hid, whad, crash_ went the stones, while Leonora plied the pole
with desperate energy, and I erected the patent reversible umbrellas
with which we were provided to catch any breath of favourable wind.

The fierce rapidity of the stream finally carried us out of the reach
of the infuriated Barghiz (who, moreover, were providentially slain by
lightning--a common enough occurrence in that favoured climate, where
nobody thinks anything of it), and we rested, weary and wounded, in a
sheltered backwater.[17]

[17]
Are you not gliding insensibly into _Bess_?--PUBLISHER.

No; all right. It is a tremendous country for storms; can't
use them too often; adds to the sense of reality.--ED.

'The dhow's looking rather dowdy,' said Leonora, glancing at the
shattered craft.

'If doughty deeds my lady please,' said I, catching her light tone,
'why, she must take the consequences. But, Leonora,' I added,
shuddering, 'I'm sure my feet are damp.'

If there is one thing I dread it is damp feet.

'No wonder,' said Leonora, calmly. 'The dhow has sprung a leek.'

I searched the dhow everywhere, but could find no trace of the
vegetable.

Meanwhile the water had risen above the capstan, and Ustani, shivering
audibly, had perched himself on the bowsprit.

'Now or never,' said Leonora, 'is the moment for our life-belts.'

We hurriedly put on our life-belts, regretting the absence of an
experienced maid.

'I'll be Mrs. Lecks, and you'll be Mrs. Aleshine!' laughed Leonora, as
the dhow, shuddering in all her timbers, collapsed.

'_Ego et Lecks mea!_' cried I, not to seem deficient in opportune
gaiety of allusion, and we were in the water. We advanced briskly down
stream, Ustani propelling himself with the pole of the dhow.

Ever anxious about Ustani's University education (interrupted by this
expedition), Leonora kept 'coaching' him in the usual way.

'Bow, you're feathering under water,' she exclaimed, when the
unfortunate Ustani disappeared in a lasher, where we, thanks to our
life-belts, floated gaily enough.

Here we paused to catch a few of the perch and gudgeons, which Leonora
had attracted by carefully wearing white stockings.

'Nothing like white stockings for perch,' she said.

As there were not perch enough to go round, Ustani was told to content
himself with the pole, a synonym, if not an equivalent.

Laying our trencher-caps on the water, we used them, as of old, for
trenchers, and made an e