The man thought for some time.
"Yes," he said, "a white man certainly came here, towards the end of the siege. I know, because I happened to meet him, when I was going home from work; and he asked me the way to the governor's. I should not have known him to be a white man, for he had a native attire; and was as black, from exposure to the sun, as any of the Arabs. I gave him directions, and did not ask him any questions; but it was said, afterwards, that he was one of Hicks's officers. Later, I heard that he went down in the steamer with Colonel Stewart."
"You did not hear his name?" Gregory asked, anxiously.
"No, sir."
"Did he talk Arabic well?"
"Extremely well. Much better than I did, at the time."
"Do you remember how long he arrived before the steamer started?"
"Not very long, sir, though I really cannot tell you how long it was."
"After you were cut off, I suppose?"
"Certainly it was, but I cannot say how long."