t to us
on board the Spanish ship, we could not but fear that his coming boded
us no good; still, of course, if he was an honest man he could not fail
to corroborate our story, and so we waited with some anxiety to speak to
him.

In the meantime the women and children gathered round us, the latter
especially treating us with scant respect; the urchins, like so many
imps, grinning from ear to ear at us, pulled at our clothes and pinched
our arms and legs; while several of them, pious, I have no doubt,
according to their notions, spit at us to show their hatred of the
Nazarenes. We knew that it would be of no use to run after the little
wretches and punish them, so we bore the indignities we received with as
much stoical indifference as we could assume. A big fellow whom we
heard called Sinne--one of the men who had captured us--encouraged them;
and at last approaching Ben, he insulted him with abusive language and
gestures, snatching at his hat, and even trying to pull off his jacket.
On this, Ben, without considering the consequences, lifted his fist and
knocked the fellow down. Sinne got up considerably cowed for the
moment, and stalked away; but, from the malignant glances he cast at Ben
and us, we could not doubt that he meditated vengeance.

"Come back, old fellow, and I will do it again," shouted Ben; but the
Arab did not wish to put himself within reach of the seaman's sturdy
fists.

"I wish that you had not knocked the fellow over, Ben," I said; "our
only hope of escaping is to keep on good terms with the Arabs."

"And so I wish to do, sir," answered Ben. "It may be, if I knock a few
more of them over, they will be all the better friends with us; and it
may teach them that we will stand no nonsense!"

Certainly, Ben's mode of proceeding appeared at first likely to answer,
for both women and children kept at a more respectful distance, while
none of the men seemed inclined to molest us.

Being tired with our previous exertions, we now sat down under the shade
of a tent, whence we could watch the wide expanse of sea stretched out
before us; but our eyelids were heavy, and, in spite of the doubtful
disposition of the natives, we all dropped off to sleep.

CHAPTER NINE.

AN UNPLEASANT CHANGE--BEN UNDERGOES A SEVERE TRIAL--THE OUADLIMS RECEIVE
AN UNWELCOME VISIT--WE ARE MADE PEACE-OFFERINGS--A CURIOUS SPECTACLE--I
MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE SHEIKH'S BROTHER ABDALAH--THE SHIPWRECKED PARTY--
DISCOVER A VALU