e days' time ten shops in the market-place, on the side of the
Mosque, were sold up and closed, and the men who had kept them were gone
away with their wives and children to live in tents with Absalam on the
barren plains beyond the town.

When Israel heard of what had been done he secretly rejoiced; but Ben
Aboo was in a commotion of fear, and Katrina was fierce with anger, for
the doctrine which Absalam had preached to his neighbours outside the
walls was not his own doctrine merely, but that of a great man lately
risen among the people, called Mohammed of Mequinez, nicknamed by his
enemies Mohammed the Third.

"This madness is spreading," said Ben Aboo.

"Yes," said Katrina; "and if all men follow where these men lead, who
will supply the tables of Kaids and Sultans?"

"What can I do with them?" said Ben Aboo.

"Eat them up," said Katrina.

Ben Aboo proceeded to put a literal interpretation upon his wife's
counsel. With a company of cavalry he prepared to follow Absalam and his
little fellowship, taking Israel along with him to reckon their taxes,
that he might compel them to return to Tetuan, and be town-dwellers
and house-dwellers and buy and sell and pay tribute as before, or else
deliver themselves to prison.

But Absalam and his people had secret word that the Governor was coming
after them, and Israel with him. So they rolled their tents, and fled to
the mountains that are midway between Tetuan and the Reef country, and
took refuge in the gullies of that rugged land, living in caves of the
rock, with only the table-land of mountain behind them, and nothing but
a rugged precipice in front. This place they selected for its safety,
intending to push forward, as occasion offered, to the sanctuaries of
Shawan, trusting rather to the humanity of the wild people, called the
Shawanis, than to the mercy of their late cruel masters. But the valley
wherein they had hidden is thick with trees, and Ben Aboo tracked them
and came up with them before they were aware. Then, sending soldiers
to the mountain at the back of the caves, with instructions that they
should come down to the precipice steadily, and kill none that they
could take alive, Ben Aboo himself drew up at the foot of it, and
Israel with him, and there called on the people to come out and deliver
themselves to his will.

When the poor people came from their hiding-places and saw that they
were surrounded, and that escape was not left to them on any side