to his rank, one twentieth of
the total falling to Sakr-el-Bahr himself.

In the courtyard were left none but Asad, Marzak and the janissaries,
and Sakr-el-Bahr with Ali and Jasper. It was then that Sakr-el-Bahr
presented his new officer to the Bashal as one upon whom the grace
of Allah had descended, a great fighter and a skilled seaman, who had
offered up his talents and his life to the service of Islam, who had
been accepted by Sakr-el-Bahr, and stood now before Asad to be confirmed
in his office.

Marzak interposed petulantly, to exclaim that already were there too
many erstwhile Nasrani dogs in the ranks of the soldiers of the Faith,
and that it was unwise to increase their number and presumptuous in
Sakr-el-Bahr to take so much upon himself.

Sakr-el-Bahr measured him with an eye in which scorn and surprise were
nicely blended.

"Dost say that it is presumptuous to win a convert to the banner of Our
Lord Mahomet?" quoth he. "Go read the Most Perspicuous Book and see what
is there enjoined as a duty upon every True-Believer. And bethink thee,
O son of Asad, that when thou dost in thy little wisdom cast scorn upon
those whom Allah has blessed and led from the night wherein they dwelt
into the bright noontide of Faith, thou dost cast scorn upon me and upon
thine own mother, which is but a little matter, and thou dost blaspheme
the Blessed name of Allah, which is to tread the ways that lead unto the
Pit."

Angry but defeated and silenced, Marzak fell back a step and stood
biting his lip and glowering upon the corsair, what time Asad nodded his
head and smiled approval.

"Verily art thou full learned in the True Belief, Sakr-el-Bahr," he
said. "Thou art the very father of wisdom as of valour." And thereupon
he gave welcome to Master Leigh, whom he hailed to the ranks of the
Faithful under the designation of Jasper-Reis.

That done, the renegade and Ali were both dismissed, as were also the
janissaries, who, quitting their position behind Asad, went to take
their stand on guard at the gateway. Then the Basha beat his hands
together, and to the slaves who came in answer to his summons he gave
orders to set food, and he bade Sakr-el-Bahr to come sit beside him on
the divan.

Water was brought that they might wash. That done, the slaves placed
before them a savoury stew of meat and eggs with olives, limes, and
spices.

Asad broke bread with a reverently pronounced "Bismillah!" and dipped
his fingers into the