of honour to their
leader. They took their stand upon either side of the gateway after
profoundly salaaming to Asad-ed-Din. The Basha sat in the shade of an
awning enthroned upon a divan, attended by his wazeer Tsamanni and by
Marzak, and guarded by a half-dozen janissaries, whose sable garments
made an effective background to the green and gold of his jewelled
robes. In his white turban glowed an emerald crescent.

The Basha's countenance was dark and brooding as he watched the advent
of that line of burdened camels. His thoughts were still labouring with
the doubt of Sakr-el-Bahr which Fenzileh's crafty speech and craftier
reticence had planted in them. But at sight of the corsair leader
himself his countenance cleared suddenly, his eyes sparkled, and he rose
to his feet to welcome him as a father might welcome a son who had been
through perils on a service dear to both.

Sakr-el-Bahr entered the courtyard on foot, having dismounted at
the gate. Tall and imposing, with his head high and his forked beard
thrusting forward, he stalked with great dignity to the foot of
the divan followed by Ali and a mahogany-faced fellow, turbaned and
red-bearded, in whom it needed more than a glance to recognize the
rascally Jasper Leigh, now in all the panoply of your complete renegado.

Sakr-el-Bahr went down upon his knees and prostrated himself solemnly
before his prince.

"The blessing of Allah and His peace upon thee, my lord," was his
greeting.

And Asad, stooping to lift that splendid figure in his arms, gave him a
welcome that caused the spying Fenzileh to clench her teeth behind the
fretted lattice that concealed her.

"The praise to Allah and to our Lord Mahomet that thou art returned and
in health, my son. Already hath my old heart been gladdened by the news
of thy victories in the service of the Faith."

Then followed the display of all those riches wrested from the Dutch,
and greatly though Asad's expectations had been fed already by
Othmani, the sight now spread before his eyes by far exceeded all those
expectations.

In the end all was dismissed to the treasury, and Tsamanni was bidden to
go cast up the account of it and mark the share that fell to the portion
of those concerned--for in these ventures all were partners, from the
Basha himself, who represented the State down to the meanest corsair who
had manned the victorious vessels of the Faith, and each had his share
of the booty, greater or less according