ith the assurance that all was right--an assurance,
by the way, which was not quite satisfactory to the latter, when he
reflected on and tenderly stroked the bump, about as large as a pigeon's
egg, which ornamented the space between his eyes!

"Never mind, Ally Babby," was his friend's consolatory remark as they
left the house and returned to their hammocks; "it can't damage your
good looks, an' 'll prove a mighty source of amazement to the
muskaities."

Meanwhile the consul accompanied Mariano a short way on his return to
town, so that the latter might not be delayed.

"I hope there is no fear of an outbreak occurring before I can get into
town to-morrow," said the consul, as they were about to part. "It is
impossible that I can demand an audience of the Dey before breakfast
without creating suspicion. Tell Bacri, however, that he may depend on
my doing my utmost without delay to avert the evil. And now, how do you
mean to return to him--for it occurs to me that although you may scale
the walls easily enough, you won't be able to retrace your way to the
house of the Jew who favoured your escape?"

"Bacri had foreseen that," replied the youth, "and has arranged to meet
and guide me from a street leading south from the Bagnio, which is known
to both of us."

"He runs great risk in doing this," said the consul; "however, he knows
the outs and ins of the city well. Good-bye, and God speed you on your
way."

Mariano, who was impatient to return, at once darted away like a deer,
and was soon lost to view among the aloes and cactuses that clothed the
slopes of the Sahel hills.

Not long afterwards the grey light of day began to tip the domes and
minarets of the pirate city, and with it began the soft hum of a general
awakening--for Mohammedans are early risers, and even pirates deemed it
consistent with their calling to commence the day with formal--not to
say ostentatious--prayers. Any one traversing the streets at that early
hour might have seen men at the fountains busy with their prescribed
ablutions, while elsewhere others were standing, kneeling, or
prostrating themselves, with their faces turned carefully in the
direction of Mecca, their holy city.

It must not be supposed, however, as we have already remarked, that all
the men of the town were pirates. That the town existed by means of
piracy, and that all its chief men from the Dey downwards were pure and
simple robbers, is quite consistent with the f