“What are you doing here?” demanded Dick. “This is not a place in which one of your faith should choose to linger, with the City of the Faithful so near. Indeed, I have been told that the better men of your religion never deign to contaminate themselves by setting foot in this place, which is polluted by the infidel. Your conduct is suspicious, to say the least.”
“It is seldom one who may not be well suspected is in such haste to suspect another,” retorted the Turk, still with that strange, faint smile which was very annoying to the boy.
Indignation swelled within Dick’s heart, for now he was fully satisfied that they were being spied upon by this man.
“Look here,” he said, “you’ll get into trouble if you continue to follow us about.”
“Be careful that you do not get into far more serious trouble.”
“There is no reason why we should get into trouble, for we have a way of minding our own business.”
“Then you are the first Americans I have seen who have that excellent habit,” retorted Achmet, in a manner that became more and more insulting.
Had Dick not learned by example and practice to control his temper, he might have lost his head. He kept cool, however—outwardly, at least.
“It is plain you have been spying on us,” he said. “We caught you in our stateroom on the steamer——”
“An accident.”