"

"Oh dear, no, sir!" replied the landlord smiling. "He will be back
to-night, or at the latest to-morrow morning, to seal the bargain."

"Do you think so?" cried Lawrence, who looked terribly disappointed at
this new delay.

"I am sure," said the landlord laughing. "Here he is."

For there was a quick step on the stair, the door was opened, and the
swarthy face of the Greek was thrust in, the red cap snatched off, and,
showing his white teeth in a broad smile, he came forward, nodding
pleasantly to all in turn.

A few words passed, the bargain was made, and the tall lithe fellow
strode out in high glee, it being understood that he was to well clean
out the little cabin, and remove baskets and lumber forward so as to
make the boat as comfortable as he could for his passengers; that he was
to put in at any port they liked, or stop at any island they wished to
see; and, moreover, he swore to defend them with his men against enemies
of every kind, and to land them safely at Ansina, or suffer death in
default.

This last was his own volunteered penalty, after which he darted back to
say that their excellencies might bring a little tobacco for him and his
men, if they liked, and that, in return, they might be sure of finding a
plentiful supply of oranges, grapes, and melons for their use.

"Come, landlord," said Mr Burne, "I think you have done wonders for
us."

"I have only kept you from being cheated, gentlemen," was the reply.
"These men generally ask three or four times as much as they mean to
take."

"And do the landlords?" said the professor drily.

"I hope not, sir," was the reply. "But now, gentlemen, if you will
allow me, I should like to offer you a bit of advice."

"Pray, give it," said the professor gravely.

"I will, sir. It is this. You are going into a very wild country,
where in places you will not be able to help yourselves in spite of your
firman. That will be sufficient to get you everything where the law is
held in anything like respect, but you will find yourselves in places
where the rude, ignorant peasants will look upon you as Christian dogs,
and will see you starve or die of exposure before they will give or even
sell you food for yourselves or horses."

"Mighty pleasant set of barbarians to go amongst, I must say!" cried Mr
Burne.

"I am telling you the simple truth, gentlemen. You will find no hotels
or inns, only the resting-places--the khans--and often enough you will
b