Part 15 (2/2)
”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.”
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