erything with the greatest disfavour, merely
glancing once or twice at the doctor and then at the speaker, as
allusions were made to the parts they were to play. When the professor
was mentioned the listener remained unmoved, but he frowned more
markedly when the servant's name was mentioned.

Frank worked himself up till in his eagerness his words came fast, as he
strove hard to impress the Sheikh with the plausibility of his plans.
But the old man remained unmoved, and when at last the speaker had said
all that he could say there was a dead and chilling silence, the young
man turning from his listener to look despairingly from the doctor to
the professor, and back again, "The Sheikh cannot see it," said the
young man despairingly; "but it seems easier to me now than ever."

"Yes," said the doctor; "I feel that it might be done. The idea grows
upon me."

"But you do not like it, Ibrahim," said the professor, looking hard in
the solemn, impenetrable face before him.

"There is the servant--the doctor's man," said the Sheikh gravely. "I
have not seen him."

"You soon shall," said the professor.

"Tell me," continued the Sheikh; "this young man--can he make cures--can
he bind up wounds and attend to an injured or dying man?"

"He has been my servant and has helped me for years," said the doctor.

"Hah!"

Then there was silence again, and Frank gazed at the deeply-lined, calm
and impassive face before him with a feeling of resentment.

"He will not do," thought the young man; "he is too slow and plodding.
We want a brisk, dashing fellow, full of spirit and recklessness."

He turned to the professor, and spoke a few words in Latin.

The professor smiled.

"You do not know Ibrahim yet," he said quietly. "A young Englishman
dashes at a thing without consideration; an Arab looks before he leaps,
and examines the starting and the landing place. Hush!"

"Yes," said the Sheikh at last, and he bowed his head again and again as
he spoke, evidently calculating every move in the great game of chess
with live pieces in which he was about to engage. "Yes; his Excellency
here will be the learned Hakim--he _is_ a learned Hakim, and the people
will crowd to his tent. I could take him and his Excellency the
professor, who speaks our tongue like I speak it myself, anywhere, and
they would be welcome. The idea is grand and cannot fail, but my heart
grows faint when I think of his young Excellency here. Could he bear