st; and I should advise you, when you ride
into the town again, to bring your pistols with you. Like enough these
scoundrels will try to get revenge for this defeat."

"I will do so. I know not why I did not carry them to-day. I will not
only bring them, but two of my tribesmen shall ride with me. But
methinks that you will be in greater danger than I shall, brother."

"I shall be on the look-out, and will, for a time, carry pistols with
me; but I do not often go out after dark, and have no occasion ever to
enter the streets where rogues of this sort live. As to an open attack,
I have no fear of it; but I have no doubt that either of those
scoundrels would plant a knife between my shoulders if they had a chance
to do so."

Both the lads mounted their horses, and after a few words of farewell
rode off in different directions. Not until the sound of the horses'
hoofs died away did the two figures in the road move, then they sat up.

"What has happened, Zeno?"

"I know not, save that my head is ringing. I feel as if my jaws were
broken, and my nose is so swelled that it seems as big as my head."

"And I can scarcely see from my eyes," the other said. "Cospetto, never
before have I been thus handled!"

"We will kill him!" the other said furiously.

"That of course; I know not who he was, but we shall doubtless find out.
I can hardly believe even now that it was with his hand that he struck
us--it was done so quickly. He was there--then I struck at him,
when--paff!--and it seemed to me that the air was full of stars; then,
paff again! my jaws cracked, I fell backwards, there was a crash, and
the world seemed to have come to an end. And you, Giaccamo, what did he
do to you?"

"It was like that, except that I only had one blow, and there was an
end of it. I was drawing my knife when it came--how, I know not. My
knife flew from my hand--there was a flash of fire from my eyes, and I
was on the ground, and thought it best to lie there, lest that accursed
young Arab should take it into his head to sheathe my knife in my body.
The next time we will give the young fellow no chance to try those
strange tricks upon us."

"You are right, Giaccamo; I would sooner fight against even Thomasso,
who is the best knife-player in Alexandria, than face that fellow again.
Who can he be, I wonder?"

Edgar rode home, and after seeing his horse taken into the stable, went
into the house.

"I have found my boxing of use, father."

"