ining anything for my
trouble or expense. The governor of Swearah and the Emperor of Morocco
are on good terms with the infidel's government, and they also hate us
Arabs of the desert. There is no justice there for us. If you take your
slaves into the city you will lose them."

"I shall not take them into the empire of Morocco," said Bo Muzem,
"until I have first received the money for them."

"You will never get it in Swearah. Their consul will not pay a dollar,
but will try to get them liberated without giving you anything."

"But I have a letter from one of my slaves to his uncle,--a nut merchant
in Swearah. The uncle must pay the money."

"The slave has lied to you. He has no uncle there, and I can soon
convince you that such is the case. There is lying in this place a
Mogador Jew, who is acquainted with every infidel merchant in that
place, and he also understands the languages they speak. Let him see the
letter."

Anxious to be convinced as to whether he was being deceived or not, Bo
Muzem readily agreed to this proposition; and in company with the
graziers, he repaired to the house where the Jew was staying for the
night.

The Jew, on being shown the letter, and asked to whom it was addressed,
replied,--

"To any English merchant in Mogador."

"_Bismillah!_" exclaimed Bo Muzem. "All English merchants cannot be
uncles to the young dog who wrote this letter."

"Tell me," added he, "did you ever hear of an English merchant in
Swearah named 'For God sake byas?'"

The Jew smiled, and with some difficulty restraining an inclination to
laugh outright at the question, gave the Arab a translation of the
words, "For God's sake buy us."

Bo Muzem was now satisfied that he had been "sold."

"I shall go no farther," said he, after they had parted with the Jew. "I
shall return to my partners. We will kill the Christian dog who wrote
the letter, and sell the rest for what we can get for them."

"That is your best plan," rejoined the grazier. "They do not deserve
freedom, and may Allah forbid that hereafter any true believers should
try to help them to it."

Early the next morning Bo Muzem set out on his return journey, thankful
for the good fortune that had enabled him so early to detect the
imposture that was being practised upon him.

He was accompanied by the grazier, who chanced to be journeying in the
same direction.

"The next Christian slaves I see for sale I intend to buy them,"
remarked the latter