ve in de
sack, sar."

"What!" ejaculated Harry Girdwood.

"Fack, Massa Harry," said Tinker, stoutly. "Guess I know dat ugly brack
niggar, sar, a tousan' mile off--beast!"

"Come on. Don't appear to notice them," said the Irishman. "It's
awkward work now. If they had half a suspicion, they would drop on us
right and left, and not leave a limb on either one of our blessed
bodies."

He led the way until they came to a gallery that overlooked the
seraglio.

Their leader now warned them to keep silent.

In the chamber below were about a dozen Turkish ladies, all unveiled.

They were all gorgeously attired, and lolling about in indolent
attitudes, as if life were an indescribable bore to them.

Upon a square fringed carpet in the middle of the room a Circassian
girl of rare beauty and perfect symmetry was gliding through a graceful
dance, to a low, melodious measure, which another girl of her own
country was chanting.

The dance resembled nothing that Jack and Harry had seen before.

As she turned round, the shawl she waved was made to describe a series
of circles.

And then, as she came to a sudden stop, it fell around her in graceful
folds and she looked like a very beautiful sculptured figure.

But before you could fairly admire her graceful form and beauteous
face, she had bounded off again in the mazy dance, to the intense
gratification of the idle lookers-on.

"What do you think of that?" whispered the Irishman.

"Lovely," returned Jack, enthusiastically.

"Beautiful," added Harry Girdwood. "What would little Emily say, Jack,
if she knew you were looking with loving eyes at that little beauty?"

The mention of little Emily's name made Jack silent for a minute or
two.

Presently he asked--

"Are these professional performers?"

"The dancer and the singer are two out of three Circassian slaves that
have been sent to the pasha as a present during his journey. He will be
pleased with the new acquisition when he returns, although one has met
an untimely end."

"Slaves! Is it possible?" said young Jack.

"Rather, my boy."

"What will they do with these slaves?"

"Various things. Perhaps keep them to amuse the ladies of the harem, as
you see now; perhaps make them beasts of burden; perhaps make more
wives of them. His excellency is not particular to a wife or two."

"He's a beast!" said young Jack; "and I should like to kick him."

"Gently, gently; it's the system of the country, dear boys, no