“And I’m glad we won’t be bothered any more by that sneaking Turk, Aziz Achmet, who seemed spying on us. Wonder what Aziz took us for. I believe he was some sort of Turkish confidence man. He was a heap eager to act as Major Fitts’ second in a duel.” “Think of Zenas Gunn in a duel!” exclaimed Dick, and they laughed heartily. After a while Merriwell became worried over the professor’s protracted absence. Going to the door, he stepped outside. He stepped into full view of two men, who were whispering in the shadows of a draped alcove. One was the giant Nubian. The other was Aziz Achmet, the mysterious Turk! CHAPTER III—THE PERSISTENCE OF ACHMET There was something decidedly ominous and sinister in the behavior of the coal-black giant and the silent, secretive Turk, who were whispering there in the shadows. In spite of himself, Dick felt a sudden faint chill, like an icy breath, sweep over him. He stood quite still and regarded them steadily. They saw him, and their whispering stopped. The eyes of the tattooed black man seemed to gleam with a baleful fire, but his dark face remained as unchangeable as marble. Slowly a strange smile overspread the countenance of Achmet. With a quick, silent step, he advanced toward the boy. He spoke in a low, soft tone: “So you are safely here, my lad? I see no harm has befallen you.” His English was almost perfect. “What are you doing here?” demanded Dick. “This is not a place in which one of your faith should choose to linger, with the City of the Faithful so near. Indeed, I have been told that the better men of your religion never deign to contaminate themselves by setting foot in this place, which is polluted by the infidel. Your conduct is suspicious, to say the least.” “It is seldom one who may not be well suspected is in such haste to suspect another,” retorted the Turk, still with that strange, faint smile which was very annoying to the boy. Indignation swelled within Dick’s heart, for now he was fully satisfied that they were being spied upon by this man. “Look here,” he said, “you’ll get into trouble if you continue to follow us about.” “Be careful that you do not get into far more serious trouble.” “There is no reason why we should get into trouble, for we have a way of minding our own business.” “Then you are the first Americans I have seen who have that excellent habit,” retorted Achmet, in a manner that became more and more insulting. Had Dick not learned by example and practice to control his temper, he might have lost his head. He kept cool, however—outwardly, at least. “It is plain you have been spying on us,” he said. “We caught you in our stateroom on the steamer——” “An accident.” “An accident, perhaps, that we caught you. It was no accident that you were there. What’s your game, man? You are up to some rascally business.”