he began to be boyishly peevish with the
chauffeur for not getting off an hour ago. No sooner had the car
started, however, than he fell into a serious mood, telling Stephen of
many things which he had thought out in the night--things which might be
helpful in finding Victoria. He had been lying awake, it seemed,
brooding on this subject, and it had occurred to him that, if Mouni
should prove a disappointment, they might later discover something
really useful by going to the annual ball at the Governor's palace. This
festivity had been put off, on account of illness in the chief
official's family; but it would take place in a fortnight or so now. All
the great Aghas and Caids of the south would be there, and as Nevill
knew many of them, he might be able to get definite information
concerning Ben Halim. As for Saidee--to hear of Ben Halim was to hear of
her. And then it was, in the midst of describing the ball, and the
important men who would attend, that Nevill suddenly broke off to be
superstitious about birds.

It was true that the birds were everywhere! little greenish birds
flitting among the trees; larger grey-brown birds flying low; fairy-like
blue and yellow birds that circled round the car as it ran east towards
the far, looming mountains of the Djurdjura; larks that spouted music
like a fountain of jewels as they soared into the quivering blue; and
great, stately storks, sitting in their nests on tall trees or tops of
poles, silhouetted against the sky as they gazed indifferently down at
the automobile.

"Josette would tell us it's splendid luck to see storks on their
nests," said Nevill. "Arabs think they bring good fortune to places.
That's why people cut off the tops of the trees and make nests for them,
so they can bless the neighbourhood and do good to the crops. Storks
have no such menial work here as bringing babies. Arab babies have to
come as best they can--sent into the world anyhow; for storks are men
who didn't do their religious duties in the most approved style, so they
have to revisit the world next time in the form of beneficent birds."

But Nevill did not want to answer questions about storks and their
habits. He had tired of them in a moment, and was passionately
interested in mules. "There ought to be an epic written about the mules
of North Africa!" he exclaimed. "I tell you, it's a great subject. Look
at those poor brave chaps struggling to pull carts piled up with casks
of beastly Alge