smoking in the dish. Paying the
cook, and putting it into his basket, he hastened home over the bridge
of boats, exulting in his good fortune. When he arrived, he swept out
his room, dressed himself in better clothes, lighted his lamps, spread
out his table, and then squatted himself down, with his legs twisted
under him, and tossing off a bumper of wine, he exclaimed, "Well, I am
lucky; nevertheless, here's confusion to all Moussul merchants, with
their vile omens. Allah send their unlucky footsteps here to-night--
that's all."

Here Menouni stopped, and made his salaam. "May it please your highness
to permit your slave to retire for the night, for the tale of Yussuf,
the water-carrier, cannot be imparted to your highness in one evening."

The pacha, although much amused, was also a little tired. "Be it so,
good Menouni; but recollect, Mustapha, that the caravan must not depart,
till I hear the end of this story."

"Be chesm, on my eyes be it," replied Mustapha; and they all retired for
the night.

"What is the cause?" demanded the pacha hastily, as next day Mustapha
listened with apparent patience to the long details of one of the
petitioners for justice.

"It is, O lord of wisdom, a dispute between these men, as to a sum of
money which they received as guides to a Frank, who journeyed into the
interior. The one was hired for the journey, but not being well
acquainted with the road called in the assistance of the other; they now
dispute about the division of the money, which lies at my feet in this
bag."

"It appears that the one who was hired did not know the way?"

"Even so," replied Mustapha.

"Then he was no guide, and doth not deserve the money. And the other,
it appears, was called in to assist?"

"Thy words are the words of wisdom," replied Mustapha.

"Then was he not a guide but only an assistant; neither can he be
entitled to the money as guide. By the beard of the Prophet, justice
must not be fooled thus, and the divan held in our presence he made
foolish by such complaints. Let the money be distributed among the
poor, and let them each have fifty bastinadoes on the soles of the feet.
I have said it."

"Wallah thaib--it is well said," replied Mustapha, as the two disputants
were removed from the presence.

"Now call Menouni," said the pacha, "for I am anxious to hear the story
of Yussuf, and the future proceedings of the caliph; and a part of this
bag of money will reward him for the