oached him
and spoke to him in a kind and friendly manner.

"My boy," said he, "I have come here by order of the Commander of the
Faithful. Last evening, when you were acting your play, he overheard
all that was said, and he wishes to see you at the palace to-day."

The boy was alarmed when he heard this, grew pale, and showed great
uneasiness. "Have I done something wrong?" he asked. "If I have I did
it unknowingly, and I hope I am not to be punished for something I did
without intention."

"You have done no wrong," answered the Vizier, "and it is not to
punish you that the Caliph has sent for you. Indeed he is very much
pleased with your conduct, and his sending for you in this manner is a
great honor." He then told the lad what it was the Caliph wished him
to do.

Instead of being put at ease by this the lad showed even greater
discomfort. "This seems a strange thing for me to do," said he:--"to
decide a case between two grown men--I who am only a child. I am
afraid I will not be able to please the Caliph, and that he will be
angry with me."

"Conduct the case as wisely as you did last night when you were
playing," answered the Vizier, "and the Caliph will not be displeased
with you."

The boy then asked permission to go and tell his mother where he was
going and for what purpose, and to this the Vizier consented.

When the lad's mother heard that he was to go to the palace to act as
judge in a case of such importance she could hardly believe her ears.
She was frightened lest the lad should in some way offend the Caliph
by saying or doing something ill-judged.

The lad tried to reassure her, though he himself was far from being at
ease.

"If the Caliph was pleased with the way I conducted the case last
night I do not think he can be so very much displeased with me
to-day," said he; "for I feel sure that only in this way can we
discover the truth between the two merchants."

When the lad returned to the Vizier he looked very grave, and as they
went along together on their way to the palace the Vizier tried in
every way to put him more at ease and give him confidence.

Immediately upon their arrival at the palace they were shown into the
room where the Caliph was sitting. Haroun-al-Raschid greeted the boy
with no less kindness than the Vizier had shown and asked him if he
understood the purpose for which he had been brought thither.

The lad said he did.

"Then let the two merchants come in," said the