The Boy Slaves Part 53

After shouting at the top of his voice, and getting no reply, he led the way along the ledge, bidding his followers to trust more to their animals than to themselves.

As the white slaves entered on the pa.s.s, two Moors were left behind to come after them, as a guard. When all had proceeded a short distance along the ledge, the horse ridden by Harry Blount became frightened. It was a young animal; and having been reared upon the plains of the desert, was unused to mountain roads.

While the other horses were walking along very cautiously, Harry's steed suddenly stopped, and refused to go any farther.

In such a place a rider has good cause to be alarmed at any eccentric behaviour in the animal he bestrides; and Harry was just preparing to dismount, when his horse commenced making a retrograde movement, as if determined to turn round and go back.

The young Englishman was behind his companions, and closely followed by one of the Moors. The latter becoming alarmed for his own safety, struck the refractory horse a blow with his musket in order to force it on.

In an instant the hind legs of the foolish animal dropped over the edge of the precipice, while its body with the weight of its rider clinging to its neck, was about evenly balanced on the brink.

The horse made a violent struggle to avoid going over. With its nose and forefeet laid close along the path, it vainly strove to regain the position from which it had so imprudently parted.

At this moment its rider determined to make a desperate exertion for the saving of his life.

Seizing the animal by the ears, and drawing himself up, he placed one foot on the brink of the precipice; and then sprang clear over the horse's head, just as the creature relinquished its hold.

In another instant the unfortunate quadruped was precipitated into the sea, its body striking the water with a dull plunge, as if the life had already gone out of it.

The remainder of the ledge was traversed without any difficulty; and after all had got safely over, Harry's companions were loud in congratulating him upon his narrow escape.

The youth remained silent.

His soul was too full of grat.i.tude to G.o.d to take any heed of the words of man.

CHAPTER EIGHTY TWO.

CONCLUSION.

On the evening of the second day after pa.s.sing the Jews' Leap, Rais Mourad, with his followers, reached the city of Mogador, but too late to enter its gates, which were closed for that day.

For a great part of the night, Harry, Colin, and Sailor Bill were unable to sleep.

They were kept awake by the memory of the sufferings they had endured in the desert, but more by the antic.i.p.ation of liberty, which they believed to be now near.

They arose with the sun, impatient to enter the city and learn what was to be their fate; but Rais Mourad, knowing that no business could be done until three or four hours later, would not permit them to pa.s.s inside the gate.

For three hours they waited with the greatest impatience. So much had their minds become excited with the prospect of getting free that this delay began to bring about the opposite extreme of despair, when they were again elated at the sight of Rais Mourad returning from the town.

Giving the command to his followers, he led the way through the great city gate.

After pa.s.sing along several narrow streets, on turning a corner our adventurers saw, waving over the roof of one of the houses, a flag that filled their souls with joy inexpressible. It was the flag of Old England!

It indicated the residence of the English consul. On seeing it, all three gave forth a loud simultaneous cheer, and hastened forward in the midst of a crowd of Moorish men, women and children that had collected around them.

Rais Mourad knocked at the gate of the Consulate, which was instantly opened, and the white slaves were ushered into the court-yard. At the same instant two individuals came running forth from the house. They were Terence and Jim!

A fine-looking man, about fifty years of age, now stepped forward; and taking Harry and Colin by the hand, congratulated them on the certainty of soon recovering their liberty.

The presence of Terence and Jim in the Consulate at Mogador was soon explained. The Arab grazier, after buying them, had started immediately for Swearah taking the two along with him. On bringing them to the English consul he received the amount of their redemption, and they were at once set free. At the same time he had given his promise to purchase the other three white slaves and bring them to Mogador.

The consul made no hesitation in paying the price that had been promised for Harry, Colin and Bill; but he did not consider himself justified in expending the money of his Government in the redemption of the Krooman, who was not an English subject.

The poor fellow, on hearing this, was overwhelmed with despair at the prospect of being restored to a life of perpetual slavery.

His old companions in misfortune could not remain tranquil spectators of his grief. They promised he should be free. Each of the middies had wealthy friends at home on whom he could draw for money; and they were in hopes that some English merchant in Mogador would advance the amount.

They were not disappointed. The very next day the Krooman's difficulty was settled to his satisfaction.

The consul having mentioned his case to several foreign merchants, a subscription list was opened; and the cash necessary to the purchase of his freedom was easily procured.

The three mids were furnished with plenty of everything they required; and only awaited the arrival of some English ship to carry them back to the sh.o.r.es of their native land.

They had not long to wait; for shortly after, the tall masts of a British man-of-war threw their shadows athwart the waters of Mogador Bay.

The middies were once more installed in quarters that befitted them; while Sailor Bill and his brother, as well as their Krooman comrade, found a welcome in the forecastle of the ship.

All three of these young officers afterwards rose to rank and distinction in the naval service of their country. It was their good fortune often afterwards to come in contact with each other, and talk laughingly of that terrible time, no longer viewed with dread or aversion, when they were serving their apprenticeship as Boy Slaves in the Saara.

THE END.