iven out of the town;
and looking through a small opening in the wall of the pen, he could see
some of the Arabs going out towards the barley fields.

Could it be that he had been mistaken--that the Arabs were going to
apply the screw of starvation for another day? Alarmed by this
conjecture, he strove to hail them, and bring them back; but the effort
only resulted in a hoarse whisper.

"May God forgive me!" thought he. "My brother, as well as all the
others, will die before night! I have murdered them, and perhaps
myself!"

Driven frantic with the thought, frenzy furnished him with the will and
strength to speak out.

His voice could now be heard, for the walls of the stone building rang
with the shouts of a madman!

He assailed the door with such force that the structure gave way, and
Jim rushed out, prepared to make any promises or terms with their
masters, to save the lives he had endangered by his obstinacy.

His submission was not required: for on looking out, two men and three
or four boys were seen coming towards the pen, bearing bowls of water,
and dishes filled with barley-gruel.

Jim had conquered in the strife between master and man. The old sheik
had given orders for the white slaves to be fed.

Jim's frenzy immediately subsided into an excitement of a different
nature.

Seizing a calabash of water, he ran to his brother Bill; and raising him
into a sitting posture, he applied the vessel to the man-o'-war's-man's
lips.

Bill had not strength even to drink, and the water had to be poured down
his throat.

Not until all of his companions had drunk, and swallowed a few mouthfuls
of the barley-gruel, did Jim himself partake of anything.

The effect of food and water in restoring the energies of a starving man
is almost miraculous; and he now congratulated his companions on the
success of his scheme.

"It is all right!" he exclaimed. "We have conquered them! We shall not
have to reap their harvest! We shall be fed, fattened, and sold; and
perhaps be taken to Mogador. We should thank God for bringing us all
safely through the trial. Had we yielded, there would have been no hope
of ever regaining our liberty!"

CHAPTER LXXI.

SOLD AGAIN.

Two days elapsed, during which time our adventurers were served with
barley-gruel twice a day. They were allowed a sufficient quantity of
water, with only the trouble of bringing it from the well, and enduring
a good deal of insult and abuse from th