the old man-o'-war's-man had prognosticated, by the black
sheik becoming the winner and owner of Terence O'Connor.

The Arab appeared sadly chagrined, and by the way in which he strutted
and stormed over the ground, it was evident he would not rest satisfied
with his loss. When did gamester ever leave gaming-table so long as a
stake was left him to continue the play?

Two of the midshipmen still belonged to the old sheik. With these he
might obtain a _revanche_. He made the trial. He was unfortunate as
before. Either the luck was against him, or he was no match at "desert
draughts" for his sable antagonist.

It ended in the black sheik becoming the owner of the three midshipmen;
who, restored to the companionship of Sailor Bill, in less than twenty
minutes after the conclusion of the game were trudging it across the
desert in the direction of Timbuctoo.

CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

GOLAH.

In their journey over the sea of sand, our four adventurers formed part
of a company of sixteen men and women, along with six or seven children.

All were the property of one man, the huge and dusky sheik who had won
Sailor Bill and the three middies at "desert draughts."

It soon became known to his white captives that his name was Golah, a
name which Terence suggested might be an African abbreviation of the
ancient name of Goliah.

Golah was certainly a great man, not in bone and flesh alone, but in
intellect as well.

We do not claim for him the gigantic mind that by arranging a few
figures and symbols, by the light of a lamp in a garret, could discover
a new planet in the solar system, and give its dimensions, weight, and
distance from the dome of Saint Paul's. Neither do we claim that the
power of his intellect, if put forth in a storm of eloquence, could move
the masses of his fellow-creatures, as a hurricane stirs up the waters
of the sea; yet, for all this, Golah had a great intellect. He was born
to rule; and not a particle of all the propensities and sentiments
constituting his mind was ever intended to yield to the will of another.

The cunning old sheik, who had the first claim to the three mids, had
been anxious to retain them; but they were also wanted by Golah, and the
Arab was compelled to give them up, after having been fairly beaten at
the game; parting with his sable competitor in a mood that was anything
but agreeable.

The black sheik had three wives, all of whom possessed the gift of
eloquence i