THE muza'bir stood looking down upon me with an expression of keenest delight upon his face and he said, continuing to gloat over his triumph:

"The devil has helped you escape us many times when we thought we were sure of you. But this time even he can be no use to you, for we won't give you time to escape. As soon as we reach the camp you shall be hanged. It is a pity, for that death is far too quick for you; you should have been put to slow torture. But, if you tell me the truth, you may escape it, so speak out. Whence came you here?"

He spoke of a camp. Could Ibn Asl be near here? Hardly likely. But, whatever it meant, it would avail me nothing to be silent. Still less did I mean to tell him the truth, so I said:

"We three came up the river alone; no one else came with us."

"Don't lie, dog! Your boat betrays you. There are no such boats around here; it belongs to a ship, and that ship is the Reis Effendina's. Confess. From whom did you get that boat?"

I thought I would tell the truth this time, hoping it would make him believe me later, so I answered:

"You are right, I got it from the Reis Effendina."

"I thought so. Where is his ship?"

"It lies down the river, a half a day's sail from here."

"I wonder if I can believe you. Why are you not with him?"

"We were sent ahead to set hippopotamus traps, so our 'Asaker' would have meat when they came up. We are after Ibn Asl."

"After Ibn Asl!" he echoed, laughing scornfully. "You have no idea where to find him."

"Where is he?" I asked with what I tried to make childlike simplicity.

"Where is he?" he repeated, sneering. "Do you expect me to tell you? Still, I will tell you, to prove to you that there is no need for us to fear you, that you really are lost. Ibn Asl has gone with more than two hundred warriors to Wagunda to capture the Gohk Negroes for slaves."

"Why did you not go with him. Were you afraid?"

"I afraid? I ought to answer that question on your face. I stayed behind with the Mokkadem, because after Ibn Asl has made the capture he will return this way, and we are building a new seribah of slight huts to shelter the slaves till they can be taken to market. You shall see this new seribah. We will start at once."

He had nine men with him. Two of them took Ben Nil, another pair took Selim between them and the other five were entrusted with me, with the caution to be especially careful that I did not escape.

We were borne along the river bank, and after a little while we came to the end of the woods, and I saw a grass grown plain leading up from the water's edge for nearly two miles. Then we saw more woods, on the border of which some huts had been erected. Their circular walls were made of clay and rushes and their funnel-shaped roofs were thatched. This was the new seribah of the slave-dealers.

Four men came toward us as we approached. Three had African features, but in the fourth I recognized my old acquaintance, the Mokkadem. He was thunderstruck at the sight of me. But when he recovered sufficiently to do so, he

expressed his delight at my capture in no measured terms and asked the particulars of its accomplishment. The muza'bir gratified his curiosity, repeating to him the information I had given him, over which they both chuckled as a proof of my stupidity.

Since the muza'bir had informed me that I was to be hanged without delay, I was casting about in my mind for means of a speedy escape. The head cloth with which I was bound, my hands tied fast to my sides, must be broken, and, though it was not new, it was strong. I began to strain on it cautiously, trying to get it so that it could be forced apart suddenly. Besides our two enemies, there were in the seribah twelve "Asaker," whom Ibn Asl had left there, all well armed, though with pistols and knives, not long guns. A little to one side were two oxen, saddle oxen apparently, with their bridles thrown over their necks. It is not necessary to add that all our property had been left on the bank where we were captured.

The Mokkadem agreed with his companion that we should be hung, but he held out for a little previous torture for me. While they were arguing this point I whispered to Ben Nil and Selim, who stood near me:

"I am going to cut your bonds. Run, without once looking around, to our boat; get in, and be ready to row away when I come."

"How can you free us?" whispered Ben Nil. "You are bound fast and have no knife."

"I shall do it. All you have to do is to follow my orders. I shall run in the opposite direction from you, and they will go after me and pay no attention to you. Be sure to wait for me to come."

The muza'bir looked around at that moment, and I, pretending not to see him, moved my arm as if trying to loosen the cloth. Instantly he was down upon me, crying:

"Dog, are you trying to get free? You won't succeed. Ah, the cloth really is loosened. I'll see to that!"

He did not consider that in order to do this he must untie the knot. It was undone only an instant, but in that instant I had thrust up my elbow, gotten my arm free, thrown myself on the muza'bir, with my right hand had drawn the knife from his girdle, while with my left I dealt him such a blow in the face that he fell over. Two quick cuts -- Ben Nil's and Selim's bands were in halves, and both were running as hard as they could run in the direction I had told them to take.

Al1 this happened with the greatest rapidity, but not too rapidly for the Mokkadem, who sprang forward and seized me by the left arm. I had the knife in my right hand, but, though I must get away from him, I did not want to stab him; so I threw it away, knocked him down and then ran for my life in the opposite direction from the one my comrades had taken. This brought me to the oxen, and, acting on a sudden inspiration, I sprang on the back of one, seized the bridle and struck him a blow that started him on a dead run. His first movement showed me that he obeyed the bridle, and, as far as that went, I was all right. The slave-dealing gang came after me, howling like madmen. Looking back I saw that the muza'bir had recovered and had mounted the second ox to pursue me. I was well pleased. No one had given a thought to Ben Nil and Selim and I had such a start that I felt sure I should escape. Unfortunately my confidence was not well founded; my ox stepped into a hole which I had not seen and fell, throwing me with such violence that it was a little time before I could pick myself up again. I was not hurt, though my whole body was jarred; but my poor ox had broken his forefoot, and I must depend upon my own speed for escape.

The muza'bir had come up to within two hundred feet of

me. I heard his triumphant shout as he waved his pistol toward me. The others were also in pursuit, but too far behind to be reckoned with. I had to decide hastily whether it was better to try to run from the muza'bir or wait his coming up. I chose the former course. He was mounted and armed; I was neither, but I resolved to trust once more to my keen sight and good luck. So I stood facing him as he rode upon me, and at about a hundred feet distance he aimed, and, shouting, "Die, dog; you will escape the rope, but here is a bullet," fired -- and missed me! He would have been a better shot than he was to have done otherwise, with his ox at full gallop, so I was not surprised.

The pistol had but one barrel. He drew the second pistol from his girdle. Once more he fired, and once more he missed me. Now was my time! Putting up the second pistol, he drew his knife. He was so crazed with rage at having missed me that he lost control of himself, and, instead of stopping beside me, he guided the ox wrong, and it darted past me before it could be drawn up. He lost but a moment by this mistake, but it sufficed to give me the advantage. I ran after him, sprang up behind him on the ox, and put my hands around his, pressing them so forcibly to his sides that the ox felt the pull on the bridle and started off again at top speed.

"Dog!" he gasped. "Let me go or we shall both break our necks."

"I'll break nothing," I laughed; "but I'll crush your bones. Drop that knife or I'll crack your ribs."

He held the bridle with both hands and the knife also in the right hand. He dropped it as I spoke, for as I did so I pressed him harder.

"Stop !" he whispered. "my breast -- you're breaking it!"

"If you obey, nothing will happen to you. But, at the first sign of disobedience, I will crush you like a rotten

apple. You have the bridle. Turn the ox toward the left."

I pressed his ribs as a gentle hint, and he did as I bade him, groaning with rage and pain. The ox ran at full speed over the grass toward the woods. In the distance I heard the voices of the Mokkadem and his men howling like demons, but we were far beyond their reach. We had nearly come to the woods when the muza'bir attempted to swing his leg over the ox's back, hoping to slip thus through my arms. I had no intention of letting him get away, so I relaxed my hold just long enough to give him one of those love pats on his temple, which had earned me the name of "Old Shatterhand" among the Indians, and the raised leg sank peacefully into place as his body drooped forward on the ox's neck. I took the bridle from his powerless hand, held him with the left arm only, and guided the willing beast toward the moat, which I reached with no further adventure.

Ben Nil and Selim were awaiting me anxiously, and, as they saw me, Ben Nil cried joyously: "Hamdulillah! Praised be Allah that you come. We have been terribly anxious about you, Effendi. But who have you there? Is it by the Prophet, it is the muza'bir!"

"That's just who it is. He meant to have us, and now we have him."

"What luck! What a victory for you! How did you do it?"

"I'll tell you later. Get him on board and hasten away. The whole gang will be after us."

"We have our weapons," said Ben Nil as he and Selim dragged the limp muza'bir into the boat. I followed, seated myself in the stern, took the tiller ropes, while the two men rowed, and the light craft flew down the river to the Dinka village.

I found, as I had expected, that the Reis Effendina had arrived during my absence. He had posted sentinels on the bank, and the whole camp was alarmed over our long delay. When the Reis learned from me what had happened, and saw that we were returning with one of Ibn Asl's chief allies as prize. His amazement and delight knew no bounds. His pleasure soon gave way to his indignation, remembering the many crimes of the man now in his power, and his long pursuit of him. The emir was not a person to let the grass grow under his feet. He held with Macbeth that what was to be done was well done quickly. As the muza'bir returned to consciousness the Reis Effendina took him by the arm and led him into the full glare of the camp fire.

"Do you know me ?" he demanded sternly.

"You are the Reis Effendina. I am glad to be in your hands, for now I have nothing to fear," replied the prisoner in tones that he meant should be confident.

"Whether or not you fear me is your affair," said the emir. "Mine is to administer justice."

"If you are just you will set me free, for I have not wronged you," said the muza'bir.

"No barking, cur. You are a slave-dealer, and you are a subject of the Viceroy, in whose place I stand. You knew when you were captured and brought before me that your hour had come. My law is the law of the desert: 'Like to like'; 'woe to him who does evil!' Aziz, bring a rope."

Aziz was our old friend, the Reis' "right hand," and he went readily to get the required rope. As he returned with it, and the muza'bir realized that his hour actually had come, he cried out: "Effendina, you are not in earnest. Consider the consequences! The Mokkadem of the sacred Kadis is my friend. He knows that I am innocent and will make the Viceroy answer for my death."

"The Mokkadem is also a friend of mine," said the emir

coolly, "and to-morrow he will swing, contentedly beside you here. Up with him on the bough."

Three "Asaker" held the muza'bir, while Aziz laid the noose over his neck and threw the other end to two more "Asaker," who climbed a tree to attach it to a branch. The condemned man tried to resist, shrieking and howling, until I could not help asking mercy for him, but the emir turned on me in a rage and said: "Be silent! You know how often I have been merciful for your sake. If I had not done so we might have been through with these villains now. If you will make these pleas of weakness and ignorance of the evil we are trying to stamp out you run the risk of angering me so deeply that our friendship will be ended. Be quiet, and, if you cannot bear the sight, go away till the man is hanged."

This was plain language. I would not have allowed a friend to speak thus to me, yet I saw that the Reis was much disturbed, and I could not but acknowledge that my plea really was unjust and foolish. Naturally I said no more and walked away, for I had no desire to witness an execution.

In less than an hour I heard steps, and, turning, saw the Reis Effendina coming to seek me, and, as I turned to meet him, I saw the dark figure of the muza'bir outlined in the moonlight, swinging from the limb on which he had paid the penalty of his crimes. The emir's anger had disappeared as quickly as it had arisen. He was smiling and said, holding out his hand: "Effendi, justice is done, but only partly satisfied. We must get the Mokkadem, too. I hope your humanitarianism won't prevent you leading me to capture him. If it does, Ben Nil must take your place. I warn you honestly I will hang him as I said I would the moment I catch him."

"My sense of justice is as robust as yours," I replied.

"Hang a thousand men if they deserve it, and you can put an end to the suffering death of the slave victims they are making. I will lead you to the Mokkadem."

"Those are welcome and sensible words. We must start at once, for you have told them that I am down the river, and we shall surprise them."

We took enough "Asaker" for our purpose and the Dinka chief, who requested to be allowed to accompany us. The emir, Ben Nil and I led the way in the small boat.

It was bright moonlight when we reached our destination. As I have already said, the seribah stood on the edge of the woods. A camp fire was burning, and so entirely secure did the Mokkadem feel that he had not deemed it necessary even to post sentinels. We saw the men sitting around the fire without their guns, which were evidently left inside the huts. I was glad of this, for I hoped the capture might be made without bloodshed and his followers be pardoned, although the Mokkadem's fate was sealed. I had gone on ahead, and now turned back to call up our men and make this suggestion to the Reis Effendina, but before I could speak he took me by the arm and drew me away, saying that I might be shot. I followed, with no suspicion of what was to happen, and said:

"Shot! Why, I was about to tell you they have no guns. We will fall upon them and --"

"Effendi," interrupted Ben Nil, "all but the Mokkadem are to be shot. The Reis Effendina has ordered --"

"Silence!" the emir said angrily. Then pointing toward the fire, he shouted to his men:

"Now, fire, quick!"

Twenty guns were raised and twenty shots rattled. All the men, seated unsuspecting around the blaze, fell at the same moment, while the Mokkadem started up and rushed into the shadow.

I guessed that he would make for the river. and ran in the opposite direction from the one he had taken, while the emir shouted after me: "What ails you? The other way; there's the fellow, the other way!" Not heeding, I ran on, calculating as I ran that he would never risk going out in the full moonlight, but must have taken refuge in the high marsh grass. I turned in that direction, and in a moment I saw him. I slipped out of sight myself, and he ran toward my hiding-place. As he came up I rose, and when he saw me he fell back, crying: "Oh, Allah! the Effendi!"

He was so shocked that he never thought of using his weapons, but only of flight. As he turned to run away I seized him around the body, lifted him and literally threw him to the "Asaker" who were pursuing him. I felt no further responsibility, and hastened back to the Reis Effendina and ventured to reproach him for the slaughter of the twelve followers of the Mokkadem. "Twelve!" he exclaimed. "If I forgave this twelve I should have to forgive all the slave dealers in the Sudan. They deserved their fate, as I know better than you can. Woe to them who do evil! Let us look after the Mokkadem and then return with him and finish up this good day's work."

The Mokkadem was bound hand and foot and laid in the boat, and we rowed back to the Dinka village more slowly than we had come. Either the man had sufficient nerve to control his fear or he really did think that the emir would not dare touch one so high in authority, for he acted as though he were perfectly secure, and even ordered the Reis Effendina to unfasten his bonds, threatening him with the power of the Kadis if he refused.

For answer the Reis pointed to the tree whereon hung the muza'bir's body, saying: "There is your answer and the proof that my power is at least equal to yours. In a few

moments you shall be at his side, as you have been companions in crime. Look there!"

As the prisoner's gaze fell on the tree he was silent for a moment, while his eyes seemed starting from their sockets. Then he cried in horror-stricken tones:

"Who is that? Am I seeing aright? O, Allah, Allah, Allah! It really is the muza'bir!"

"Yes," nodded the Reis. "He exalted himself over us, so we gave him that high place. Yours shall be as much higher, as you are more exalted than he."

"You dare not, you dare not!" shrieked the Mokkadem as Aziz fixed the rope around his neck at a sign from the emir. "It is murder! Your life shall pay for it! I will destroy you! Let me go -- mercy, murder -- ah! ah!"

"Silence, you cur!" interrupted the emir. "How dare you threaten me? Do you imagine your insane ravings are hasheesh that will make me forget my duty? You know that all your deeds are known to me and yet you dare threaten me. Up with him -- up! at least two branches higher than the other villain. Let his sacred Kadis, with which he threatens us, save him! Allah is just, and I am doing his will. Woe to him who does evil. Up with him, up!"

Contents

Introduction