turning to Bo Muzem, he asked, "Did your partners offer you a
share of the money they received for the slaves?"

"Yes," answered the merchant, "but I would not accept it."

"Have you, or your partners, received from the man who claims three of
the slaves, twelve horses and thirty dollars?"

After some hesitation, Bo Muzem answered in the negative.

"The slaves belong to the Moor, Rais Mourad, who has paid the money for
them," said the governor, "and they shall not be taken from him here.
Depart from my presence, all of you."

All retired; and, as they did so, the grazier was heard to mutter some
words about there being no justice for poor Arabs in Morocco.

Rais Mourad gave orders to his followers to prepare for the road; and
just as they were ready to start, he requested Bo Muzem to accompany him
outside the walls of the city.

The merchant consented, on condition that his friend Mahommed the
grazier should go along with him. A peculiar smile overspread the
features of Rais Mourad as he granted this request.

The Arab grazier, anxious to have another opportunity of wrangling over
his claim, accompanied his deluded companion outside the city gates.

"My good friend," said Rais Mourad, patronisingly speaking to Bo Muzem,
"you have been deceived. Had you taken these Christians to Swearah, as
you promised to do, you would have been paid for them all that you could
reasonably have asked. I live in Swearah, and was obliged to make a
long journey to the south upon urgent business. Fortunately, on my
return, I met with your partners, and bought their slaves from them.
The profit I shall make on them will more than repay me all the expenses
of my journey. The man Mahommed, whom you call your friend, has bought
two other Christians. He has sold them to the English consul. Having
made two hundred piastres by that transaction, he was anxious to trade
you out of these others, and make a few hundred more. He was deceiving
you for the purpose of obtaining your property at a cheap rate. There
is but one God, Mahomet is his Prophet, and you, Bo Muzem, are a fool!"

Bo Muzem required no further evidence in confirmation of the truth of
this statement. He could not doubt that the Moor was an intelligent
man, who knew what he was about when buying the slaves. The grazier had
certainly purchased the two slaves spoken of; had acknowledged having
carried them to Swearah, and was now anxious to obtain the other three.

A