hat for some moments stunned him almost to
speechlessness.

Harry Blount was the first to awaken to the necessity of action.

"Where are our masters the merchants?" he exclaimed. "They cannot, they
shall not sell us. Come, all of you! Follow me!"

Rushing forth from the penn, that had been allowed them for a residence,
the young Englishman, followed by his companions, started towards the
dwelling of the sheik, to which place the merchants and the Moor had
retired.

All were now excited with disappointment and despair; and on reaching
the sheik's house, the two Arab merchants were called out to listen to a
volley of reproaches.

"Why have you sold us?" asked the Krooman, as the merchants came forth.
"Have you not promised that we should be taken to Swearah, and has not
your partner gone there to obtain the money for our ransom?"

The two merchants were, at this moment, on good terms with themselves
and all the world besides. They had made what they believed to be a
good bargain, and were in the humour for being agreeable.

Moreover, they did not wish to be thought guilty of a wrong, even by
Christian slaves; and they therefore condescended to give some
explanation.

"Suppose," said one of them, "that our partner Bo Muzem should find a
man in Mogador who is willing to ransom you, how much are we to get for
you?"

"One hundred dollars for me," answered the Krooman, "and one hundred and
fifty for each of the others."

"True; and for that we should have to take you there, and be at the
expense of maintaining you on the road?"

"Yes."

"Well, Rais Mourad, this wealthy Moor, has paid us one hundred and fifty
dollars for each of you; and should we not be fools to take you all the
way to Mogador for less money? Besides, we might not get paid anything,
whereas we have received it in cash from Rais Mourad. You are no longer
our slaves, but his."

When the Krooman had made this communication to the others, they saw
that all further parley with the Arab merchants was useless; and that
their destiny was now in the keeping of Rais Mourad.

At Harry's request, the Krooman endeavoured to ascertain in what
direction the Moor was going to take them; but the only information they
received was that Rais Mourad knew his own business, and was not in the
habit of conferring with his slaves as to what he should do with them.

Some of the followers of the Moor now came forward; and the slaves were
ordered back to their