ow; you follow me; do what you's tol'; hol' you tongue, an'
look sharp, if you don' want your head cut off."

"Heave ahead, cap'n; I'm your man."

The two left the house together and took the road that led to the hill
country in rear of the dwelling.

Meanwhile George Foster went to the chamber of the Moor. He found his
master seated, as was his wont, with the hookah before him, but with the
mouthpiece lying idly on his knee, and his forehead resting on one hand.
So deeply was he absorbed in communing with his own thoughts, that he
did not observe the entrance of his slave until he had been twice
addressed. Then, looking up as if he had been slightly startled, he
bade him sit down.

"George Foster," he began impressively, at the same time applying a
light to his hookah and puffing sedately, "you will be glad to hear that
I have been successful with my suit to the Dey. God has favoured me;
but a great deal yet remains to be done, and that must be done by
_you_--else--"

He stopped here, looked pointedly at the middy, and delivered the
remainder of his meaning in pufflets of smoke.

"I suppose you would say, sir, that unless it is done by me it won't be
done at all?"

To this the Moor nodded twice emphatically, and blew a thin cloud
towards the ceiling.

"Then you may count upon my doing my utmost, if that which I am to do is
in the interest of Hester Sommers or her father, as no doubt it is."

"Yes, it is in their interest," rejoined Ben-Ahmed. "I have done my
part, but dare not go further; for much though I love little Hester--who
has been to me as a sweet daughter--I must not risk my neck for her
unnecessarily. But, if I mistake not, you are not unwilling to risk
that?"

"Ay, fifty necks would I risk for her sake if I had them," returned our
middy with enthusiasm, for he was in that stage of love which glories in
the acknowledgment of thraldom.

Ben-Ahmed looked at him with interest, sighed, and sought solace in the
pipe.

After a few meditative puffs, he continued--

"After all, you run little risk, as you shall see. When I asked the
Dey, with whom I am familiar, for the pardon of the slave Sommers, he
did not seem pleased, and objected that there had been too many revolts
of late; that this man's case was a bad one, and that it was necessary
to make an example or two.

"`Very true, your highness,' I replied, `but may I beg you to make an
example of some other slaves, and forgive Sommers?'