'Men, you have made a mistake for which I can't blame you. Take me before your chief at once, and I will not only prove this, but make it worth your while to be civil.'
For answer the two merely exchanged glances, and hurried me on, and, convinced of the uselessness of further remonstrance until I had reached someone in authority, I strode on silently.
At the entrance to the great animal show there was a dense crowd, and for a moment we were brought to a halt. Standing upon the edge of the mass of bobbing bonnets and heaving shoulders, I could see in the midst of the throng two Turkish-fezzed heads wildly dodging and struggling toward us, and a moment later a full bass voice called impatiently:
'Go ahead! Get out of this, can't you?'
I started at the sound of the big, impatient voice, and stood with my eyes riveted upon the spot from whence it seemed to come. A moment later the two red heads had emerged from the crowd, and with them a sedan-chair, which, evidently, they found no easy load. As they shuffled past me I started again, so violently that my two captors caught at me with restraining hands.
At the same instant there was a quick exclamation from the swinging chair and a peremptory order to halt.
'Masters, I say! Stop, you infernal heathens! Stop, I say! Open this old chicken-coop and let me out!'
As the astonished Turks slowly and with seeming reluctance set down their chair and liberated their prisoner, my guards made a forward movement.
'Stop, you fellows!' called the newcomer, in the same peremptory tone. 'Where are you going with that man?'
As he flung himself from the chair he tossed a coin to the bearers, and promptly placed himself squarely in the way of my two guards.