y dear madam," said Mr Burne, "I can say nothing till after supper.
Here is a dish of fowl and rice to be discussed before we do anything
else. Here, Snooks, Brown, Hassan, Elecampane--what's your name?--lay
the cloth and bring some knives and forks."

The man addressed did not stir. He had placed the smoking brass dish
upon a stone near the fire, and with that his duties seemed to be ended.

"They won't give you any knives or forks," said little Mr Chumley.

"Will you be quiet, Charley?" cried his lady. "No, gentlemen, you will
have to sit down all round the dish like this, and eat with your fingers
like pigs."

"Pigs haven't got any fingers," whispered little Chumley to Lawrence.
"Come along."

"What is he whispering to you, Master Lawrence?" said the lady sharply.
"Don't take any notice of what he says. He talks too much and thinks
too little. If he had thought more and said less we should not be in
this predicament."

The chief and his follower had passed silently behind the great rug
stretched over the doorway, and, led by their hunger, the prisoners all
sat down round the dish "like this," to use Mrs Chumley's words--_this_
being tailor fashion, or cross-legged _a la Turcque_; and then, in very
primitive fashion, the supper of poor stringy fowl and ill-cooked rice
began.

The food was very poor, the bread being heavy and black; but all were
too hungry to be particular, and at last the dish was completely
finished, and conversation respecting their position began, while Yussuf
sat aside and waited patiently to be questioned.

"Look here, Yussuf," said the professor at last; "what is to be done?"

"I fear, excellency," replied the guide, "that the only way of escape is
by paying the ransom."

"But, man, it is ruinous, and they dare not injure us. Why, if the
English people knew of our position troops would be sent to our
assistance."

"And the brigands would resent their coming by killing you and your
friends, excellency."

"They would not dare, Yussuf."

"I'm afraid they would, effendi. They are utterly reckless scoundrels,
the sweepings of the country, and they are so powerful, and secure here
that they laugh at the law, such law as we have in this unhappy land."

"But such a state of affairs is monstrous, sir," said Mr Burne. "I am
a lawyer, sir, and I ought to know."

"It is monstrous, excellency," said Yussuf; "but these men are outlaws.
You see what a stronghold they have if it came