The Middy and the Moors Part 27

"Das all right; now come along--come along, you sham n.i.g.g.e.r, wid me.

Has you got enuff?"

"Bustin'--all but."

"Das good now; you follow me; do what you's tol'; hol' you tongue, an'

look sharp, if you don' want your head cut off."

"Heave ahead, cap'n; I'm your man."

The two left the house together and took the road that led to the hill country in rear of the dwelling.

Meanwhile George Foster went to the chamber of the Moor. He found his master seated, as was his wont, with the hookah before him, but with the mouthpiece lying idly on his knee, and his forehead resting on one hand.

So deeply was he absorbed in communing with his own thoughts, that he did not observe the entrance of his slave until he had been twice addressed. Then, looking up as if he had been slightly startled, he bade him sit down.

"George Foster," he began impressively, at the same time applying a light to his hookah and puffing sedately, "you will be glad to hear that I have been successful with my suit to the Dey. G.o.d has favoured me; but a great deal yet remains to be done, and that must be done by _you_--else--"

He stopped here, looked pointedly at the middy, and delivered the remainder of his meaning in pufflets of smoke.

"I suppose you would say, sir, that unless it is done by me it won't be done at all?"

To this the Moor nodded twice emphatically, and blew a thin cloud towards the ceiling.

"Then you may count upon my doing my utmost, if that which I am to do is in the interest of Hester Sommers or her father, as no doubt it is."

"Yes, it is in their interest," rejoined Ben-Ahmed. "I have done my part, but dare not go further; for much though I love little Hester--who has been to me as a sweet daughter--I must not risk my neck for her unnecessarily. But, if I mistake not, you are not unwilling to risk that?"

"Ay, fifty necks would I risk for her sake if I had them," returned our middy with enthusiasm, for he was in that stage of love which glories in the acknowledgment of thraldom.

Ben-Ahmed looked at him with interest, sighed, and sought solace in the pipe.

After a few meditative puffs, he continued--

"After all, you run little risk, as you shall see. When I asked the Dey, with whom I am familiar, for the pardon of the slave Sommers, he did not seem pleased, and objected that there had been too many revolts of late; that this man's case was a bad one, and that it was necessary to make an example or two.

"`Very true, your highness,' I replied, `but may I beg you to make an example of some other slaves, and forgive Sommers?'

"`Why do you take so much interest in this man?' demanded the Dey, who seemed to me rather short in his temper at the time.

"`Because he is the father of one of my female slaves, your highness,' I replied; `and it is the fear that they will be separated for ever that makes the man desperate and the girl miserable. If you will permit me, I should like to reunite them. Your highness has often expressed a wish to do me some kindness for the privilege I once had of saving your highness's life. Will you now refuse me this man's life?' `Nay, I will not refuse you, Ben-Ahmed. But I do not see that my granting your request will reunite the father and child, unless, indeed, you are prepared to purchase the man.'

"`I am prepared to do so, your highness,' I said.

"`In that case you are at liberty to go to the Bagnio and take him out.

Here is my ring.'

"Now, Foster," continued the Moor, drawing the ring in question from his vest-pocket, "take this. Show it to the captain of the guard at the Bagnio, who will admit you. Tell him that I sent you for one of the slaves. After that your own intelligence must guide you. Go, and G.o.d go with you."

"I will do as you command, Ben-Ahmed," said Foster; "but I must tell you frankly that I will not--"

"Silence!" thundered the Moor, with a look of ferocity which the amazed mids.h.i.+pman could not account for. "Have you not understood me?"

"Yes, sir, perfectly, but--"

"When a slave receives a command," cried Ben-Ahmed in rising wrath, "it is his duty to obey in silence. Again I say--go!"

The middy bowed with feelings of indignation, but on reaching the door paused, and again essayed to speak.

"I give you fair warning, Ben-Ahmed, that I will _not_--"

"Silence!" again roared the Moor, seizing an ornamental box and hurling it violently at his slave, who, dipping his head, allowed it to go cras.h.i.+ng against the wall, while he went out and shut the door.

"Well, old boy, I'm absolved from any allegiance to _you_," he muttered, as he walked smartly down the garden walk towards the gate; "so if I do a good deal more than your bidding you mustn't be surprised. But your sudden burst of anger is incomprehensible. However, that's not my business now."

Had any one been there to observe the Moor after the middy had taken his departure, he would have seen that the pa.s.sion he had displayed evaporated as rapidly as it had arisen, and that he resumed the amber mouthpiece of his hookah with a peculiar smile and an air of calm contentment. Thereafter he ordered out his horse, mounted it in his usual dignified manner, and quietly rode away into the darkness of the night.

It may be observed here our middy had improved greatly in the matter of costume since his appointment to the rank of limner to Ben-Ahmed. The old canvas jacket, straw hat, etcetera, had given place to a picturesque Moorish costume which, with the middy's fine figure and natural bearing, led people to suppose him a man of some note, so that his appearance was not unsuited to the mission he had in hand.

We need scarcely say that his spirit was greatly agitated, as he walked towards the town, by uncertainty as to how he ought to act in the present emergency, and his mind was much confused by the varied, and, to some extent, inexplicable incidents of the evening. His thoughts crystallised, however, as he went along, and he had finally made up his mind what to do by the time he pa.s.sed the portals Bab-Azoun and entered the streets of Algiers.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

MYSTERIOUS AND DARING DEEDS ARE CROWNED WITH SUCCESS.

Threading his way carefully through the badly lighted streets, our middy went straight to the Kasba, and, rapping boldly at the gate, demanded admittance.

"Show me to the guard-room. I wish to speak with the officer in command," he said, in the tone of one accustomed to obedience.

The soldier who admitted him introduced him to the officer in charge for the night.

"I come, sir," said Foster, with quiet gentlemanly a.s.surance, "to demand an escort for slaves."

"By whose orders?" asked the officer.

"The order of his Highness the Dey," answered Foster, producing the ring.

The officer examined it, touched his forehead with it in token of submission, and asked how many men were required.

"Six will do," returned the middy, in a slow, meditative manner, as if a little uncertain on the point--"yes, six will suffice. I only wish their escort beyond the gates. Friends might attempt a rescue in the town. When I have them a short distance beyond the gates I can manage without a.s.sistance."

He touched, as he spoke, the handle of a silver-mounted pistol which he carried in his belt. Of course, as he spoke Lingua Franca, the officer of the guard knew quite well that he was a foreigner, but as the notables and Deys of Algiers were in the habit of using all kinds of trusted messengers and agents to do their work, he saw nothing unusual in the circ.u.mstance. Six armed soldiers were at once turned out, and with these obedient, unquestioning slaves he marched down the tortuous streets to the Bagnio.

The ring procured him admittance at once, and the same talisman converted the head jailer into an obsequious servant.

"I have come for one of your slaves," said the middy, walking smartly into the court where most of the miserable creatures had already forgotten their wretchedness in the profound sleep of the weary. The tramp of the soldiers on the stone pavement and the clang of their arms awoke some of them. "The name of the man I want is Hugh Sommers."

On hearing this one of the slaves was observed to reach out his hand and shake another slave who still slumbered.