tending to keep his thoughts from his personal discomfort; but
by degrees he found that he had received a peculiar jar of the whole
system, which made the recumbent position the most comfortable that he
could occupy.

It was no wonder, for the leaps which the pony had made were tremendous,
and it was as remarkable that the little animal had kept its feet as
that Lawrence had retained his seat in the saddle.

The next morning, a memorable one in their journey, broke bright and
clear; and Lawrence, after a hearty breakfast of bread, yaourt, and
honey, supplemented by coffee which might have been better, and peaches
which could not have been excelled, mounted Ali Baba in the highest of
spirits, feeling as he did far better for his night's rest. The sun was
shining gloriously and lighting up the sides of the mountains and
flashing from the streams that trickled down their sides. Low down in
the deep defiles there were hanging mists which looked like veils of
silver decked with opalescent tints of the most delicate transparency,
as they floated slowly before the morning breeze.

Their host of the night wished them good speed with a smiling face, and
they were riding off when Lawrence happened to look back and saw that
the man had taken off his turban and was making a derisive gesture, to
the great delight of the group of people who were gathered round.

Lawrence thought it beneath his notice and turned away, but this once
more seemed to give strength to Yussuf's suspicions.

But a bright morning in the midst of the exhilarating mountain air is
not a time for bearing in mind suspicions, or thinking of anything but
the beauty of all around. They were higher up in the mountains now,
with more rugged scenery and grand pine-woods; and as they rode along
another of the curious shelf-like tracks by the defile there was
constantly something fresh to see.

They had not been an hour on the road before Yussuf stopped to point
across the gorge to an object which had taken his attention on the other
side.

"Do you see, effendi Lawrence?" he said smiling.

"No."

"Yonder, just to the left of that patch of bushes where the stone looks
grey?"

"Oh, yes; I see now," cried the lad--"a black sheep."

"Look again," said Yussuf; and he clapped his hands to his mouth and
uttered a tremendous "Ha-ha!"

As the shout ran echoing along the gorge the animal on the farther
slope, quite two hundred yards away, went shuffling along at