"But
suppose I buck when I get into the mosque--no, begobs, I'll not be doin'
it!"

"I'll say to him that you'll do it with tears of joy, if you can have a
month for preparation."

"Make it two an' I'm your man, seein' as you've lied for me, sir. But on
wan condition--where does he keep his coin?"

"If you try that on, you'll die bit by bit like the men in the
Beit-el-Mal to-day," answered Slatin quickly. "I'm carvin' me own
mutton, thank ye kindly, sir," answered Macnamara.

"I've heard that part of his treasure is under his own room," went
on Slatin quickly, for he saw that the Khalifa's eyes had a sinister
look-the conversation had been too long.

"Speak no more!" said Abdullah sharply. "What is it you say, my son?" he
added to Slatin.

"He has been telling me that he is without education even in his
own faith, and that he cannot learn things quickly. Also he does not
understand what to do in the mosque, or how to pray, and needs to be
taught. He then asked what was impossible, and I had to argue with him,
sire."

"What did he ask?" asked the Khalifa, his fierce gaze on Macnamara.

"He wished to be taught by yourself, sire. He said that if you taught
him he would understand. I said that you were the chosen Emperor of the
Faithful, the coming king of the world, but he replied that the prophets
of old taught their disciples with their own tongues."

It was a bold lie, but the Khalifa was flattered, and made a motion of
assent. Slatin, seeing his advantage, added:

"I told him that you could not spare the time to teach him, sire; but
he said that if you would talk to him for a little while every day for a
month, after he had studied Arabic for two months, he would be ready to
follow your majesty through life and death."

"Approach, my son," said the Khalifa to Macnamara suddenly. Macnamara
came near. He understood Arabic better than he had admitted, and he saw
in this three months' respite, if it were granted, the chance to carry
out a plan that was in his mind. The Khalifa held out a hand to him, and
Macnamara, boiling with rage inwardly and his face flushing--which the
Khalifa mistook for modesty--kissed it.

"You shall have two moons to learn Arabic of a good teacher every day,
and then for one moon I myself will instruct you in the truth," said
Abdullah. "You shall wait at my door and walk by my stirrup and teach
my horse as you have taught the English horse of Osman Wad Adam. Thy
faithful service I