e sheik was very grave, and the old man appeared to be speaking words
of consolation and of hope to him. The young men also feared that their
summons to the sheik had been caused by a stratagem on the part of the
old man, who very likely would now ruin them by a word to the sorrowing
father.

"Welcome, young men," said the sheik. "Welcome to the house of Ali
Banu! My old friend here deserves my thanks for bringing you with him;
still I am a little inclined to quarrel with him that he did not make
me acquainted with you before this. Which of you is the young writer?"

"I, O Sire! and at your service!" replied the writer, crossing his arms
on his breast and making a low obeisance.

"You are pleased with stories, and also love to read books with
beautiful verses and wise sayings?"

The young man blushed, and answered: "O Sire! for my part, I know of no
pleasanter way of passing the day. It cultivates the mind and whiles
away the time. But every one to his taste; I do not quarrel with any
one who does not----"

"Very well, very well," interrupted the sheik, with a laugh, as he
beckoned the second young man forward. "And now who may you be?"

"Sire, my duties are those of an assistant to a physician, and I have
cured some patients myself."

"Just so," replied the sheik. "And you are one who loves high-living.
You would like to sit down to a good table with your friends. Isn't
that so? Have I not guessed right?"

The young man was much abashed; he felt that the old man had betrayed
him also; but he plucked up courage to say: "Oh yes, Sire, I reckon it
as one of the great enjoyments of life to be able to make merry now and
then with one's friends. My purse does not permit me to entertain my
friends with much besides watermelons, and other cheap things; but
still we contrive to be merry even with these--so that it stands to
reason that if my purse was longer our enjoyment would be
proportionately increased."

This spirited answer pleased the sheik so well that he could not
refrain from laughing. "Which of you is the young merchant?" was his
next inquiry.

The young merchant made his obeisance to the sheik with an easy grace,
for he was a man of good breeding; and the sheik said to him:

"And you? Do you not take pleasure in music and dancing? Are you not
charmed to hear good artists sing and play, and to see dancers perform
ingenious dances?"

The young merchant replied: "I see clearly, O Sire, that this old
gen