Do not sell me, master; I think I shall get well some time, and will then work for you as hard as I can."

Sidi Hamet cast upon his infidel slave a look of of contempt at this allusion to his illness; but Jim's remark, and the angry glance, were both unheeded by the Arab sheik.

The slave's pretended wishes not to be sold were disregarded; and for the consideration of an old shirt and a small camel-hair tent, he became the 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 the wreckers 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 Sailor Bill and his brother had but little opportunity of holding converse together. When the _douar_ had been pitched for the night, the old salt and the "young gentlemen", his companions, gathered around the man whose experience 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 yarn of 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't wonder at you sayin' you 'ave been aboard this craft forty-three years."

"Yes, that is the correct time according to my reckoning," interrupted Jim; "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 years old till the fourteenth o' next month. You 'ave lost yer senses, an' in troth, it ain't no wonder!"

"That is true, for there is nothing in the Saara to help a man keep his reckoning. There are no seasons; and every day is as like another as two seconds in the same minute. But surely I must have been here for more than eleven years?"

"No," answered Bill, "ye 'ave no been here only a wee bit langer than tin; but afther all ye must 'ave suffered in that time it is quare that ye should a know'd me at all, at all."

"I did not know you until you spoke," rejoined Jim. "Then I couldn't doubt that it was you who stood before me, when I heard our father's broad Scotch, our mother's Irish brogue, and the talk of the cockneys amongst whom your earliest days were passed, all mingled together."

"You see, Master Colly," said Bill, turning to the young Scotchman, "my brother 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 to help 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' spin us your yarn."

"I have no one yarn to spin," replied Jim, "for a narrative of my adventures in the desert would consist of a thousand yarns, each giving a description of some severe suffering or disappointment. I can only tell you that it seems to me that I have passed many years in travelling through the sands of the Saara, years in cultivating barley on its borders, years in digging wells, and years in attending flocks of goats, sheep, and other animals. I have had many masters, all bad, and some worse, and I have had many cruel disappointments about regaining my liberty. I was once within a single day's journey of Mogador; and was then sold again and carried back into the very heart of the desert. I have attempted two or three times to escape; but was recaptured each time, and nearly killed for the unpardonable dishonesty of trying to rob my master of my own person. I have often been tempted to commit suicide; but a sort of womanly curiosity and stubbornness has prevented me. I wished to see how long Fortune would persecute me; and I was determined 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 trouble by killing himself shows that he has come off sadly worsted in the war of life."

"You are quite right," said Harry Blount; "but I hope that your hardest battles in that war are now over. Our masters have promised to carry us to some place where we may be ransomed by our countrymen, and you of course will be taken along with us."