tter!"

Curious to know what was meant by this--for the tones and glances of
Castello were emphatic--Mariano kept on the alert as he repassed his
comrade, expecting more. He was not disappointed, though the nature of
the communication tended to increase his surprise.

"Fall and hurt yourself," whispered Castello, and passed on.

Much perplexed, Mariano tried to conceive some reason for such a strange
order, but failed. He was, however, one of those rare spirits who have
the capacity, in certain circumstances, to sink themselves--not blindly,
but intelligently--and place implicit confidence in others. Hastily
reviewing the _pros_ and _cons_ while laying his stone on the
breakwater, and feeling assured that no great harm could possibly come
of compliance, he gave a nod to his comrade in passing.

"I want to speak to you," muttered Castello briefly.

At once the reason flashed on Mariano's mind. The delay consequent on
the fall would afford opportunity for a few more sentences than it was
possible to utter in passing.

On returning, therefore, with a huge stone on his shoulder, just as he
passed his friend he fell with an admirable crash, and lay stunned on
the ground.

Castello instantly kneeled by his side and raised his head.

"Ten of us," he said quickly, "intend to make a dash for the Bab-el-Oued
gate on the way back to-night: join us. It's neck or nothing."

"I will, if my father agrees," said Mariano, still lying with closed
eyes--unconscious!

"If he does, pull your hat on one side of your head as you--" A
tremendous lash from a whip cut short the sentence, and caused Castello
to spring up. "Rise, you dog!" cried the Turk who had bestowed it; "are
Christians so delicate that they need to be nursed for every fall?"

Castello hurried back to his work without a word of reply, and Mariano,
opportunely recovering, with a view to avoid a similar cut, staggered on
with his stone; but the Turk quickened his movements by a sharp flip on
the shoulder, which cut a hole in his shirt, and left a bright mark on
his skin.

For one moment the gush of the old fierce spirit almost overcame the
poor youth, but sudden reflection and certain tender sensations about
the soles of his feet came to his aid, in time to prevent a catastrophe.

When the slaves were collecting together that evening on the breakwater,
Mariano managed to get alongside of his father, who at first was very
unwilling to run the risk proposed.