Book Three—Chapter Two.
Harry is Made a Slave—The Journey Inland—Escape.
As he spoke these dread words the dark-skinned Arab seized a lighted torch from an Indian, and was about to apply it to the pyre, when his arm was struck upwards, and the torch alighted harmlessly on the soft sand.
It was Mahmoud who had struck the blow.
For a moment the two men stood confronting each other. Even Mahmoud now had a drawn sword in his hand.
“For his worthless life,” cried the latter, “I care not, but for your eternal welfare, brother, I do. I have saved you from a deadly sin. Take not thus rashly away the life you cannot give.”
“Back!” he shouted to the Somali Indians, and they shrank cowering and silent before the wrath of this strange being whom they called a prophet.
With a sharp knife he now severed Harry’s cords, and bade him stand up.
“You are my prisoner,” said Mahmoud in good English; “you are my slave. If you make no attempt to escape, you shall be comparatively free; attempt to fly, and—”
He tapped the hilt of his sword as he spoke, and Harry knew only too well what was meant.