he
blew his nose like a challenge upon a trumpet.

"I am deeply grieved, effendi," continued Yussuf, smiling as he turned
to the professor, "for this is a terrible misfortune, and you will be
disappointed of your visit to the old city. But it would be madness to
light. We should be throwing away our lives, and that of the young
effendi here, who has shown us of late that he has a long and useful
life to lead. It is our fate. We must give up."

"Never!" cried Mr Burne, cocking his gun.

"Don't be foolish, my dear Burne," said the professor. "I would say,
let us fight like men; but what can we do against fifty well-armed
scoundrels, who can shelter themselves and pick us off at their ease?
Come, keep that gun still, or you will shoot one of us instead of an
enemy."

"Now, that's cruel!" cried Mr Burne with an air of comical vexation.
"Well, I suppose you are right. Here, Yussuf, old fellow, I beg your
pardon. I was only in a savage temper. I suppose we must give in; but
before I'll pay a shilling of ransom they shall take off my head."

Yussuf smiled.

"Confound you, sir, don't grin at a man when he's down," cried Mr
Burne. "You've got the better of me, but you need not rejoice like
that."

"I do not rejoice, excellency, only that you believe in me once more."

"Here! hi! you black-muzzled, unbelieving scoundrels, leave off, will
you! Don't point your guns at us, or, by George and the dragon and the
other champions of Christendom, I will fight."

He had looked at the two points of the half-moon road, and seen that
about a dozen men were now dismounted, and were apparently taking aim at
them.

"Well, Yussuf, we give up," said the professor. "Perhaps, after all,
they may be honest people. Will you go to them and ask what they want
with us?"

"They are brigands, excellency."

"Well, ask them what they will take to let us continue our journey in
peace," cried Mr Burne. "Offer 'em five shillings all round; I suppose
there are about fifty--or, no, say we will give them ten pounds to go
about their business; and a precious good day's work for the ragged
jacks."

"I will go forward," said Yussuf. "Excellency," he continued to the
professor, "trust me, and I will make the best bargain I can."

"Go on, then," said the professor; "but is there any risk to yourself?"

"Oh, no, effendi, none at all. I have no fear. They will know I come
as an ambassador."

"Go on, then," said the professor; and th