“Be perfectly calm, effendi,” said Yussuf, pointing shoreward, and waving his hand as if telling the name of some place. “I have nothing certain against this Greek and his men; but we are out at sea and at their mercy.”
“But something has happened to make you speak like this,” said Mr Burne with a searching look.
“A trifle, effendi,” replied the Muslim; “but a little cloud like that yonder,”—pointing seaward now beyond the Greek sailors, so that the travellers could see that they were watched by the skipper—“is sometimes the sign of a coming storm.”
“Then what have you seen?” said Mr Burne suspiciously.
“A trifle—almost nothing, effendi, only that the man there was out of temper when he found that all your baggage had gone.”
“Humph!” ejaculated Mr Burne. “Then you think there is danger?” said the professor.
“I do not say that,” said Yussuf, pointing shoreward again, “but your excellencies may as well learn your lessons at once. We are commencing our journey, and are now, as we generally shall be, at the mercy of men who obey the laws when they feel the rod over their backs, but who, when they cannot see the rod, laugh at them.”
“What do you ask us to do, then?” said the professor quickly.
“Be always on guard, but never show it. Be prepared for danger. If there is none, so much the better. Life here is a little matter compared to what I am told it is among you Franks, and it becomes every man’s duty to guard his life.”
“But these Greek sailors?” said Mr Burne sharply.