Yussuf the Guide Part 15

"We have plenty of provisions, I suppose," said the professor.

"Yes, effendi, plenty," said Yussuf, who had been taking his portion aside.

"Then pa.s.s what is left here to the skipper and his men."

Yussuf bowed gravely, and the men, who had been making an evening meal of blackish bread and melons, were soon chattering away forward, eating the remains of the meal and drinking a bottle of the Greek wine Lawrence took them.

The tiller had been lashed so as to set the Greek skipper at liberty, and the travellers were alone, while, wearied by his extra exertion, Lawrence lay back, apparently fast asleep, when Yussuf approached the professor and his companion, with his water-pipe which he was filling with tobacco, and about which and with a light, he busied himself in the most matter-of-fact manner.

But Yussuf was thinking of something else beside smoke, for he startled the professor and made Mr Burne jump and drop his cigar, as he said in a low voice:

"Your excellencies are well-armed, of course?"

"Armed?" exclaimed the professor.

Yussuf did not speak, but stooped to pick up the fallen cigar, which he handed to its owner.

"Be calm, excellency," he said smiling, "and tell me."

The professor looked at him suspiciously; but there was that in the man's countenance that disarmed him, and he said quietly: "We certainly have plenty of arms."

"That is good," said Yussuf, with a flash of the eye.

"But our weapons are packed up with our luggage, and went on by the steamer."

"That is bad," said Yussuf quietly.

"We never thought they would be necessary till we got ash.o.r.e."

"Look here, my man," said Mr Burne; "speak out. Are you suspicious of these people?"

"My life has taught me to be suspicious, effendi," said Yussuf, lighting his pipe, "particularly of the low-cla.s.s Greeks. They are not honest."

"But surely," began the professor.

"Be perfectly calm, effendi," said Yussuf, pointing sh.o.r.eward, 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!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mr Burne. "Then you think there is danger?" said the professor.

"I do not say that," said Yussuf, pointing sh.o.r.eward 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.

"I do not trust them," replied Yussuf calmly. "If we are the stronger they will be our slaves. If they feel that they are, our lives would not be safe if they had the chance to rob us. They believe your excellencies to be rich and to have much gold."

"Look here, Yussuf," said Mr Burne uneasily, "our friend ash.o.r.e gave you a capital character."

"I have eaten salt with your excellencies, and my life is yours,"

replied Yussuf.

"Then what would you do now?"

"Be perfectly calm, effendi, and treat these men if you did not know fear."

"And we have no arms," said Mr Burne uneasily.

"Can your excellency fight?" said Yussuf quietly.

"A law case--yes, with any man, but any other case of fighting--good gracious me, no. I have not fought since I had a black eye at school."

"But you can, effendi?" continued Yussuf, looking with admiration at the professor's broad chest and long muscular arms.

"I daresay I can, if I am driven to it," replied the professor gravely; and he involuntarily clenched a large, hard, bony hand.

"Yes," said Yussuf, with a grave smile of satisfaction. "Your excellency can fight, I see."

"But we are entirely without arms," repeated Mr Burne excitedly.

"Not quite," replied Yussuf calmly. "Your excellency has a big stick; the effendi here has hands and strength that would enable him to throw an enemy into the sea, and I never go a journey without my pistol and a knife."

"You have a pistol?" said Mr Burne eagerly.

"Be quite calm, excellency," said Yussuf, laughing as he smoked, and bowing down as if something droll had been said. "Yes, I have a pistol of many barrels given to me by a Frankish effendi when we returned from a journey through the land of Abraham, and then down to the stony city in the desert--Petra, where the Arab sheiks are fierce and ready to rob all who are not armed and strong."

"Where is it?" said the professor.

"Safe in my bosom, effendi, where my hand can touch it ere you blink an eye. So you see that we are not quite without arms. But listen," he continued; "this may be all a fancy of mine."

"Then you will do nothing?" exclaimed Mr Burne.

"Oh no, I do not say that, effendi. We must be watchful. Two must sleep, and two must watch night or day. The enemy must not come to the gate and find it open ready for him to enter in."

"Those are the words of wisdom," said the professor gravely, and Yussuf's eyes brightened and he bowed.

"This watchfulness," he said, "may keep the enemy away if there be one.

If there be none: well, we have taught ourselves a lesson that will not be thrown away."