how we
were to obtain any information about Miss Norman in the first place, and
how we were to gain access to her in the second. In my character of a
slave, I assisted the Sheikh's slaves in bringing in the box of jewels,
the saddle-bags, and saddles, and horse-cloths, as well as our blankets,
which we had brought to form our beds at night. Our room being
arranged, Mr Vernon told me to remain within, while he went out to try
and obtain some information in the village, advising me in the meantime
to amuse myself with my fiddle, which had already delighted the ears of
many of the believers of the Prophet of Mecca during our long journey.
I had some misgivings about his going, for I was afraid that the
villagers might suspect his character, and might ill-treat him. For
myself I had no fear as long as I could continue to feign dumbness, as
my character was easily kept up. He had told the Sheikh's people that I
was a Nazarene lad, who was ignorant of their language. Being dumb,
they considered me under the peculiar care of Providence.

After a little time, having recovered my spirits and cast all
forebodings from me--which are, after all, but the result of a morbid
imagination, or of a want of trust in God's providence,--I sat myself
down on the chest, and pulling my fiddle out of its case, began playing
away most vigorously some of the old tunes Hanks had taught me. I had
gone through some five or six of them, when a voice, which I felt sure I
had often heard, hailed--

"Hillo! shipmate, what part of the world do you come from?" The faint
light which came through the door was obscured by the figure of a
seaman.

"Why!" I exclaimed, forgetting that I was dumb, as he stepped into the
room,--"why, if I can believe my senses, there is Jack Stretcher
himself."

"What! is that you, Mr D'Arcy?" he answered; coming up to me, and
taking my hand. "I should not have known you in that rum rig, sir, if
it hadn't been for your voice, I declare."

Our errand was soon explained; and he then told me that, having been
offered a berth as second mate of the _Ariadne_, he had obtained his
discharge from the cutter. To my great satisfaction, he told me that
Major Norman was really a slave in the Sheikh's house, and that his
daughter was in the harem. What had become of the rest of the crew he
could not tell.

While I had been speaking, I had been scraping away to drown my voice,
in case anybody came near. I now urged Jack to