CHAPTER III.

A BOATLOAD OF SCAMPS.

THE children were now definitely in my hands, and the first steps I had to take was to arrange for their well-being. The only course possible to me, since I meant to push on into Egypt, was to leave the boy and girl in the hands of the kind Sisters of Charity, who, happily, are to be found everywhere. It was not without many tears that the unfortunate little creatures parted from me, whom they regarded as a sort of visible providence, their only friend. But I left them in hands better able than I was to care for them and make them happy, and turned to the preparations for my departure from Cairo, perfectly satisfied that their welfare was assured.

Murad Nassyr engaged passage for me on a "dahabijeh" going up the Nile, called the "Semek," or fish, because of its speed.

"Selim," I said to the long steward, as I made my preparations for sailing; "Selim, while you were left alone with Abd el Barak last night, did you tell him that I should sail on the 'Semek' to-day?"

"No, I did not say a word," he replied.

"Be honest; more depends on it than you think."

He laid both hands on his heart and said, with the greatest appearance of frankness: "Effendi; do not insult my pious soul by thinking I would lie to you. Why should I have chattered? I was born the son of silence, and only such words as are pleasing to Allah and the holy caliphs

25

26 A BOATLOAD OF SCAMPS.

proceed from my lips. I swear I have not said a word of your going."

"Good," I said, though I felt doubtful still. "When does the ‘dahabijeh' start?"

"At three; you know that is the hour of departure for all faithful Moslems."

"And where does she lie? Is there a coffee house near by from which she can be seen?"

"Yes, there is a coffee house near her landing, from which the deck can be easily overlooked. I will show it to you."

"No, that was not what I was thinking of. I hope you have told me the truth, and remember, it is hard for a liar to get confidence a second time."

"Right, most right," he said, bowing so low that the brim of his turban swept the floor as he left the room.

Murad Nassyr conducted me to the "dahabijeh" with much ceremony. He thought there would be no more trouble with Abdel Barak, because I held his written confession; but remembering the derision in his voice as he left us, I felt sure there would be some attempt on his part at revenge. We parted with mutual expressions of goodwill, while Selim actually kissed my hand, which, considering that I was an unbeliever and he an Arab Moslem, showed I must have made a profound impression on him.

As I stepped on deck a voice at my elbow said: "Effendi, allow me to bring on board your things lying there where the porter dropped them."

I turned and saw a man standing with a deferential air close at my elbow. His little eyes gleamed sharp under his bushy brows, his thin lips were drawn in at the corners as if to control contemptuous laughter, and his nose -- ah, that nose! It was green, yellow, red, and blue, and swollen dreadfully. What could he have done to get such a nose? Involuntarily, I thought of Ghost Number Three, with

A BOATLOAD OF SCAMPS. 27

whose nose my fist had come in such violent contact in the garden. At the same time I heard the sailors singing "Ah ia sidi Abd el Kader," the favorite air of the Moslems belonging to the Kadis, and I wondered if the captain were a member of this brotherhood. Suppose Selim had told Abd el Barak I was to sail that day, and he had sent Ghost Number Three on board?

"What is your name?" I asked the man, suddenly.

He hesitated, then replied, as if using the first words that occurred to him: "I am called Ben Schorak."

"What is your tribe? How long have you been on this ship?"

"I am an Arab, of the tribe of Maazeh, and have been on board over a year."

"Good! Fetch my things, and if I am pleased with you, you shall have generous backsheesh."

Then I walked over to the captain and asked him if he had a man whom he could spare for my personal service. The captain pointed to where my swollen-nosed friend was busy with my luggage, and replied unsuspiciously: "I have already appointed a man to your use. He is working for you now."

"What is his name?"

"Barik."

"A Bedouin?"

"No, he comes from Minieh."

"Is he trustworthy? How long have you had him?"

"Four months."

This was enough; I was sure it was Ghost Number Three, and he had not had the foresight to have concocted his answers with the captain, so their stories would agree. I wondered whether he had been sent on board to murder me, or steal Abd el Barak’s acknowledgment of guilt. Most probably the latter, since as I was known to have

28 A BOATLOAD OF SCAMPS.

sailed on the "Semek," my murder might be attended by unpleasant consequences; I would keep a sharp lookout and try hard to defend myself against whatever was to follow.

We got under way immediately, and made good speed up the river in the strong north wind, until the sunset, and the "moghieb," or evening prayer, was said. Then the captain lowered part of the sails, and we crawled onward but slowly, and I saw that the "dahabijeh" was headed toward the left bank. I went to the captain to ask an explanation of this movement, and was told we were to anchor for the night at Gizeh.

"What is that for, when we have just begun our voyage?"

"You ought to know that no ship continues up the river after dark," the captain replied.

"After dark, yes; but it is not nearly dark yet, and it is going to be such bright moonlight that we could easily go on."

"I am captain of this 'dahabijeh,' and will give such orders as I see fit," said the captain curtly, abandoning all the deference of manner he had shown previously, and turning abruptly away.

There evidently was some special reason for this determination on the part of the captain, and I felt sure it would prove part of a design against me.

We anchored at Gizeh, and the sailors were given permission to go ashore, and went gladly, leaving only three persons on board with me: the captain, the pilot, and my devoted servant with the many-tinted nose. This fine specimen came to me in my cabin to ask me if I wished for anything. I asked for water and a lamp, and when he brought them drew out my wallet, opened it, and ran over the papers in it to let the man see that it was full. This I did to hasten matters, and secure the thieves' attack on a point at which I was prepared, if, as I suspected, they

A BOATLOAD OF SCAMPS. 29

meant to try to get Abd el Barak's confession away from me. That I had guessed aright I felt convinced, for the man said, in a most cordial tone: "You are very wise, Effendi, to stay in the cabin. The night air on the river is dangerous to strangers. Do you think you will need me again?"

"No; I will eat a few dates, smoke a pipe, and then go to sleep."

"I will leave you then, and not disturb you. May your night be peaceful." He made an obeisance only less low than Selim's neck-breaking genuflection, and withdrew, dropping the matting which served as portiere to shut off the cabin from the deck.

As soon as I thought it prudent I blew out my lamp and followed him. The deck was not lighted, except by the stars, and concealing myself behind the bales of tobacco piled on it, I crawled on my hands and knees close to where the three men were sitting, and where I could hear every word spoken.

"What is he doing now, the giaour? May he be tortured for all eternity." It was the captain speaking, with rather less than the politeness one might desire.

"He is smoking in his cabin," answered Ghost Number Three. "He won't come out again; I told him the night air gave strangers fever."

"That was wise of you. May his tobacco choke him. May the hand that struck the Mokkadem and stole his slaves be withered and powerless forever. Why are you forbidden to kill the dog?"

"Because it would bring you into danger. Later, the work will be finished. Now, you need never know that the 'muza'bir' came on board."

A "muza'bir" is a juggler, and I listened sharply to hear what his errand to the "Semek" at night might be.

30 A BOATLOAD OF SCAMPS.

"It was not necessary to send him," said the captain. "If we had not been obliged to wait for the 'muza'bir' we could have gone farther, and you could have stolen the paper as well as he."

"Allah wallah, what do you think I am? The giaour is a powerful wretch. He conquered the Mokkadem, who is as strong as a lion, knocked down his servant, and you see that I shall bear the mark of his hand for many a week. I know not fear, my heart is as full of courage as a panther's, but I will not try to take a paper by night from the pocket of a man with such a death-dealing hand as his. The 'muza'bir' is the most famous pickpocket in Egypt. He will take the paper and disappear. When the giaour misses it he may do what he pleases; it won't be found on the 'dahabijeh.'"

"And you feel sure that Mokkadem will have him killed ?"

"Surely; the deed he has done can only be punished by death," answered the ghost, positively. "He will be spared now for your sake, but later, perhaps when he gets to Siout, whither he is bound, he will be dealt with; I have orders to follow him all the way. See, the 'muza'bir' comes." As he spoke a man appeared over the side of the "dahabijeh," carrying a lantern. Scanning the three by its light, the newcomer said: "Massik Vilchair, good evening."

"Ahla wah sahla wah marhaba," responded the captain, wishing him in these words family and prosperity.

I wanted to see "the most famous pickpocket in Egypt" who had come to rob me, and cautiously stuck my head out around the tobacco bale. He had set the lantern where its light fell on his face. He was about the same age as the Mokkadem, the same color, and had the same Negro type of features; not so tall, but broader shouldered than his

A BOATLOAD OF SCAMPS. 31

chief, and equally strong. He was clad in a long, dark shirt, belted, with a knife thrust in the belt; his feet were shod with straw sandals. This was the garb of a poor man, but thick heavy gold rings hung in his ears, and at least ten rings encircled with precious stones flashed on his fingers. His voice rang with self-esteem as he said: "You expected me?"

"Yes, lord, we were waiting thee," answered the captain.

"Where is the dog? Describe to me his cabin. I have no time to lose."

Ghost Number Three undertook this duty, and I left him performing it while I crawled back to my quarters; as I looked back before dropping the matting curtain I saw the thief extinguish his lantern. The first thing I did, however, was to light my lamp again, for I had no desire to go through the coming adventure in darkness. Then I took Abd el Barak's confession out of my wallet and hid it in my breast; the wallet, still bulging with papers, I put back in my breast-pocket. I lay down on my right side so that the light fell in my face, which was unpleasant, but I hoped it would at once convince the robber that I was asleep. I opened my coat, and let the left hand pocket containing the wallet show plainly and be easily taken, for the more I lessened the difficulty of the theft the more I lessened my own danger, for I knew I should be killed if there were any apparent likelihood of discovery. I thrust my two revolvers under my head, and kept my right hand on them under the pillow. Then I was all ready, and hoped I should not have to wait long.

This wish was fulfilled; as I lay watching the matting through my eyelids I saw it move, and one corner was slowly, very slowly, lifted, two, three, five, six inches. The fellow peeped in, then softly and cautiously put his head under the opening. I breathed evenly as one in quiet //

32 A BOATLOAD OF SCAMPS.

slumber. He coughed, not loudly enough to awaken one who really slept, but enough to arouse a man who was dozing. Still I did not move, and convinced that I was not feigning slumber the juggler crawled into the cabin a shoulder and a limb at a time. He had laid aside his garment and had oiled his body so that it would have been impossible to hold him in case of capture. Creeping up to my bedside he held the point of his knife at my breast, and began to draw the wallet from my pocket, but so slowly that I feared I should lose control of my nerves, and make a movement that would betray me. It took a quarter of an hour to accomplish the theft, but at last my wallet was in his hand, he withdrew the knife from my breast, and felt his prize with both hands. Satisfied that it was full of papers, he glided out of the cabin much more rapidly than he had entered, and without the slightest rustle, lifting the matting after he had passed under it to assure himself I had not moved.

I waited at most but a minute, then blew out my light, seized the revolver in my left hand and rushed on deck. The three scoundrels, the captain, my beloved ghost, and the thief were huddled around the lantern in the shadow of a tobacco bale examining my wallet. The pilot sat over by the helm and as I pushed back the matting he saw me and cried: "The Effendi, the Effendi!" The thief straightened up and saw me, and, with the cry, "Game's up this time," he threw my wallet away, and the papers scattered in every direction, while he himself disappeared over the side in the darkness. The ex-ghost and the captain gathered up my papers, put them back in the wallet, and the latter was safely tucked away under the captain's garment. I seized a torch, lighted it, and saw the form of the thief scrambling ashore.

The captain grasped my arm, crying: "Effendi, what

A BOATLOAD OF SCAMPS. 33

has come over you? Allah protect us! Are you possessed of a spirit?"

"There seem to be spirits about, it is true. Here, for instance, is this man you detailed to serve me; he is a ghost," I said.

"I?" exclaimed the man.

"Yes, you -- Ghost Number Three."

"Ghost Number Three! Effendi, you are wandering in your mind; you have the fever."

"You are forgetful; I'll help you remember. Ghost Number One I bound fast in my room; Ghost Number Two I knocked down, and bound also; Number Three I followed into the garden when he escaped after trying to stab me. If you don't understand yet I'll remind you that you told these men that you would bear the mark of my hand for many weeks."

He did not answer, but glanced at the others in silence. The captain, however, said reproachfully: "Effendi, I cannot imagine why you speak thus to this true, good man. I will --"

"You have already, if you mean you will steal my papers and my wallet," I interrupted. "Give them to me."

He drew himself up to his full height and said: "Effendi, I am a Moslem and you are a Christian. Do you realize what that means in this land? Further, I am the captain, and you are my passenger; do you know what that means on board?"

"And finally I am an honest man and you are a rascal," I said. "And do you know the consequences of that? We are not in the Sudan, but here in Gizeh, where a few words from our consul have a power you have reason to fear. The 'muza'bir' has escaped --"

Before I could say more the pilot broke out into lamentation. "O, Allah, ia faza, ia hijaraher, he knows every-

34 A BOATLOAD OF SCAMPS.

thing. He knows all we have said. I go, I fly, I’ll not stay here."

"Yes," I said, "I do know all; I was not so stupid as you thought me. Now, who has the best of it, you followers of the Kadis, or I, the Christian? I laugh at you. I knew the 'muza'bir' was coming, and I hid the paper you wanted. Here it is." I held the paper before their eyes, and continued: "You, captain, have stolen my wallet; give it back."

"I haven't it."

"You say that with the nose of Ghost Number Three before your eyes? Do you want to feel the weight of my hand? Hand it over, or I'll take it from you."

I moved toward him, and he threw the wallet out, and made an attempt to throw it overboard. I was too quick for him; with a quick wrench I had it in my hand. He hesitated a moment, then doubled his fist, and would have struck me, but I raised my foot, and with a well-aimed kick sent him rolling, to the accompaniment of the pilot's cries of "O Allah, O captain, O woe, O misfortune."

I went over to the prostrate commander, who had rolled to the side of the boat, and was about to order him to sit up, when I saw three persons standing on the shore, who hailed us at that moment, and called: "Is not that the 'dahabijeh' called the 'Semek'?'"

"Yes," I replied. "And are you a passenger?"

"Yes."

"We wish to come on board."

Chapter 4


Contents


Introduction