And he stretched out his cork legs to their full extent.
Five blows more were given, but had no more effect than the previous ones.
"By the holy kaaba! but this amounts to a miracle," exclaimed the lieutenant. "I shall begin to respect the infidel for his heroism. Hamed, give him ten more blows; no, make it twenty, and do you, Selim, assist. That will be fifty; just double the amount of the sentence. If he flinches not this time, he will deserve being let off altogether."
And in truth, it would, under ordinary circumstances, have wanted well-nigh the strength of Samson or Hercules to endure such torture as now came upon the schoolmaster.
Hamed and Selim, each armed with a heavy rattan, rained down alternately thick and fast, a shower of blows upon Mole's wonderful feet, which even shook the room, but still couldn't shake Mole's resolution.
He writhed not, nor uttered cry, and showed not the faintest sign of giving way.
On the contrary, he jeered at the men.
"Bah! see how an Englishman can bear pain," exclaimed Mole.
And to the intense astonishment of the Turks, he plucked out a good-sized handful of hair from his beard and threw before the officer.
"Allah is—ah!"