Kwihara; and soon rose before them the Arab houses of
Sayd bin Salim, Abdullah bin Sayd, Sheikh Nasib, and of the redoubtable
Kisesa. But passing by these, and walking rapidly along a road which
led through Kisiwani, and between two hills which separate Kwihara from
the larger settlement of the Arabs, the great tembes of Tabora greeted
them, each surrounded by plantains and pomegranate trees.

Upon asking some of the people who were passing from Tabora to Kwihara--
and who stared at Selim and Abdullah as if they had never seen Arabs
before--who lived at Tabora, they were given a long list of names, and
among these was the name of Sultan bin Ali!

"Where does he live?" asked Selim.

"Yonder, by that big tree. The first tembe ye come to."

Selim and Abdullah gave a shout of joy, in which they were joined by
Moto, Simba, and Niani, and as they passed on, Selim proposed that they
should break in upon the old man suddenly, who would no doubt be found
on his verandah, chatting with half-a-dozen other Arabs.

In a few minutes--minutes that were never counted, but which glided by
swiftly--they found themselves pushing their way through crowds of
well-dressed Zanzibar slaves, who looked upon the Arab boys with
surprise, mingled with awe, but who made way for them immediately, but
eyeing them as if they had never seen Arabs.

Selim and Abdullah passed on, however, and came at last before the
spacious tembe. They saw the white-bearded Sheikh, seated with his back
to the wall, leaning on a pillow which was covered with gay print. On
each side of him sat several other Arabs. All started up as they saw
the strange Arab boys, undressed and naked, with the exception of ragged
pieces of dirty cloth about their loins, walk up to them, and heard the
unmistakable Arabic of Muscat, as the boys said:

"Salaam Aleekum!" (Peace be to ye.)

"Aleekum Salaam!" (and unto ye be peace), responded the startled Arabs,
rising to their feet.

"Are ye Arabs, children?" said the old Sultan bin Ali, gazing at them
sternly.

"We are children of the Arabs of Muscat," answered Selim, with a
tremulous voice.

"How is it, then, in the name of Allah," said the aged Sheikh, "that ye
come in this guise, naked, into the presence of true believers?"

"Our fathers are dead. They were rich merchants of Zanzibar. They were
slain in battle, and we, their sons, were made slaves. After many
months we have escaped--praised be Allah for his mercies!-