r. When they were about an eight
hours' journey from the camp. Said heard the men whispering among
themselves, and remarked that their manner was more and more sullen. He
tried to catch what they were saying, and made out that they were
conversing in a language understood only by this tribe, and only
employed by them in their secret or dangerous undertakings. Selim,
whose intention it had been to keep the young man permanently with him
in his tent, had devoted many hours to teaching the young man these
secret words; but what he now overheard was not of the most comforting
nature.

"This is the spot," said one; "here we attacked the caravan, and here
fell the bravest of men by the hand of a boy."

"The wind has covered the tracks of his horse," continued another, "but
I have not forgotten them."

"And shall he who laid hands on him still live and be at liberty, and
thus cast reproach on us? When was it ever heard before that a father
failed to revenge the death of his only son? But Selim grows old and
childish."

"And if the father neglects it," said a fourth, "then it becomes the
duty of the fallen man's friends to avenge him. We should cut the
murderer down on this spot. Such has been our law and custom for ages."

"But we have bound ourselves by an oath to the chief not to kill this
youth," said the fifth man, "and we cannot break our oath."

"It is true," responded the others; "we have sworn, and the murderer is
free to pass from the hands of his enemies."

"Stop a moment!" cried one, the most sullen of them all. "Old Selim has
a wise head, but is not so shrewd as he is generally credited with
being. Did we swear to him that we would take this boy to this or that
place? No; our oath simply bound us not to take his life, and we will
leave him that; but the blistering sun and the sharp teeth of the
jackals will soon accomplish our revenge for us. Here, on this spot, we
can bind and leave him."

Thus spake the robber; but Said had now prepared himself for a last
desperate chance, and before the final words were fairly spoken he
suddenly wheeled his horse to one side, gave him a sharp blow, and flew
like a bird across the plain. The five men paused for a moment in
surprise; but they were skilled in pursuit, and spread themselves out,
chasing him from the right and left, and as they were more experienced
in riding on the desert, two of them had soon overtaken the youth, and
when he swerved to one side he found t