n the
case of one who knew it so little when he had abjured it.

And Arthur had not been bred to the grim reading of the doctrine of
predestination which had condemned poor Tam, even before he had embraced
the faith of the Prophet. Boyish, and not over thoughtful, the youth,
when brought face to face with apostacy, had been ready to give life or
liberty rather than deny his Lord; and deepened by that great decision,
he could hold up that Lord and Redeemer in colours that made Tam see that
his clinging to his faith was not out of mere honour and constancy, but
that Mohammed had been a poor and wretched substitute for Him whom the
poor fellow had denied, not knowing what he did.

'Weel!' he said, 'gin the Deacon and the auld aunties had tellt me as
mickle about Him, thae Moors might ha' preached their thrapples sair for
Tam. Mashallah! Maister Arthur, do ye think, noo, He can forgie a puir
carle for turning frae Him an' disowning Him?'

'I am sure of it, Tam. He forgives all who come to Him--and you--you did
it in ignorance.'

'And you trow na that I am a vessel of wrath, as they aye said?'

'No, no, no, Tam. How could that be with one who has done what you have
for us? There is good in you--noble goodness, Tam; and who could have
put it there but God, the Holy Spirit? I believe myself He was leading
you all the time, though you did not know it; making you a better man
first, and now, through this brave kindness to us, bringing you back to
be a real true Christian and know Him.'

Arthur felt as if something put the words into his mouth, but he felt
them with all his heart, and the tears were in his eyes.

At sundown Tam grew restless. Force of habit impelled him to turn to
Mecca and make his devotions as usual, and after nearly kneeling down on
the flat stone, he turned to Arthur and said, 'I canna wed do without the
bit prayer, sir.

'No, indeed, Tam. Only let it be in the right Name.'

And Arthur knelt down beside him and said the Lord's Prayer--then, under
a spell of bashfulness, muttered special entreaty for protection and
safety.

They were to embark again now that darkness would veil their movements,
but the wind blew so much from the north that they could not raise the
sail. The oars were taken by Tam and Fareek at first, but when they came
into difficult currents Arthur changed places with the former.

And thus the hours passed. The Mediterranean may be in our eyes a
European lake, but it w