ery nearly killed. When I revived
we were in a filthy matmorah, where we existed for seven months in
misery, being kept alive on a scanty supply of barley loaves and
water. At last I pretended to have lost my reason, as I should have
done in truth had I stayed there much longer. When they told the kaid
this, he gave permission for me to be let out. I found my wife and
children still living, thank God, though they had had very hard times.
What has become of my cousins I do not know, and do not dare to ask,
but thou couldst, O Bashador, if once I were under thy protection.

"All I know is that, after receiving our present, Si Mohammed sold us
to the kaid for twelve hundred dollars. He was a fool, Bashador, a
great fool; had he demanded of us we would have given him twelve
hundred dollars to save ourselves what we have had to suffer.

"Wonderest thou still, O Bashador, that I prefer the Nazarenes, and
wish there were more of them in the country? I respect the dust off
their shoes more than a whole nation of miscalled Muslims who could
treat me as I have been treated; but God is just, and 'there is
neither force nor power save in God,' yes, 'all is written.' He gives
to men according to their hearts. We had bad hearts, and he gave us a
Government like them."

II. THE SEARCH

The day was already far spent when at last Abd Allah led his animal
into one of the caravansarais outside the gate of Mazagan, so, after
saying his evening prayers and eating his evening meal, he lay down
to rest on a heap of straw in one of the little rooms of the fandak,
undisturbed either by anxious dreams, or by the multitude of lively
creatures about him.

Ere the sun had risen the voice of the muedhdhin awoke him with the
call to early prayer. Shrill and clear the notes rang out on the calm
morning air in that perfect silence--

"G-o-d is gr-ea--t! G-o-d is gr-ea--t! G-o-d is grea--t! I witness
that there is no God but God, and Mohammed is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer! Come to prayer! Prayer is better than
sleep! Come to prayer!"

Quickly rising, Abd Allah repaired to the water-tap, and seating
himself on the stone seat before it, rapidly performed the prescribed
religious ablutions, this member three times, then the other as
often, and so on, all in order, right first, left to follow as less
honourable, finishing up with the pious ejaculation, "God greatest!"
Thence to the mosque was but a step, and in a few m