ll was now clear to Bo Muzem; and for a moment he stood mute and
motionless under a sense of shame at his own stupidity.

This feeling was succeeded by one of wild rage against the man who had
so craftily outwitted him.

Drawing his scimitar, he rushed towards the grazier; who, having been
attentive to all that had been said, was not wholly unprepared for the
attack.

The Arabs generally never acquire much skill in the use of the scimitar;
and an affair between them with this weapon is soon decided.

The combat between the merchant and his antagonist was not an exception
to other affrays of the kind. It was a desperate struggle for life or
death, witnessed by the white slaves, who felt no sympathy for either of
the combatants.

A Mussulman in a quarrel generally places more dependence on the justice
of his cause than on his strength or skill; and when such is not the
case, much of his natural prowess is lost to him.

Confident in the rectitude of his indignation, Bo Muzem, with his
Mahommedan ideas of fatalism, was certain that the hour had not yet
arrived for him to die; nor was he mistaken.

His impetuous onset could not be resisted by a man unfortified with the
belief that he had acted justly; and Mahommed the grazier was soon
struck to the ground, and left rolling in the dust in the agonies of
death.

"There's one less av 'em, anyhow!" exclaimed Sailor Bill, as he saw
Jim's master cease to exist. "I wish he had brought brother Jim and
Master Terence here afore he died. I wonder what he has done wi' 'em?"

"We should learn, if possible," answered Harry, "and before we get any
farther away from them. Suppose we speak to the Moor about them? He
may be able to get possession of them for us."

At Harry's request, the Krooman proceeded to make the desired
communication; but was prevented by Rias Mourad, who peremptorily
ordered the slaves into their places, for the purpose of continuing the
journey which the tragic incident had interrupted.

After cautioning Bo Muzem to beware of the followers of Mahommed, who
now lay dead at his feet, the Moor, placing himself at the head of his
kafila, moved off in the direction of Mogador.

CHAPTER EIGHTY ONE.

THE JEWS' LEAP.

The road followed by Rais Mourad on the day after leaving Santa Cruz was
through a country of very uneven surface.

Part of the time the kafila would be traversing a narrow valley by the
seashore, and in the next hour following a zigz