ld Sheikh, who made a gesture with his hands.

"Excellencies," he said, "I stood there with a knife as it were held at
my throat all that dreadful time; but it was wonderful. How could he do
it--how could he act like that?"

"Who can say?" said Frank, as his friends turned questioning eyes
towards him. "I can't talk now; I feel weak as a child. I only know I
could not do it again to save my life."

"But we are in agony to know," said the doctor. "Pray try and tell us
something of your plans."

The appeal gave the young man strength, and he told all that had passed.

"But what will follow?" said the professor, whose voice trembled from
the excitement he suffered. "Will Harry--can he carry out your plan?"

"Yes," said the doctor. "He is as firm when put to the test as Frank
here."

"Ah!" groaned Frank; "firm? I am as weak as water now. I am trembling
with the horrible thought that the chief saw through the subterfuge, for
he smiled cruelly; and if he did--what of poor Harry's life? I shall
have slain him by what I did, for they have no mercy on an escaping
slave."

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

THE BREAKDOWN.

There was a fresh patient for the Hakim in the morning.

He was awakened by Sam, whose face was full of consternation.

"Do get up and come to Mr Frank, sir," he said in a hurried whisper.

Morris sat up at once.

"What is it?" he said in the calm, matter-of-fact way of a doctor who
always feels that a sudden awakening means a call upon him for aid.

"I went to tell him it was time to rouse up, sir, and he began talking
nonsense."

"What do you mean?" said the doctor, dressing hurriedly.

"Called me a white-faced dog; and then `The stirrup,' he says, `the
stirrup: can't you see it's too short?'"

"Ah?" ejaculated the doctor.

"`Stirrup?' I says, `what stirrup, sir?' and then he went on: `You
English are not fit even for slaves. Be quick! Can't you see that your
lord and his friends are waiting to see me ride?' he says, `and don't
defile those red reins with your dirty white hands!' Of course I knew
he was dreaming, and I shook him, but only made him burst out into a lot
more stuff--telling me I was to fall ill and ask for the Hakim to cure
me, and then we should be all together again. But that ain't the worst
of it, sir."

"No? Then what is?" said the doctor, fastening up his long robe calmly.

"He's quite off his head, sir, and his tongue's running nineteen to the
dozen. If y