would
have died in a few hours had we not arrived to their rescue, as they had
long exhausted the small stock of water they had brought on shore, and
had no idea that, by exerting themselves, they could have obtained a
supply close at hand.

Among others I recognised the black boy, our young friend Selim, or
Pedro as he was called on board. He at once came forward, expressing
his pleasure at seeing us; for, believing that we had been left on board
the burning ship, he supposed that we had perished. He had before shown
so friendly a feeling towards us that we also were glad to meet him,
especially as he did not appear to dread his future lot.

"I am at home everywhere, and I shall not find the Arabs worse masters
than others with whiter skins," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

He and Ben--to whom he had been very attentive on board--at once became
fast friends; indeed, he was the only person besides ourselves with whom
poor Ben could converse. When the boy caught sight of Antonio, however,
he looked anything but delighted. "What, he not drowned!" he exclaimed.
"He too bad for that. Well, take care. He do some of us a mischief if
he can."

Having myself formed a similar opinion of the big negro, I was not
surprised to hear Selim say this of his countryman; and it was very
clear that we must be on our guard against Antonio, who had already
exhibited his ill-will towards us. At present our attention was taken
up with the castaways, who were, we felt, still more unfortunate than
ourselves.

CHAPTER TEN.

THE FATE OF THE SHIPWRECKED PARTY--THE WELL IN THE DESERT--WE SEE
BOXALL--A PANTHER VISITS THE CAMP--TREACHERY--SELIM PROVES HIMSELF A
TRUE FRIEND--ANTONIO MADE PRISONER--HIS ESCAPE--WE RESCUE THE SHEIKH
FROM A MOUNTAIN OF SAND--THE SALT REGION.

The fate of the unfortunate people whose boat, after they had escaped
from the burning ship, had been wrecked, was cruel indeed; their
strength, reduced by famine, made them utterly unable to work, while the
hard-hearted Arabs not only refused to assist them, but threatened them
with perpetual slavery. The party consisted of an officer of the ship,
two seamen, Pedro the black boy, four civilians, and an unhappy lady,--
the wife of a Don Fernando, the principal person among them, who had
treated us with marked contempt when we were on board the Spanish
galleon. His manner was now greatly changed; and we, of course, did not
allude to his former behaviour, whic