elevated position looked down almost reproachfully on those
who had been wont to bow at his footstool.

The act was followed by another roar. A hundred muskets belched forth
their deadly fire, and Achmet Dey fell headlong into the street.

The shattered body was instantly seized by the soldiers, and the head,
severed from the trunk, was carried off to the palace, there to be
presented as a trophy to Sidi Hamet, the new Dey of Algiers.

So soon as the green standard of the Prophet was run up on the
flag-staff of the palace, announcing that a new ruler had seated himself
on the throne, the period of recognised anarchy came to an end, and
order began to be in some measure restored. Still, most of the wealthy
inhabitants kept in close retirement, having, of course, hidden away
most of their valuables and cash. The Jews, especially, were very chary
of showing themselves in public, and those of them who had fled for
refuge to the British consulate remained quiet, and were hospitably
entertained for several days.

Among the first who fled to that shelter was the valiant Rais Ali. He
entered with a trembling frame and pale visage about the time the
incidents we have described were being enacted, and found Colonel
Langley, with the aid of Ted Flaggan, engaged in preparing the various
rooms of the building for the reception of those who, from past
experience, he expected to require them.

"Why, Rais! what ails you?" demanded Colonel Langley in surprise, not
unmingled with anger, for he had, on leaving home, placed the
interpreter in charge of his family in his suburban villa.

"Oh! mass'r," said Ali piteously; "yous no know wat dangers me hab if de
janissary cotch me. Life not wuth wone buttin."

"Rascal!" exclaimed the Colonel, "did I not charge you to guard my
household? How dare you forsake your post? Are you not under my
protection?"

"Ah! yis, yis, mass'r; but--but--yous no know de greatness of me
danger--"

"Go, scoundrel!" exclaimed the Colonel, losing all patience with him;
"return to your duty as fast as your horse can carry you, else I shall
hand you over to the janissaries."

"You hears what yer master says, don't 'ee?" said Ted Flaggan, who
viewed the infidelity and cowardice of the interpreter with supreme
disgust, as he seized him by the nape of the neck and thrust him towards
the door. "Git out, ye white-livered spalpeen, or I'll multiply every
bone in yer body by two."

Rais Ali went with ext