d the year before in trying to
recover their cattle from the Cabeleyzes, 'a sort of Hieland caterans.'

The girl whom Arthur had noticed was the widow of the elder of the two,
and the child was only a daughter. The sheyk had been much impressed by
Arthur's exploit in swimming or floating round the headland and saving
the child, and regarded his height as something gigantic. Moreover,
Yusuf had asserted that he was son to a great Bey in his own country, and
in consequence Abou Ben Zegri was willing to adopt him as his son,
provided he would embrace the true faith, and marry Ayesha, the widow.

'And,' said Yusuf, 'these women are no that ill for wives, as I ken owre
weel'--and he sighed. 'I had as gude and douce a wee wifie at Bona as
heart culd wish, and twa bonny bairnies; but when I cam' back frae my
rounds, the plague had been there before me. They were a' gone, even
Ali, that had just began to ca' me Ab, Ab, and I hae never had heart to
gang back to the town house. She was a gude wife--nae flying, nae
rampauging. She wad hae died wi' shame to be likened to thae randy wives
at hame. Ye might do waur than tak' such a fair offer, Maister Arthur.'

'You mean it all kindly,' said Arthur, touched; 'but for nothing--no, for
nothing, can a Christian deny his Lord, or yield up his hopes for
hereafter.'

'As for that,' returned Yusuf, 'the meneester and Beacon Shortcoats, and
my auld auntie, and the lave of them, aye ca'ed me a vessel of
destruction. That was the best name they had for puir Tam. So what odds
culd it mak, if I took up with the Prophet, and I was ower lang leggit to
row in a galley? Forbye, here they say that a man who prays and gies
awmous, and keeps frae wine, is sicker to win to Paradise and a' the
houris. I had rather it war my puir Zorah than any strange houri of them
a'; but any way, I hae been a better man sin' I took up wi' them than
ever I was as a cursing, swearing, drunken, fechting sailor lad wha
feared neither God nor devil.'

'That was scarce the fault of the Christian faith,' said Arthur.

'Aweel, the first answer in the Shorter Carritch was a' they ever garred
me learn, and that is what we here say of Allah. I see no muckle to
choose, and I _ken_ ane thing,--it is a hell on earth at ance gin ye gang
not alang wi' them. And that's sicker, as ye'll find to your cost, sir,
gin ye be na the better guided.'

'With hope, infinite hope beyond,' said Arthur, trying to fortify
himself.