ou have done for him, and that it was you who
saved his life as well as mine. I am weak now, I cannot say what is in
my heart, it is too full for words."

"Don't say any thing about it, sheik," Edgar said earnestly. "Did you
not adopt me into your tribe? Does not Sidi call me brother? Have you
not sheltered me in your tents when I had nowhere else to go? Is it not
natural then that I should do all in my power to repay these benefits,
and to rescue you and my brother Sidi from the hands of your enemies? I
deem myself most fortunate that I have been enabled to do so, and,
indeed, ran but little risk in either case. It was a small thing to
search for you among the dead, and to have you carried off; while,
having found the disguise of a European, there was no risk of my being
recognized as having fought against the French when I went to testify in
favour of Sidi. Save as to my own name I had need to go but little
beyond the truth. I had won Sidi's gratitude by aiding him against two
ruffians. He had slain a man who was about to attack me, though that did
not take place, as they supposed, at the time of the massacre of the
European shopkeepers, but the main facts were true, and there was no
fear that in the telling of them I should get myself into trouble."

The sheik shook his head. "'Tis well to say so, my friend, and I suppose
that it is the way with your people to make but little of their good
actions. It was not the risk you may have run. Many men are brave, and
we who charged that column of Franks, after those in front of us had
been swept away by their cannon, have a right to say that we are not
cowards; but you see the difference: Sidi and I thought you dead, but
beyond resolving to avenge you, we did nothing. The idea that we might
disguise ourselves, and, after the Franks had advanced, gone and
searched the streets and found whether you were still living, never
occurred to us, and I think that no Arab would have thought of it.

"But you had scarcely passed through the first danger of being
discovered than you began to think of us. You learnt that many Arabs had
been killed when we poured out of the city, and that others had been
taken prisoners. Wounded yourself, you lose no moment in finding my two
followers. All night you search among the dead for me, and carry me off
to a place of safety. Then, without rest, without pause, you return to
the city and begin to take measures to rescue Sidi. He was in the
citadel,