The delight of the wretched mother at again embracing her offspring was
so great that the gentle-souled Krooman was once more affected to tears.

In the conference with the Arab robbers, Golah was unable to obtain the
terms he fancied a sheik should be entitled to.

They offered him two camels, and the choice of one wife out of the
three, on condition he should go back to his own country and return to
the desert no more.

These terms Golah indignantly refused, and declared that he would rather
die in defence of his rights.

Golah was a pure negro, and one of a class of traders much disliked by
the Arabs. He was a lawless intruder on their grounds, a trespasser
upon their especial domain--the Great Desert. He had just acquired a
large amount of wealth in goods and slaves that had been cast on their
coast, and these they were determined he should not carry back with him
to his own country.

Though he was as much a robber as themselves they had no sympathy with
him, and would not be satisfied with merely a share of his plunder.
They professed to understand all his doings in the past, and accused him
of not being a fair trader.

They told him that he never came upon the desert with merchandise to
exchange, but only with camels, to be driven away laden with property,
justly belonging to them, the real owners of the land.

They denied his being a true believer in the Prophet, and concluded
their talk by declaring that he should be thankful for the liberal terms
they had offered him.

Golah's opposition to their proposal became so demonstrative that the
Arabs were obliged to disarm and bind him, though this was not
accomplished without a fierce struggle in which several of his
adversaries were overthrown.

A blow on the head with a stock of a musket at length reduced him to
subjection, after which his hands were fast tied behind his back.

During the struggle, Golah's son was prevented from interfering in
behalf of his father by the black slaves who had been so long the
victims of his cruel care; while the brother-in-law, as well as Fatima
and the third wife, remained passive spectators of the scene.

On Golah being secured, the white slaves with Old Bill at their head
came up and voluntarily surrendered themselves to their new masters.

Colin had in his hands the bowl of water, and the dried figs that had
been placed beside it. Advancing towards Golah he held the figs up
before his eyes, and then, with a nod