here, go now. I am sleepy and tired."

Kalulu left the old man, and, proceeding to the store-room, extracted
the four doti he was permitted to take; one of blue cotton, one of
white, one coloured barsati, and one fine sohari, which he rolled into a
bundle, and covered with a goatskin, and conveyed to his hut, where he
found Simba, Moto, Abdullah, and Selim.

When he had seated himself, he asked Selim:

"What book is that thou wert talking of to me yesterday?"

"It is the Kuran," replied Selim, "written by a holy man, sent by the
Sky-spirit to tell men how to conduct themselves on earth, so they may
enter the good place called Paradise."

"What is the Sky-spirit like?"

"No man, since that great man, has seen him; he is a spirit, and cannot
be seen," replied Selim.

"Why do the pale-faces obey a thing that cannot be seen?"

"Because the holy man, Mohammed, who wrote his words down, has given us
all we want to know. The holy man saw him, and wrote his words
faithfully down."

"Is Mommed alive now?" asked Kalulu.

"Oh no! He has been dead ever so long, many, many years. So many as
one hundred sultans of Ututa have lived and died since Mohammed--not
Mommed--died," answered Selim.

"Where is this Paradise to which the good men go? I am good. Shall I
go to Paradise?" asked Kalulu, with a smile.

"Paradise is away, up, far, far above the clouds. No man is permitted
to go there except he is a true believer, who believes in God, Mohammed,
and the Kuran."

"And where shall I go when I die?"

"If thou diest without believing, thou shalt go to the place which is
reserved for such as were ignorant, and were not taught the true word.
It is far from Paradise."

"Hum! it is not as good as Paradise, then?" asked Kalulu. "No."

"The Sky-spirit is wicked," said Kalulu. "He sends a holy man called
Mommed to tell good words to the white peoples, and prepares a nice
place for them. For it is easy to believe, when people are taught what
to believe. But the black peoples, they see no holy man. Nobody comes
to tell them anything; but because they are ignorant they are sent to a
bad place. Bah! the Sky-spirit is very wicked; he is unjust; I don't
want to see him, because I shall not die; I won't die."

Selim had here a fine chance to deliver a sermon, and make a proselyte,
but he was too young to take advantage of the opportunity; besides, he
did not want to make his new brother angry or more rebellious than she