ng him sternly till the party had passed the gang, when,
with a quick sweep of his sharp blade he caught the whip close to the
shaft, sheared it off, and then pressing his horse's sides he bounded
on, leaving the brute scowling in his rear.

"We are to be saved from all insult, Ben Eddin," said the Sheikh
gravely; "but you must not resent anything you see, and this shows you
how careful we must be."

"Yes, but it makes my blood boil," said Frank to himself, as he gave the
old Arab a meaning look full of promise as regards care.

They rode on and on and in and out through what at times was a teeming
hive of misery and degradation, where filth and disorder seemed to be
rampant. At times there were houses of larger build, and here and there
attempts had been made to enclose a garden, in which there was the
refreshing sight of a few trees; but the monotony of the place was
terrible, and the absence of all trace of a busy, thriving, industrious
population was depressing in the extreme.

"We must ride out from the city another time, Ben Eddin," said the
Sheikh gravely, after they had gone on through the crowded ways for
fully a couple of hours, their guard following patiently in the rear,
and their presence ensuring a way being made through some of the
well-armed, truculent-looking groups.

"Yes," said the professor, who overheard his words; "and I am afraid
that we shall do no good hunting among these narrow streets. Can't you
take us amongst the houses of the better-class folk, Ibrahim?"

"That is what I am trying to do, Excellency," said the old man; "but you
see--wherever there is a big house it is shut in with walls, and there
are so few--so few. It is like one of our worst villages near Cairo
made big--so big, and so much more dirty and bad."

"The place is a horror, Frank," said the professor. "I wonder the
people do not die off like flies."

"Doubtless they do, Excellency," said the old Sheikh gravely.

"They must, Frank," continued the professor. "The dry sand saves the
place from being one vast pest-house. Look at the foul dogs, and yonder
at the filthy vultures seated on the top of that mud house."

"There's lot's more coming, sir," said Sam, putting in a word, as he
looked upward in a disgusted way. "I do hate those great, bald-headed
crows."

"Hideous brutes!" said the professor, watching the easy flight of about
half a dozen that were sailing round as if waiting to swoop down upon
some prey.