themselves at
the distance of half a league. They appeared to be riding straight to
the encampment; one of the guard came into the tent, to inform them
that they would probably be attacked.

[Illustration]

The merchants consulted among themselves as to what they should do,
whether to march against them, or await the attack. Achmet and the two
elder merchants inclined to the latter course; the fiery Muley,
however, and Zaleukos desired the former, and summoned the stranger to
their assistance. He, however, quietly drew forth from his girdle a
little blue cloth spangled with red stars, bound it upon a lance,
and commanded one of the slaves to plant it in front of the tent: he
would venture his life upon it, he said, that the horsemen, when they
saw this signal, would quietly march back again. Muley trusted not the
result; still the slave put out the lance in front of the tent.
Meanwhile all in the camp had seized their weapons, and were looking
upon the horsemen in eager expectation. The latter, however, appeared
to have espied the signal; they suddenly swerved from their direct
course towards the encampment, and, in a large circle, moved off to
the side.

Struck with wonder, the travellers stood some moments, gazing
alternately at the horsemen and the stranger. The latter stood in
front of the tent quite indifferently, as though nothing had happened,
looking upon the plain before him. At last Muley broke the silence.

"Who art thou, mighty stranger," he exclaimed, "that restrainest with
a glance the wild hordes of the desert?"

"You rate my art higher than it deserves," answered Selim Baruch. "I
observed this signal when I fled from captivity; what it means, I know
not--only this much I know, that whoever travels with this sign, is
under great protection."

The merchants thanked the stranger, and called him their preserver;
indeed, the number of the robbers was so great, that the Caravan could
not, probably, for any length of time, have offered an effectual
resistance.

With lighter hearts they now gave themselves to sleep; and when the
sun began to sink, and the evening wind to pass over the sand-plain,
they struck their tents, and marched on. The next day they halted
safely, only one day's journey from the entrance of the desert. When
the travellers had once more collected in the large tent, Lezah, the
merchant, took up the discourse.

"I told you, yesterday, that the dreaded Orbasan was a noble man;
permi