f the Demons, in this thy trouble."

The young man smote his hand upon his head. "What a fool I am," said
he, "not to have thought to call upon Zadok before this!" Then he called
aloud, "Zadok, Zadok! If thou art indeed my slave, come hither at my
bidding."

In an instant there sounded a rumble as of thunder. The floor swayed and
rocked beneath the young man's feet. The dust flew in clouds, and there
stood Zadok as black as ink, and with eyes that shone like coals of
fire.

"I have come," said Zadok, "and first let me cure thy smarts, O master."

He removed the cloths from the young man's back, and rubbed the places
that smarted with a cooling unguent. Instantly the pain and smarting
ceased, and the merchant's son had perfect ease.

"Now," said Zadok, "what is thy bidding?"

"Tell me," said Aben Hassen the Fool, "whence comes all the wealth that
you have brought me? The king has commanded me to tell him and I could
not, and so he has had me beaten with fifty lashes."

"I bring the treasure," said Zadok, "from the treasure-house of the
ancient kings of Egypt. That treasure I at one time discovered to your
father, and he, not desiring it himself, hid it in the earth so that no
one might find it."

"And where is this treasure-house, O Zadok?" said the young man.

"It is in the city of the queen of the Black Isles," said the King of
the Demons; "there thy father lived in a palace of such magnificence
as thou hast never dreamed of. It was I that brought him thence to this
place with one vessel of gold money and one vessel of silver money."

"It was you who brought him here, did you say, Zadok? Then, tell me,
can you take me from here to the city of the queen of the Black Isles,
whence you brought him?"

"Yes," said Zadok, "with ease."

"Then," said the young man, "I command you to take me thither instantly,
and to show me the treasure."

"I obey," said Zadok.

He stamped his foot upon the ground. In an instant the walls of the
prison split asunder, and the sky was above them. The Demon leaped from
the earth, carrying the young man by the girdle, and flew through the
air so swiftly that the stars appeared to slide away behind them. In a
moment he set the young man again upon the ground, and Aben Hassen the
Fool found himself at the end of what appeared to be a vast and splendid
garden.

"We are now," said Zadok, "above the treasure-house of which I spoke. It
was here that I saw thy father seal it so that no