could obtain a
passage in one of these."

"And how goes on business, Mr. Muller?" Edgar asked after the question
of the passage had been discussed for some time.

"We have been pretty busy ever since the French arrived. Many of the
transports and store ships received damage on their voyage. We have had
a fair share of the work. Before you go I will draw up a short statement
of what we have done, for your father. I am on very good terms with the
French general and his staff. I represented to them that your father
had, on seeing the approach of their fleet, determined to abandon his
business altogether and leave the country, and that having saved a
considerable sum during my service with him, I was able to purchase from
him the heavy goods that he could not take away with him, and arranged
to conduct the business on my own account. I may tell you what perhaps
you did not know, that, before leaving, your father executed a deed of
partnership with me, by which he gave me a fourth share in the business,
and moreover arranged that I was to receive half the profit of it during
the French occupation. On his return it was arranged that the business
should be conducted under the name of Blagrove, Son, & Muller."

"I am glad to hear it, Mr. Muller. My father indeed mentioned to me,
some months before he left, that he intended to take you into
partnership, and that possibly he should, after a time, leave me here
with you and should fix himself in London and carry on the business of
the firm there, so the French invasion has only hastened it on. Of
course I have my European clothes here, and though I fancy I have grown
a couple of inches in the last five months, I daresay they will do very
well for me. The best plan will be to take the passage for me as a
French lad, the son of a trader in Cairo, who, in view of the late
events there, his father is sending home."

"I will look at my sailing lists," Mr. Muller said, "and will see if any
Italian craft is intending to sail in the next day or two."

He left the room, and returned in two or three minutes.

"There is one bound for Naples. She will sail on Saturday, so there are
four days to make your preparations."

"That will do well," Edgar said; "on Friday evening I will be here."

He had, on the previous evening, acquainted the sheik and his son of his
intention. Both had expressed deep regret, but acknowledged that his
arguments in favour of the plan he proposed were so stro