e women and children whom they
chanced to meet on their way.

The second Krooman, who, in a moment of weakness inspired by the torture
of thirst, had assisted the other slaves at their task, now tried in
vain to get off from working. He came each evening to the pen to
converse with his countryman; and at these meetings bitterly expressed
his regret that he had submitted.

There was no hope for him now, for he had given proof that he could be
made useful to his owners.

On the evening of the second day after they had been relieved from
starvation, the white slaves were visited in their place of confinement
by three Arabs they had not before seen.

These were well-armed, well-dressed, fine-looking fellows, having
altogether a more respectable appearance than any inhabitants of the
desert they had yet encountered.

Jim immediately entered into conversation with them; and learned that
they were merchants, travelling with a caravan; and that they had
claimed the hospitality of the town for that night.

They were willing to purchase slaves; and had visited the pen to examine
those their hosts were offering for sale.

"You are just the men we are most anxious to see," said Jim, in the
Arabic language, which, during his long residence in the country, he had
become acquainted with, and could speak fluently. "We want some merchant
to buy us, and take us to Mogador, where we may find friends to ransom
us."

"I once bought two slaves," rejoined one of the merchants, "and at great
expense took them to Mogador. They told me that their consul would be
sure to redeem them; but I found that they had no consul there. They
were not redeemed; and I had to bring them away again,--having all the
trouble and expense of a long journey."

"Were they Englishmen?" asked Jim.

"No: Spaniards."

"I thought so. Englishmen would certainly have been ransomed."

"That is not so certain," replied the merchant; "the English may not
always have a consul in Mogador to buy up his countrymen."

"We do not care whether there is one or not!" answered Jim. "One of the
young fellows you see here has an uncle--a rich merchant in Mogador, who
will ransom not only him, but all of his friends. The three young men
you see are officers of an English ship-of-war. They have rich fathers
in England,--all of them grand sheiks,--and they were learning to be
captains of war-ships, when they were lost on this coast. The uncle of
one of them in Mogador will r