e cataracts. In fact, had preferred, under
pretence of shooting doves, to walk round while the operation of towing
the vessel up took place.

He and Hassib conversed in a queer lingo, for Harry was trying his
hardest to learn Arabic, but had to eke it out at present with a good
many English and French words. Hassib had a smattering of both those
languages, and after a little practice they got on glibly enough.

But I am sure you will pardon my translating the palaver between this
supercargo and the reis or captain of the boat. The reis was the proper
companion for Harry, being a respectable fellow, and wearing some
clothes. Harry himself was dressed in a linen suit of European cut,
with a tarboosh or red cap on his head, with a turban twisted round it.
Not elegant, but sovereign against sunstroke they told him.

"I wish I could get a crocodile," he said. "Every day we get lower down
the river there is less chance."

"Plenty of them yet. There is an island near where we stop to-night
where there are always many crocodiles."

"And do you think that I shall get one?"

Hassib thought a bit over this, and then replied gravely--

"If it is the will of Allah that you should get a crocodile, you will
get a crocodile. If it is not the will of Allah that you should get a
crocodile, you will not get a crocodile."

There was no gainsaying this. Mohammedan races are fond of propounding
truisms with an air of having evolved a new idea out of their unassisted
brains, and that is why people often think them so very wise.

"You see," said Harry, after bowing his head in assent to the last
proposition, "I promised my mother a crocodile, and it seems so absurd
to go up the Nile and not be able to get one. Then they are all white,
and I expected them to be black."

"White men call the devil and crocodiles black; black men call them
white," replied Hassib, who was a wag. "You now see which is right."

"Good again; that is one for me!" laughed Harry. "But I should really
like to get one if I could."

"And the English think the crocodile such a pretty ornament!" said
Hassib. "It is a strange taste."

And then Harry thought for the first time where on earth would they put
the crocodile if they got it. But that was a future consideration.

"Shall we shoot the cataract to-night?" he asked, presently.

"No," said Hassib, "there will not be light enough. We shall anchor for
the night soon, and start at daybreak."