ky path.

Ahead of him, the burnoosed ones scrambled nimbly up the slope, looking
over their shoulders, intent upon not missing a thing, yet endeavoring
to keep their distance. But two there had been who either had not seen
him arrive, or did not give a damn, for they suddenly appeared upon the
rise before him, racing down toward the sea with very little regard for
life or limb.

* * * * *

In the lead, a brown young man in flying green turban and white duck
trousers appeared to be losing steadily to his pursuer, who, though
swathed from head to food in that featureless native garb of the others,
might yet be identified by subtle conformations as a female.

Both of them stopped at once upon sighting Colonel Glinka in the
pathway, the female hurriedly retreating to what might be deemed a safer
distance, the young man standing as if petrified, with one foot upraised
and a sun-snarl upon his mottled face, quivering at point.

"Oh, Effendi," he cried at last, "if you are looking for Aden, then you
are lost, for Aden is five hundred miles that way. And if you are
looking for Cairo--"

"I am hardly ever lost," Colonel Glinka said, and, eying the young
female, added, "Tell me, what is the name of that rather tasteless game
that you are playing?"

"No game, Effendi," the brown young man said. "That one chases me every
time I go outside. They are worse than Tuaregs, these people."

"Are you not a native, then?"

"I?" The young man placed a hand of scorn upon his breast. "Hadji Abdul
Hakkim ben Salazar? I am Saudi, and a Hadj besides. Say, Joe, have you
got an American cigarette?"

"A great deal better than that," Colonel Glinka said, proffering an
ornate golden cigarette case. "Try one of these, my boy."

Abdul Hakkim ben Salazar took two, sniffing them suspiciously. "They are
very brown," he said.

Less critically, Colonel Glinka lighted one for himself. "You know," he
said, "I was rather hoping that you might direct me to the house of a
very old friend of mine."

"What handle?"

"I cannot tell you what name he is presently affecting, but he is a
small, crooked man with a heavy black beard--or, at any rate, he once
had such a beard. I know that he is somewhere on this island; therefore
it will be useless for you to lie to me."

"Ah, that is the Sidi Doctor Stephens," Abdul said, puffing not too
happily upon his cigarette. "His is the only house upon this island;
also, I am his