“No,” said the old man; “you must stay. The followers of the Emirs who have come in have left their fighting men to roam about the city as they please. They are fresh from far away in the south, and hungry for spoil. Everyone who cannot lift sword or spear is to them one who may be plundered, and four men were in one house torturing a poor wretch to make him show where his money was hidden, after they had stripped his place of everything that took their fancy. I hurried away, for one cast hungry eyes upon my garments, and there was no help near. The young Excellency must not go out.”
“No one heeds me now,” said Frank bitterly. “Besides, I had made up my mind to go to-day. You know what the Emir said.”
“Yes, Excellency, that you might go about the city if you liked to take the risk. But that was before the fresh fighting men had come—fierce-looking dervishes these from the southern desert, I think, far down towards the Abyssinian lands.”
“I shall take the risk,” said Frank. “My face will shelter me again.”
“Why run unnecessary risks?” said the Hakim gravely.
“Because I am always haunted by the thought that at any time while I am sitting idling here I may be missing an opportunity for seeing Hal. For aught we know he may be prisoner to one of these newly come Emirs. There, don’t try to stop me. The more I am out about the city the less likely am I to come to grief.”
“Will your Excellency let me ride with you? I will get the camels ready.”
“No,” said Frank; “I want to be off out. Ah! there is some fresh horror on the way,” whispered the young man excitedly, for the Emir’s son passed the window and glanced up, entering directly after, and making Frank a sign he said a few words to the Sheikh.
“The young Emir wishes you to go out riding with him, Excellency,” said Ibrahim.
“Yes,” said Frank eagerly; “I will go. There, you see, I shall be mounted now and safe.”