vil."

"He is pleasant enough this morning," said Mr Burne. "The man seems
well off, too."

"Yes, effendi, he is rich for a man of his station. And now I have news
for the effendi Preston."

"News? Not letters surely?" said the professor.

"No, effendi; but there are ruins close by across the valley. An old
city and burying-place is yonder, this man tells me. Nobody ever goes
there, because the people say that it is inhabited by djins and evil
spirits, so that no one dares to go and fetch away the stones."

The professor rubbed his hands gleefully, and Mr Burne dropped the
corners of his lips as he helped himself to some more yaourt.

"How are you getting on with this stuff, Lawrence?" he said.

"I like it," was the reply.

"So do I," said Mr Burne grimly. "It puts me in mind of being a good
little boy, and going for a walk in Saint James's Park with the nurse to
feed the ducks, after which we used to feed ourselves at one of the
lodges where they sold curds and whey. This is more like it than
anything I have had since. I say, gently, young man, don't eat
everything on the table."

"But I feel so hungry up here in the mountains," cried Lawrence
laughing.

"Very likely, sir," said Mr Burne with mock austerity; "but that is no
reason why you should try and create a famine in the land."

"Let him eat; Burne," said the professor; "he wants bone and muscle."

"But he is eating wax," cried Mr Burne sharply. "Let him eat chicken
bone and muscle if he likes, and the flesh as well, but that would be no
reason why he should eat the feathers."

"I am only too glad to see him with a good appetite," said the professor
pushing the butter towards Lawrence with a smile.

"So am I. Of course. But I draw the line at wax. Confound it all,
boy! be content with the honey."

"I would," said Lawrence with his mouth full; "but it is all so mixed
up."

"Humph!" ejaculated Mr Burne. "Are you going to have a look at those
old stones, Preston?"

"Most decidedly."

"In spite of the djins and evil spirits?"

"Yes," replied the professor. "I suppose they will not alarm you,
Yussuf?"

The guide smiled and shook his head.

"I am most alarmed about those other evil spirits, effendi," he said
smiling; "such as haunt these mountains, and who steal horses, and rob
men. I think the effendi will find some curious old ruins, for this
seems to have been a famous place once upon a time. There is an old
theatre just a