age I went to Calcutta, and it is jolly in the natives' town there,
seeing the natives squatting in their little shops, tinkering and
tailoring, and all sorts of things. And such a crowd of them in the
streets! This is a poor place in comparison, and most of the shops you
see have European names over them. However, one gets the shade; that is
something."

CHAPTER IX.

THE RIOT IN ALEXANDRIA.

FOR half an hour the lads sauntered on, interested in the people rather
than the shops. They bought a few things. Jack invested in half a pound
of Egyptian tobacco and a gaily-decorated pipe for his Uncle Ben, two
little filigree brooches, and a couple of very large silk handkerchiefs
of many colours, with knotted fringes, for his mother and sister.

"I do not know what they will do with them," he said; "but they will do
to put on the back of a sofa or something of that sort."

The others also made some purchases, both expending a good deal more
than Jack did; but the latter said that he would keep his money for
Smyrna, where probably he would get all sorts of pretty things.

They were walking quietly along, when they saw a commotion in front of
them. A number of men were shouting and gesticulating angrily, and blows
were exchanged.

"Let us get out of this," Jack said. "It is no good running the risk of
getting our heads broken."

People were now running from the shops, while from side streets the
natives poured down.

"This is a regular row!" Jim Tucker exclaimed. "Look! those fellows are
all armed with big sticks. Listen! there are pistols going off somewhere
else."

A moment later the natives fell suddenly upon some Europeans standing
close to the boys. These drew knives and pistols, and a fierce combat at
once raged.

"Come out of this!" Jim exclaimed, running into a shop close by. "We
must make a bolt for it somewhere."

At that moment an Italian, armed with a pistol, rushed in from behind
the shop.

On seeing the three lads he exclaimed in broken English, "Shut the door,
they mean to kill us all!"

The boys closed the door, and the owner piled some boxes and other goods
against it; but there was no fastening up the window, for the fastenings
were outside.

"Come upstairs," the man said, and the lads followed him to the floor
above.

The battle was still raging in the street. Groups of Greeks and Italians
stood together, defending themselves with their knives from the heavy
sticks of their assai