was a quarrel between him and his Arabs and the
others. I think I fainted. When I came to I was alone with the bodies of
my master and comrades, and there I remained in hiding until your troops
came along."

"But why should this Arab have interfered in your behalf?"

"A few days before, sir, I was going with a parcel of my master's goods
through one of the narrow lanes, when I saw two rough men ill-treating
an Arab boy. He seemed to be the son of a sheik, and they were trying to
rob him and he resisted, and seeing that he was a boy like myself, I
shouted at the top of my voice for aid, and ran in with my knife. Then
we fought for a minute, but doubtless it would have gone hard with us,
had not two of your soldiers, who heard me shouting, come running up,
and the men then took to their heels. The young Arab said that his
father would show his gratitude to me for having aided him, but I had
not heard of him again until, hearing our cries, he ran in with some
other Arabs, and, as I have said, saved me from death."

"Let me look at your wound?" the general said. Edgar took off his coat
and showed the blood-stained bandage.

"Well, you can look among the prisoners and see if your friend is here.
If he is, when you see him brought in you must come in and repeat your
story. By the way, how did you understand what this Arab said about his
father?"

"I have been out here some years, monsieur, and can speak a little
Arabic."

"Well, as you have lost your master, and are out of employment, if you
go down to the intendence and say that General Rombaud sent you, and
that you can speak enough French and Arabic to get on with, they will
find you some employment where you can be of use."

"Thank you very much, monsieur," and, bowing, Edgar went off with the
soldier to the group of prisoners.

There were in all about a score of Arabs, and these kept in a body
together. To his great joy, he recognized Sidi among them. His head was
bound up, and he looked weak and exhausted, but, like his companions,
and indeed the great proportion of the prisoners, he maintained an air
of indifference to his position. Thinking it as well that he should not
be recognized, and feeling sure that the guard would permit no
communication to take place with any of the prisoners, Edgar turned away
and went and sat down on some steps between the prisoners and those on
which the officers were standing. In a few minutes they went in by the
door behind the