h not the One proven full
oft that he who calls me infidel dog is a liar predestined to the Pit?
Are such victories as mine over the fleets of the unbelievers vouchsafed
by Allah to an infidel? Foolish blasphemer, teach thy tongue better ways
lest the All-wise strike thee dumb."

"Peace!" growled Asad. "Thine arrogance is out of season."

"Haply so," said Sakr-el-Bahr, with a laugh. "And my good sense, too,
it seems. Since thou wilt retain beside thee this partner of thy soul, I
must speak before him. Have I thy leave to sit?"

Lest such leave should be denied him he dropped forthwith to the vacant
place beside Asad and tucked his legs under him.

"Lord," he said, "there is a rift dividing us who should be united for
the glory of Islam."

"It is of thy making, Sakr-el-Bahr," was the sullen answer, "and it is
for thee to mend it."

"To that end do I desire thine ear. The cause of this rift is yonder."
And he jerked his thumb backward over his shoulder towards the
poop-house. "If we remove that cause, of a surety the rift itself will
vanish, and all will be well again between us."

He knew that never could all be well again between him and Asad. He knew
that by virtue of his act of defiance he was irrevocably doomed,
that Asad having feared him once, having dreaded his power to stand
successfully against his face and overbear his will, would see to it
that he never dreaded it again. He knew that if he returned to Algiers
there would be a speedy end to him. His only chance of safety lay,
indeed, in stirring up mutiny upon the spot and striking swiftly,
venturing all upon that desperate throw. And he knew that this was
precisely what Asad had cause to fear. Out of this assurance had he
conceived his present plan, deeming that if he offered to heal the
breach, Asad might pretend to consent so as to weather his present
danger, making doubly sure of his vengeance by waiting until they should
be home again.

Asad's gleaming eyes considered him in silence for a moment.

"How remove that cause?" he asked. "Wilt thou atone for the mockery of
thy marriage, pronounce her divorced and relinquish her?"

"That were not to remove her," replied Sakr-el-Bahr. "Consider well,
Asad, what is thy duty to the Faith. Consider that upon our unity
depends the glory of Islam. Were it not sinful, then, to suffer the
intrusion of aught that may mar such unity? Nay, nay, what I propose is
that I should be permitted--assisted even--to bear