and are now, as we generally shall be, at the mercy of men
who obey the laws when they feel the rod over their backs, but who, when
they cannot see the rod, laugh at them."

"What do you ask us to do, then?" said the professor quickly.

"Be always on guard, but never show it. Be prepared for danger. If
there is none, so much the better. Life here is a little matter
compared to what I am told it is among you Franks, and it becomes every
man's duty to guard his life."

"But these Greek sailors?" said Mr Burne sharply.

"I do not trust them," replied Yussuf calmly. "If we are the stronger
they will be our slaves. If they feel that they are, our lives would
not be safe if they had the chance to rob us. They believe your
excellencies to be rich and to have much gold."

"Look here, Yussuf," said Mr Burne uneasily, "our friend ashore gave
you a capital character."

"I have eaten salt with your excellencies, and my life is yours,"
replied Yussuf.

"Then what would you do now?"

"Be perfectly calm, effendi, and treat these men if you did not know
fear."

"And we have no arms," said Mr Burne uneasily.

"Can your excellency fight?" said Yussuf quietly.

"A law case--yes, with any man, but any other case of fighting--good
gracious me, no. I have not fought since I had a black eye at school."

"But you can, effendi?" continued Yussuf, looking with admiration at the
professor's broad chest and long muscular arms.

"I daresay I can, if I am driven to it," replied the professor gravely;
and he involuntarily clenched a large, hard, bony hand.

"Yes," said Yussuf, with a grave smile of satisfaction. "Your
excellency can fight, I see."

"But we are entirely without arms," repeated Mr Burne excitedly.

"Not quite," replied Yussuf calmly. "Your excellency has a big stick;
the effendi here has hands and strength that would enable him to throw
an enemy into the sea, and I never go a journey without my pistol and a
knife."

"You have a pistol?" said Mr Burne eagerly.

"Be quite calm, excellency," said Yussuf, laughing as he smoked, and
bowing down as if something droll had been said. "Yes, I have a pistol
of many barrels given to me by a Frankish effendi when we returned from
a journey through the land of Abraham, and then down to the stony city
in the desert--Petra, where the Arab sheiks are fierce and ready to rob
all who are not armed and strong."

"Where is it?" said the professor.

"Safe in my bosom, ef