ellow. It was curiously
antique."

"I thought it better not, Fred," said the doctor quietly. "Let's keep
up my character of one who seeks only to do good and heal."

"Yes, you're right, old fellow; but an ancient gem like that is
tempting. It may be a thousand years old."

"And now about obtaining news of Hal," said Frank, looking from one to
the other. "They surely are not going to keep us shut up here?"

"A little patience, Frank, lad," said the professor; "here we are,
within the walls of Omdurman, and received as friends; it cannot be long
before we find out whether there are other prisoners here."

"Whether there are other prisoners here!" cried Frank excitedly. "Why,
we know."

"That poor Hal was either here or at Khartoum months ago. We must not
be too sanguine. He may be many miles away."

"You may be right," said Frank wearily, "and I will not be sanguine; but
if you begin dealing with probabilities and improbabilities, I may reply
that it is quite possible that Hal is here in Omdurman--that he may even
be in this very house. We know that he was a prisoner, do we not?"

"Of course," said the professor.

"Then he would be the slave of some important man?"

"Certainly, my dear boy."

"Well, this Emir seems to be one of the most important men here; why may
not fate have brought us to the very place?"

"Ah, why not, Frank, lad? But it is too improbable."

"Yes," said the doctor, in his quiet, grave way; "far too improbable.
Still, it is wonderful that we should have reached the very centre of
the enemy's stronghold, and, what is more, that we should stand so well
with this Emir. Be patient, Frank, and let us see what a few days bring
forth. The Sheikh will begin at once, and he is a hundred times more
likely to gain information than we are."

"And the first thing to learn is how we stand."

They began to find that out directly, for the coming and going of their
guard, and a few questions from the Sheikh, supplied the information
that this man had them in charge and was answerable to his chief for
their safety, the Emir having quite made up his mind that the Hakim
should form a part of his household so that he would have medical and
surgical help when it was needed, and also that he might enjoy the
credit of possessing so wonderful a physician, and share that of his
cures.

The arrangements made were perfectly simple; in fact, they were such as
they would have met with in a tent; the o