towards the body and timidly put his hand on the boy's
chest to feel it; but he suddenly removed it with a cry.

"He is not dead! His skin is soft, and I felt it move!"

Moto and Kalulu sprang and knelt down by the boy's side, and a joyful
sparkle was seen in Simba's eyes as he also bent down and placed one
hand within that of the motionless boy, and the other on the chest.
Moto felt the head, to see if there was internal warmth in it, and
Kalulu seemed desirous of knowing the truth by reading it in the eyes of
Simba and Moto with his own.

"He lives! my young master Selim lives! Allah be praised!" cried Simba
fervently.

"But he will not live long if we don't carry him away to put something
into him," said Moto, anxiously and hurriedly. "Dost thou see Simba,
how thin he is? he is nothing but skin and bone--and look here, Simba!
Wallahi! what sheitan (bad man, fiend) has done this? See the bruises
on his shoulders, and--turn him over on his side--there!--look at his
back, Simba!"

"Moto," answered that great and tender-hearted giant, "Tell me, what
could have done this? Is it a man? A man?--no! No man could have
wounded and striped that back so, because Selim--poor innocent Selim!--
could have done nothing to deserve it. This is the work of a pure
mshensi (savage), and I will tear out that man's heart, so help me
Allah! But let us bear him quickly but gently to the village--and,
Moto, ask Kalulu to send the man back running to tell the people to have
some very thin ugali (porridge) boiled in goat's milk ready by the time
we reach there."

The order was given by Kalulu immediately, and Moto, laying hold of his
shoulder-cloth, which he had thrown away from him at the first burst of
excitement, began to spread it out on the ground. Simba aided Moto then
to lift the wasted form of their young master on the cloth, groaning
from sheer sorrow and grief at the thought of what he must have
suffered, and murmuring to himself, "Selim will tell me if he lives, and
if he dies, little Abdullah will tell me, and then, you sheitan, you
mshensi dog! I will treat you in the same way as you treated Selim--
sure, sure."

When the senseless form of Selim had been placed on the cloth, Simba and
Moto took hold of each corner of it at the head while two other men were
ordered by Kalulu to take hold of each corner at the feet, and in this
manner they proceeded on their return to the village.

When the party arrived at the