negro ran him down
one street and up another at a pace which would soon have exhausted him
if, besides being a naturally good runner, he had not recently been
forced to undergo such severe training. During the run his guide
pointed out and named most of the chief places, buildings, and mosques.

"You will do," said the negro, pausing at length and turning towards his
companion with a look of approval, "You a'most so good as myself!"

With this compliment he proceeded to instruct the new runner in his
duties, and at night Miles found himself again in his prison, ready to
do full justice to his bowl of rice-compost, and to enjoy his
blanket-less mat bed--if a man can be said to enjoy anything about which
he is profoundly unconscious during the time of its enjoyment!

Next morning he awoke with a sensation that led him for a moment to
fancy he must have gone supper-less to bed. While he was waiting
impatiently for breakfast he revolved several ideas in his mind, one of
which was that, come what might, he would not suffer any indignity,
however gross, to get the better of him. He would take a leaf out of
his friend Stevenson's book, and bear patiently whatever was sent to
him, in the hope that by so doing he might gain the good-will of his
captors, and thus, perhaps, be in a better position to take advantage of
any opportunity to escape that might occur.

He was very confident of his power of self-restraint, and trusted a good
deal to that determination of will which we have before referred to as
being one of his characteristics. That same day his powers were
severely tested.

All the morning he was left in his prison to fret in idleness, but
towards the afternoon he was called by his friend the ex-runner to go
out to his work.

"Do what you is told an' hold you tongue, an' keep your eyes on de
ground. Dems my advice," said the negro, as he resigned the bridle of
the Mahdi's steed to his successor, and placed the lance of office in
his hand.

Just as he did so the Mahdi came out of a door-way and advanced towards
them, while the negro retired and mingled with the crowd which had
assembled to see the chief mount his horse.

Miles tried faithfully to attend to his friend's injunctions, but could
not resist one glance at his new master, which showed him that a cynical
smile rested on his swarthy countenance, a smile which he also observed
was copied by those of the crowd who did not prefer to regard him with
sc