me. "In other words, that is what nearly everybody
who knows anything about the matter believes to be the true Mount
Sinai."

"Mount Sinai!" almost screamed Mrs. Blossom, who had apparently
determined not to be harassed by any more doubts, for what everybody
believed to be true must be so. "I should like to die on that
mountain," she declared, wringing her hands in a sort of rapture.

"Don't make yourself ridiculous, Sarah," interposed Mrs. Belgrave in a
whisper.

"How can a body look on Mount Sinai without being stirred up?" demanded
the good woman.

But whether it was Jebel Serbal or Jebel Musa, Mount Sinai was there;
and doubtless most of the company were as much impressed by the fact as
the excellent lady from Von Blonk Park, though they were less
demonstrative about it. Mrs. Belgrave was silent for a time; and then
she struck up one of Watts's familiar hymns, in which the others joined
her:--

"Not to the terrors of the Lord,
The tempest, fire, and smoke,
Not to the thunder of that word
Which God on Sinai spoke;
But we are come to Zion's hill,
The city of our God,
Where milder words declare his will,
And spread his love abroad."

As the gong sounded for lunch the ship was off Tur, but too far off to
see the place, if there was anything there to see; and the commander
mentioned it only as the port to which they would have sailed if they
had gone to Mount Sinai. The "Big Four" were more interested in the
Arabian craft they saw near the shore, for they always keep close to the
land. Their captains are familiar with all the intricate reefs where
large vessels never go. They are very cautious sailors, and on the least
sign of foul weather they run into one of the creeks which indent the
coast. They never sail at night; and if they have to cross the sea, they
wait for settled weather.

At the hour appointed for the afternoon conference the passengers were
all in their places; and however the report of his lectures may read,
the listeners were deeply interested, partly because they were inspired
by a desire for knowledge, and partly on account of their proximity to
the countries described. A map of the peninsula of Arabia had been
unrolled on the frame, with enough of its surroundings to enable the
audience to fix its location definitely in their minds. The professor
came up smiling and pleasant as he always was, and the boys saluted him
with a round of applause.

"My