"To English Consul.
"We be four Christian slave. Rais Mourad buy us of Arab. We promise
to gib him two hundred dollar for one, or eight hundred dollar for
four, if he take us to you. Please pay him quick."
Harry and Colin signed the paper without any hesitation, and it was then
handed, along with the pen, to Sailor Bill.
The old sailor took the paper and, after carefully surveying every
object around him, walked up to one of the saddles lying on the ground a
few paces off. Spreading the paper on the saddle he knelt down and very
deliberately set about the task of making his autograph.
Slowly, as the hand of a clock moving over the face of the dial, did
Bill's hand pass over the paper, while his head oscillated from side to
side as each letter was being shaped.
After he had succeeded in painting a few characters which, in his
opinion, expressed the name of "William McNeal," the document was handed
to Harry, who was asked to write a similar agreement on the other side
of the paper, which they were also to sign.
Rais Mourad was determined on being certain that his slaves had put
their names to such an agreement as he wished, and therefore had written
it himself, so that he might not be deceived.
About two hours before sunset all were again in the saddle, and, riding
out through the gateway of the town, took a path leading up the mountain
on which stands the city of Santa Cruz.
When about half way up, a party of horsemen, between twenty and thirty
in number, was seen coming after them at full speed.
Rais Mourad remembered the threat made by the grazier, who claimed the
slaves as his property; and every exertion was made by him to reach the
city before his party could be overtaken.
The horses ridden by the white slaves were small animals, in poor
condition, and were unable to move up the steep hill with much speed,
although the riders had been reduced by starvation to the very lightest
of weights.
Before reaching the level plain on the top of the hill, the pursuers had
gained on them rapidly, and lessened the distance between the two
parties by nearly half a mile. The nearest gate of the city was still
more than a mile ahead, and towards it the Moors urged their horses with
all the energy that could be inspired by oaths, kicks, and blows.
As Rais Mourad's party approached the gate, the heads of their pursuers
were seen just rising over the crest of the hill behind them. But as
the Moor saw that his slaves were now safe, he checked his speed, and
the few yards that remained of the journey were performed at a slow
pace: for the great man did not wish to enter the gate of a strange city
in a hasty or undignified manner.
There was no delay in passing the sentinels; and in five minutes after
the weary slaves dismounted from their nearly exhausted steeds, and were
commanded by Rais Mourad to thank God that they had arrived safe within
the limits of the great Empire of Morocco.
In less than a quarter of an hour later, Bo Muzem and the grazier rode
through the gateway, accompanied by a troop of fierce-looking Arab
horsemen.
The wrath of the merchant seemed to have waxed greater in the interval,
and he appeared as if about to make an immediate attack upon Harry
Blount, the chief object of his spiteful vengeance.
In this he was prevented by Rais Mourad, who appealed to an officer of
the city guard to protect him and his property.
The officer informed Bo Muzem that, while within the walls of the city,
he must not molest other people, and the latter was compelled to give
his word that he would not do so, that is to say, he was "bound over to
keep the peace."
The other Arabs, in whose company he had come, were also given to
understand that they were in a Moorish city; and, as they saw that they
were powerless to do harm without receiving punishment, their fierce
deportment soon gave way to a demeanour more befitting the streets of a
civilised town.
Both pursued and pursuers were cautioned against any infringement of the
laws of the place, and as a different quarter was assigned to each
party, all chances of a conflict were, for the time, happily frustrated.