him, so busily
occupied was he with the combatants. To and fro they swayed; now
Abdu seemed to be getting the best of it, and now the other appeared
to be forcing the little man back. It was most exciting, and George
struggled to a sitting posture, the better to follow their
movements.

Suddenly a whispered tone reached his ear; some one close beside him
uttered the word "Amman!"

CHAPTER XXII

HORROR

Turning in the direction the sound came from, George saw it was the
third man close by him who had whispered the word. Here was a
surprise; but a light began to dawn on him as he answered with
alacrity----

"Allah is good!"

"And ever watchful!" said the man at once.

So Naoum's power was already working. Evidently this fight was a
planned affair between these two men, and Helmar waited wonderingly
for what was to happen next.

The moment the fellow had given the sign he stooped down and quickly
cut the ropes from the prisoner's feet and hands, and whispered,
"Come! we will stay this Abdu's hand and give him a lesson!"

George sprang to his feet instantly, and the two men dashed at the
struggling pair. Abdu's assailant, doubtless prepared for this, at
once relaxed his hold and, before the enraged little officer could
deliver a home thrust with his knife, he was seized by Helmar and
his friend, and the weapon wrenched from his grasp.

The two guards now seemed inclined to leave the affair in the white
man's hands, for the moment Helmar had got a firm grip on Abdu they
fell back.

"So, traitors," screamed the maddened little man, bursting with
fury, "you have turned on me and released your prisoner! By Allah! I
swear you shall pay for this! You are in league against the great
Pasha Arabi, and your lives shall pay the forfeit!"

All the answer he got to his ravings was a stolid smile of triumph
from both men, and, to stay his tongue, Helmar gripped his throat
until he almost choked with a spluttering cough.

"Never mind about traitors," said Helmar, in Arabic. "We are just
going to read you a lesson; retribution has come to you sooner than
you expected. See!" he went on, turning to the others, "pass that
rope along and we will bind him!"

The two men did as they were bid, and together they secured the
officer in no very gentle manner. His hands were folded behind his
back and bound in that position, so that when his feet had been
secured