CHAPTER XIV.

IN IBN ASL’S CLUTCHES.

"SALLAM," I said, greeting Ibn Asl as I advanced.

He made a motion commanding silence, and demanded my name.

"Amm Selad, from Suez," I replied.

"And this young man?"

"Omar, my assistant," I said, not daring to use the word servant lest Ben Nil should not be allowed to remain with us.

"How many slaves do you wish to buy?"

"As many as I can get."

"Where is your market for them?"

It would never do to allow him to cross-examine me in this way if I wished to impress him with my importance, so this time I replied curtly: "Wherever I get my price. Do you expect me to reveal my business secrets to every one?

"Amm Selad, you answer me very independently."

"Do you look for timidity in a man of my calling? Is it customary to question a guest in this fashion, without so much as asking him to be seated?"

"Who said that you were to be my guest?"

"No one, but I took it to be a self-evident fact."

"Not so self-evident as you think. I must be cautious."

"And I equally so. If you don't like me you need not bother yourself about me, for I certainly shall not exert myself to please you, and can take my departure. Come, Omar." I turned away, as did Ben Nil. Ibn Asl stepped

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up to us quickly and laid his hand on my arm, saying: "Stop! You don't understand the situation. Who so comes here to me cannot go away."

I looked laughingly into his face, and said: "And if I go, nevertheless?"

"I shall know how to hold you."

"Try it!" As I said this I seized Ben Nil's hand and sprang into the woods, drawing him after me. Fortunately, he was quick-witted enough to move as fast as I did, and the action was so unexpected to Ibn Asl that we were off before he knew what had happened. When he realized that we had disappeared into the profound darkness of the trees he cried: "Seize them, you men! Go after them!"

Every one that had legs to run on ran into the woods, searching wildly here and there. I went but about twenty feet, and drew Ben Nil after me into a covering of the thick stubble where the long "Omm Sufah" grass that abounds at that part of the banks of the Nile had been cut down. As the voices of the searchers died away around us I said: "Now we will go back."

"What! Are you not going to escape?" whispered Ben Nil.

"No, indeed! I only wanted to show Ibn Asl that I don't intend to be ordered to obey him. Now they are all out of sight; come."

We crept back to the campfire, where we caught up two pipes that the men had dropped, filled and lighted them, and waited. In a few moments some one spied us, and cried in amazement: "There they are, sitting by the fire smoking!" This cry was repeated from mouth to mouth, and they all came scuttling back, while, like Charlotte in Thackeray's verses, we quietly "went on cutting bread and butter" -- in this case the pipe took the place of the viands.

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"Allah achbar -- God is great!" cried Ibn Asl. "What ails you? We are hunting for you, and you sit here!"

"I wanted to show you that if I choose to go away I can go; you could not have got us back then. But I came here to transact business with you, and I have no desire to go till it is done." I said this so confidently that his face, up till then so stern and forbidding, broke into a laugh and he said, shaking his head: "Amm Selad, you are the first specimen of your kind I have ever seen, but I like impudence, and you please me. Be seated with me."

From this moment my acquaintance with the chief villain of the gang of slave captors made great strides, and by the time he had asked me the details of my past life, and I had entertained him with adventures that made me feel I ought to be at home writing for the daily papers, such unsuspected talent in inventing I found myself possessed of, and he had allowed us to partake of a bountiful supper with him, he had concluded that I was really what I represented myself to bet and a man after his own heart besides -- a compliment I was grateful to feel was undeserved. For, as his friendship and confidence in me waxed, he related to me the history of his own life, a history which made me shudder, for this man had never known what a heart or conscience meant. And in the course of his relations he reached the story of his capture of the Fessarah women, and then I came into the history in my own person, for he told me how the stranger Effendi had rescued these captives, and how he had sent his father to overtake him, and that he was waiting to cut off his limbs one by one, and deprive him slowly of eyes, ears, nose, lips and tongue. This was pleasant hearing, considering that I was even then in his power, and that any chance at any moment might betray my identity to him! But, though he had

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talked to me so freely and cordially, and had spoken of being waiting there to carry out a plot he had laid to entrap the Reis Effendina into certain death, I had not been able to lead him up to telling me what form his plans had taken, and dared not press the point for fear of arousing his suspicion. So I had not accomplished much when the time came to turn in for the night, although he did me the honor to invite me to share his cabin aboard his "noquer," the "Lizard," an honor not extended to Ben Nil in spite of a hint, which was the most I could venture, that I should like to have him with me. We crept under the mosquito netting, which Ibn Asl held up for me, and he lighted a torch just long enough for me to see where I was, for the heat is too great and the insects too many in that region for a light to be comfortable in a close cabin. In that brief time, however, I saw that a small ship's chest of tools stood near the conch assigned to me.

Ibn Asl and I laid down each in our appointed place, but not to sleep, for after a few moments' silence the rascal spoke: "If you are not inclined to sleep I shall be glad to talk longer; you can lie as late in the morning as you will." This gave me the opportunity I was waiting for, and I seized it: "I am not able to sleep, so I shall be glad to chat.

"Why are you not able to sleep; are you uncomfortable?"

"Oh, no; but I know you are awaiting the Reis Effendina, and there will be a fight."

"Are you afraid of a fight?"

"Not I! I have smelled powder often, and I am far from a bad shot. I should like to take a hand when the row begins."

"There won't be any powder in this case, for it must be done in perfect stillness. But if you feel like breaking the heads of a few 'Asaker' I have no objections."

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"So it's to be blows, and not shots! It is just the same to me; I shall gladly be there in any case. But how are we to get from your 'noquer' on board the Reis Effendina's ship?"

"We shall take good care not to get on board. Fire is better than powder or blows. Listen to me; I'll tell you my plan, for it can do no harm, and I am proud of it. Did you see those piles of 'Omm Sufah' grass on deck?"

"Of course; they are big enough."

"I had it cut down and laid there ready. Did you see the casks which are close to the grass?"

"Yes."

"They are filled with destruction to the Reis. They are casks of oil."

"Oil! Ah, I begin to understand! But how can you get this oil on board his ship?"

"On board! I don't mean to get it on the ship, but to it. When my sentinel comes from Hegasi to tell me the Reis is there I shall divide my force and place half on each side of the island. When the ship has come down so far that she cannot escape, the oil will be emptied in the river and the dried grass thrown on top of it. The oil will spread over the water and surround the ship in a sea of fire, from which she cannot possibly escape. What do you think of my plan?"

I was horror-stricken, but controlled myself sufficiently to say: "It is magnificent, wonderful! I don't believe another man on earth could have conceived it. Most people would have put an end to the Reis alone, but you have thought out a way to burn all his crew and soldiers alive. It is wonderful!"

"Yes, I am proud of this idea, and the best of it is that it cannot fail. But I am getting sleepy and we will try to

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sleep, and be fresh to enjoy the fine spectacle of the burning ship. Good rest. I will waken you if you steep too late."

It was not likely that I should oversleep, nor sleep at all. What was I to do? Could it be possible that a human being had thought out such a fiendish scheme? One thing was certain; its execution must be prevented, but how? If Ben Nil and I could steal away, slip back to Hegasi and warn the Reis it would be the simplest and best plan, but I had no idea where Ben Nil was, and the risk and delay of looking for him was too great. There was but one thing to do, and I resolved to do it. I waited until Ibn Asl's regular breathing announced his slumber, and then I arose. Softly, slowly and most cautiously I lifted the mosquito net and crawled out on the deck. But before I left the cabin I groped in the chest of tools, found and pocketed a small gimlet, without which I could not carry out my plan.

There was no one in sight on deck; everything lay in the deep shadow of the half-light of the stars, silent and motionless. I made my way over to the casks and examined them. They stood close to the side of the ship, ready to be thrown over quickly. Each of the casks must have two holes made in it, one to let the air in, the other to let the oil out. I made the holes, taking care not to come in contact with the oil, for if I brought the slightest odor of petroleum back into the cabin on my clothes I was lost. It took me, perhaps, a quarter of an hour to accomplish my task. Then I washed the gimlet clean in the river, and crawled back to the cabin as carefully as I had left it. Not a movement indicated that Ibn Asl had been disturbed, and I lay down again to consider the danger that threatened Ben Nil and me when the discovery that the casks were

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empty was made. It was not a pleasant prospect that opened out before me, yet, in spite of it, my heart was light, for I had done what I came to do, had delivered the Reis Effendina, and the relief of that thought made me fall asleep in spite of the dismal outlook for ourselves.

I slept late, and was awakened by Ibn Asl calling: "Get up, Amm Selad! You must have slept enough, for the sun has long arisen, and there will soon be something for you to do; the Reis Effendina is coming."

This woke me thoroughly, and I instantly sprang up. I looked at him searchingly, but nothing in his face indicated that he knew what I had done.

"Yes, yes," he repeated, nodding his head. "The hour has come. Go above; your coffee is ready for you."

I went up, and as soon as I had taken my breakfast Ben Nil joined me. "You have slept long, sir," he said, reproachfully. "Have you forgotten what is to be done?"

"I have not only remembered it, but I have done it," I said.

"What do you mean? I have not been able to sleep at all for anxiety about the Reis Effendina. Two of the ship's officers spent the night with me, and they told me that the Reis was to be burned. Only think of it!"

"Ibn Asl told me the same thing; the oil was in those casks down below."

"For heaven's sake, what shall we do? Here is the Reis coming now, and there is the oil ready. It is awful, horrible! And yet you have slept, and not bothered about it at all."

"Don't jump at conclusions! It is not so bad as you think. I bored the casks in the night; the oil has all run out."

"Allah it Allah! Is that actually true?"

IN IBN ASL’S CLUTCHES. 141

"Yes; it was not very difficult, and the oil must have been remarkably pure, or else this strong wind has blown away all odor of it, which is a fortunate thing for us."

"I can't see anything fortunate about it, sir. When it is discovered the suspicion will fall on us."

"Very likely; but who can prove anything?"

"Such people as these do not ask for proof; we must escape -- escape this moment!"

"It would certainly be the best thing to do, if it could be done, but there is not the slightest chance of it now, with everybody on the alert, and in broad daylight."

Hardly had I spoken than Ibn Asl sprang up the ladder and came down upon us, with a very different face than I had last seen him wear. While several of his followers closed around us, he came up to me and said threateningly: "You did not expect this! You seem to have a long head, so I had to catch you craftily, but I have done it. You must be a fool to think you can deceive Ibn Asl "

"I am surprised at such words," I said. "By what right do you address me thus?"

"Oh, you don't know!" he sneered. "I have heard all that you have said. You have dared to empty my casks; you shall pay the full price of your treachery. You accomplished nothing by it, for a messenger has just come to me announcing that the Reis Effendina has marched by land taking his men from his ship. But you cannot be a slave dealer if you sympathize, and secretly try to rescue, this confounded officer of the government. What you are I will discover, and when I know I will pay my debt to you down to the last piaster. Bind them, men; you are my prisoners."

We were seized, and bound hand and foot, and so tightly that the flesh was cut by the ropes. Before I had a chance

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to expostulate with Ibn Asl, even had such expostulation been of any avail, he was summoned to the shore, where a rider had just dismounted from his camel, as we could see from where we lay, and had sent one of Ibn Asl's men after his master; evidently, he was a messenger.

It was not long before the slave captor returned, in worse humor than he had gone away. He did not look toward me, but said to his lieutenant: "My father and all his men have been captured by that accursed foreign Effendi, whom the devil has taken under his protection. That man who is now following me to the ship was one of them, and he has escaped and ridden here to tell me the tidings. How do I know that you, you humbugging slave dealer, you, Amm Selad, are not in collusion with this devil from across the seas?" he added, turning to me fiercely.

"You don't," I said, coolly. "There are a great many things you do not know; that is one of them."

"You dare answer me thus?" he cried, kicking me.

"You dare kick me because I am bound; wait, my turn will come."

A small boat came alongside at this moment, from which a man sprang lightly up the gangway. I should not have known him, although he was clad like the men who had been with Abd Asl, but my face was turned toward him as I lay, and as he advanced and saw me he stopped short, crying: "The Effendi and Ben Nil! Praise be to Allah and the Prophet that you have captured them; but why did you not tell me so?"

"Ben Nil! The Effendi! Allah achbar!" cried Ibn Asl, falling backward in his surprise and joy. Then bending over me with his face blackening with the rage that overpowered him, when he remembered all that had happened between us, he hissed: "You are in my power at

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last, at last! You shall be tortured by all the tortures the human brain can invent. Do you realize, do you know, you cur, what lies before you?"

"I know that in the Far West, whence I come, we are taught it is not polite to call names. I know, too, that if my case is desperate there is one who is no better off, and that is your father, who is old and fears death like a coward, or an old man." Ibn Asl tried to speak, but he could not, and foam stood on his black lips, mingled with blood as he bit them.

"Keep cool," I said. "If you kill me your father's blood is on your head, for I have ordered that if I am not back at a certain time he is to be executed. If you set Ben :Nil and me free, uninjured, so shall you have your father back once more; if I die, he dies; if we suffer, so in like manner shall he suffer."

Ibn Asl sprang up, paced up and down the deck, vainly striving to get himself under control. I could see when he turned our way that a struggle between duty and what little natural affection the man had was going on within his breast. I watched the signs of it with intense interest and anxiety. At last, he came over to us and kicked me again with the concentrated force of the fight he had been going through. "I have decided," he said hoarsely, "if my father must die, then let him die; he has lived long enough, anyway. It is worth all other loss to gain the pleasure of torturing you, and I shall find a way of adding something to the pain I meant to inflict on you to pay for my father's death. Take these men and throw them into the prison; I will follow to see that they are safe."

Four big, bronze fellows took Ben Nil and me by our head and feet and carried us down somewhere into the hold of the ship. We were thrust, with blows and insults,

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into a place that seemed a sort of dark pit, and Ibn Asl followed immediately to test our bonds and make sure that he actually had us secure. Satisfied on this point, he stood astride of us like an evil Colossus of Rhodes, and laughed with diabolical joy over his triumph.

"Look at them! Look at the Effendi, who thought he was mightier than all the sons of the desert and the fol1owers of the Prophet! Ibn Asl has shown him that there are men mightier than he! You dog, you son of dogs and beloved of Sheitan, the father of evil, I have you now! Lie there and wait till I am pleased to begin your slow killing, and meditate on the skill with which I shall torture you!" So saying, he turned away, bidding the guards beat us with their great whips if Ben Nil and I attempted to speak to each other. The door swung to behind him, the heavy bolts slipped into their place. We were alone, prisoners in the hands of Ibn Asl.

Chapter 15


Contents


Introduction