he suddenly
sprang to his feet.

His example was immediately followed by his white companions.

The two muskets were instantly directed towards them; but at a shout
from Golah their muzzles were as quickly dropped.

The sheik's son then, at his father's command, ran to the pit to secure
the woman; while Golah himself rushed forward to meet the helpless men
who were advancing towards him.

In an instant the four were thrown prostrate to the earth.

With their hands tied, the powerful sheik upset them as easily as though
they had been bags of sand.

Raising Harry by the hair of his head with one hand, and Terence with
the other, he dragged them back to their places in the line where they
had been already seated.

Sailor Bill saved himself from like treatment, by rolling over and over
until he had regained his former place. Colin was allowed to lie on the
ground, where the sheik had knocked him over.

Golah now returned to the pit where the woman stood half buried.

She made no resistance, she uttered no complaint, but seemed calmly to
resign herself to a fate that could not be averted. Golah apparently
did not intend to behold her die; for, when the earth was filled in
around her body, her head still remained above ground. She was to be
starved to death! As the sheik was turning away to attend to other
matters, the woman spoke. Her words were few, and produced no effect
upon him. They did, however, upon the Krooman, whose eyes were seen to
fill with tears that rapidly chased each other down his
mahogany-coloured cheeks.

Colin, who seemed to notice everything except the fate threatening
himself, observed the Krooman's excitement, and inquired its cause.

"She asked him to be kind to her little boy," said the man, in a voice
trembling with emotion.

Are tears unmanly?--No.

The shining drops that rolled from that man's eyes, and sparkled adown
his dusky cheeks, on hearing the unfortunate woman's prayer for her
children, proved that he was not a brute, but a man--a man with a soul
that millions might envy.

After leaving the place where the woman was buried, Golah walked up to
Colin, and, dragging him to his feet, led him away to the other pit.

His intentions were now evident to all. The two individuals who had
aroused his anger and jealousy were to be left near each other, buried
alive, to perish in this fearful fashion.

"Colin! Colin! what can we do to save you?" exclaimed Harry, in a tone