ly would not have absconded with the slave, for he had left
valuable property behind him.

There was no time for exchanging surmises over this mystery. Pursuit
must be instantly made for the recovery of slave, camel, and horse.

The Arab sheik detailed four of his followers to this duty, and they
hasted to make ready for their departure. They would start as soon as
the light of day should enable them to see the course the missing
animals had taken.

All believed that the fugitives would have to be sought for in a
southerly direction; and therefore the caravan would have to be further
delayed in its journey.

While making preparations for the pursuit, another unpleasant discovery
was made. Two ship's muskets, that had been taken from Golah's party,
were also missing.

They had been extracted from a tent in which two of the Arabs had slept,
two of the four who were now preparing to search for the missing
property.

The sheik became alarmed. The camp seemed full of traitors; and yet, as
the guns were the private property of the two men who slept in the tent,
they could not, for losing them, reasonably be accused of anything more
than stupidity.

Contrary to the anticipations of all, the tracks of the lost animals
were found to lead off in a north-westerly direction; and at about two
hundred yards from the camp a dark object was seen lying upon the
ground. On examination it proved to be the Arab who had been appointed
night guard over the _douar_.

He was stone dead; and by his side lay one of the missing muskets, with
the stock broken and covered with his own brains.

The tragedy was not difficult to be explained. The man had seen one or
two of the hobbled animals straying from the camp. Not thinking that
they were being led gently away, he had, without giving any alarm, gone
out to bring them back. Golah's son, who was leading them off, by
keeping concealed behind one of the animals, had found an opportunity of
giving the guard his death-blow without any noise to disturb the
slumbering denizens of the _douar_.

No doubt he had gone to rejoin his father, and the adroit manner in
which he had made his departure, taking with him a musket, a camel, and
a horse, not only excited the wonder, but the admiration of those from
whom he had stolen them.

In the division of the slaves young Harry Blount and the Krooman had
become the property of the Arab sheik. The Krooman having some
knowledge of the Arabic l