me compulsion most unwillingly, and even despondently, but
apparently constrained by a certain instinctive feudal feeling, which
made him follow the desires of the young Border laird's son.

All had been packed beforehand, and there was nothing to be done but to
strike the tents, saddle the mules, and start. Ulysse, still very
sleepy, was lifted into the pannier, almost at the first streak of dawn,
while the slaves were grumbling at being so early called up; and to a
Moor who wakened up and offered to take charge of the little Bey, Yusuf
replied that the child had been left in the sheyk's house.

So they were safely out at the outer gate, and proceeding along a
beautiful path leading above the cliffs. The mules kept in one long
string, Bekir with the foremost, which was thus at some distance from the
hindmost, which carried Ulysse and was attended by Arthur, while the
master rode his own animals and gave directions. The fiction of illness
was kept up, and when the bright eyes looked up in too lively a manner,
Yusuf produced some of the sweets, which were always part of his stock in
trade, as a bribe to quietness.

At sunrise, the halt for prayer was a trial to Arthur's intense anxiety,
and far more so was the noontide one for sleep. He even ventured a
remonstrance, but was answered, 'Mair haste, worse speed. Our lives are
no worth a boddle till the search is over.'

They were on the shady side of a great rock overhung by a beautiful
creeping plant, and with a spring near at hand, and Yusuf, in leisurely
fashion, squatted down, caused Arthur to lift out the child, who was fast
asleep again, and the mules to be allowed to feed, and distributed some
dried goat's flesh and dates; but Ulysse, somewhat to Arthur's alarm, did
not wake sufficiently to partake.

Looking up in alarm, he met a sign from Yusuf and presently a whisper,
'No hurt done--'tis safer thus--'

And by this time there were alarming sounds on the air. The sheyk and
two of the chief men of El Arnieh were on horseback and armed with
matchlocks; and the whole '_posse_ of the village were following on foot,
with yells and vituperations of the entire ancestry of the merchant, and
far more complicated and furious threats than Arthur could follow; but he
saw Yusuf go forward to meet them with the utmost cool courtesy.

They seemed somewhat discomposed: Yusuf appeared to condole with them on
the loss, and, waving his hands, put all his baggage at their se