But the Hakim remained firm, and bending down he laid his left hand
softly upon the sufferer's eyes and the right upon the breast, remaining
perfectly motionless for a minute; then raising himself he said in his
deepest tones--

"Let the young man be taken within."

The Hakim's orders were interpreted again, and there was a little
excitement for a few minutes, during which the doctor gravely walked
back to the inner room, leaving the professor and Ibrahim to superintend
the moving, and waiting till the bearers had passed out again and the
window was closed.

A deep silence fell upon the group, while the Sheikh drew back
respectfully, to stand on guard by the door of the partially darkened
room.

Then the doctor spoke in his low, deep tones.

"There must be no emotion, no outburst of excitement, Hal. Our work is
all to do yet, and our lives depend upon our being calm. Just a word or
two in the lowest tone."

"Morris, old friend," was whispered, in faltering accents, and the thin,
careworn object of their mission gazed up wildly in his old
school-fellow's eyes. "You have dared to come here--for me?"

"Yes, and please God we will take you back in safety."

"We?" whispered the prisoner. "Who is that brave young black who
ventured so much?"

"Your brother Frank," said the doctor slowly, and he laid his hand
quickly upon his new patient's burning brow, for as he anticipated,
there was a violent start.

But the prisoner with a great effort mastered his emotion, and said
softly--

"I did not know him. And you two have risked your lives like this?"

"We and Fred Landon," said the doctor softly.

"Fred Landon!" cried the patient, with a hysterical gasp. "Dear old
Fred! How like him!--Tell him--"

"Tell me yourself, Hal," whispered a voice at the back of his head.
"Some time, but not now. I am the Hakim's assistant; there, I may grip
your hand, dear old lad. Anyone might see me do that."

He reached over to seize the prisoner's left hand, for the right was in
the doctor's, when in spite of a brave effort there was a violent start,
the right hand contracted spasmodically upon the doctor's, but the left
lay inert, while they saw the great drops of agony gathering upon the
thin, sunburnt face.

"Hal!" cried the doctor, dropping his practised calm. "Great heavens!
you are not really hurt?"

"I could not help wincing," was the faltering reply. "Not hurt? How
was I to have been brought here without?"