ot about you this time," his beloved laughed; "though he declares
that you are none of you to be trusted out of sight. He has just been
warning me against our friend Elias, who, he says, once played a trick
upon some tourists--bribed the Bedouins to take them prisoner, and let
him rescue them. I assured him that Elias was not going with us; but
he seemed to doubt my word, and I shall begin to doubt it myself unless
those mules turn up. What has become of them?"

"The man bretends I told him for to-morrow. That is a lie, because I
sboke as blain as anythin'. I think it some trick of that Elias to
detain us here."

By that time all the unemployed muleteers in the town had joined the
growing crowd that watched their conference. One man had gone so far
as to bring a good-looking mule ready saddled with him, as a sample of
what he could provide. Iskender paid no heed to the prayers of all
these suppliants, whispered confidentially by those in front, shouted
with fierce gesticulations from those behind, any more than he gave ear
to the counsel of the sons of Musa that he should employ one of them.
He still had hopes of the person he had first engaged, who appeared at
length, but without any mules, and in a state of indignation even
greater than Iskender's.

The clash of words when they met electrified the whole street; the
mouths of the rival muleteers, now mere onlookers, grinned all
together, showing milk-white teeth. Accused of laziness, of breach of
contract, the delinquent hurled back the accusations in Iskender's
face. He said he knew his business, and was not going to start without
proper orders. The Khawajah Elias, the responsible dragoman, was away,
and might Allah end his life immediately if he set forth without him at
the call of a beardless boy.

So the truth was out. Iskender reported to his patron that the man was
a mere creature of Elias.

"There's nothing for it," said the Emir with a shrug. "We must engage
another man."

"But I baid this one already some money."

"Never mind. It will cost us more than that if we wait for Elias!"

So that muleteer was dismissed and retired, conscientiously objecting
in terms abusive and obscene; while the man who had had the wit to
bring a mule already saddled was promptly engaged in his place. This
individual had attracted the Frank from the first by his cheerful
looks, and the way he kept aloof from the group that pestered, only
smiling now and then t