everal shawls, richly embroidered
in coloured silk and gold, a pair of small scarlet slippers, covered
with gold thread, a thin veil, and several cushions of different sizes.
On one of these last reposed a little tame gazelle, whose bright eyes
greeted the two slaves with an inquiring look as they entered.

From all these things Foster judged that this was one of the women's
apartments, and wondered much that he had been admitted into such a
jealously-guarded sanctuary, but relieved his mind by setting it down to
that eccentricity for which Ben-Ahmed was noted.

He had just arrived at this conclusion when a door opened, and Ben-Ahmed
himself entered with the sketch of the coffee-house in his hand.

"Tell him," said the Moor to Peter, "that I am much pleased with this
drawing, and wish him to make one, a little larger in size, of this
room. Let him put into it everything that he sees. He will find paper
in that portfolio, and all else that he requires on this ottoman. Let
him take time, and do it well. He need not work in the garden while
thus employed."

Pointing to the various things to which he referred, the Moor turned and
left the apartment.

"Now, Geo'ge, what you t'ink ob all dat?" asked Peter, with a broad
grin, when he had translated the Moor's orders.

"Really I don't know what to think of it. Undoubtedly it is a step
upwards, as compared with working in the garden; but then, don't you
see, Peter, it will give me much less of your company, which will be a
tremendous drawback?"

"Das well said. You's kite right. I hab notice from de fus' dat you
hab a well-constitooted mind, an' appruciates de value ob friendship. I
lub your smood face, Geo'ge!"

"I hope you love more of me than my smooth face, Peter," returned the
middy, "otherwise your love won't continue, for there are certain
indications on my upper lip which assure me that the smoothness won't
last long."

"Hol' your tongue, sar! What you go on jabberin' so to me when you's
got work to do, sar!" said Peter fiercely, with a threatening motion of
his fist. "Go to work at once, you white slabe!"

Our hero was taken aback for a moment by this sudden explosion, but the
presence of a negro girl, who had entered softly by a door at his back,
at once revealed to him the truth that Peter the Great had donned the
garb of the hypocrite. Although unused and very much averse to such
costume, he felt compelled in some degree to adopt it, and, bowin