From the street outside came a peculiar, blood-chilling sound. It was like the low snarling of many voices, and it grew louder and louder until it became a sullen, muttering roar. The three rushed to the window and looked out. What they saw caused the old professor to turn pale and faint. A great mob had gathered in front of the hotel, all Turks or people of the Moslem faith, and others were coming rapidly from many directions. The crowd was armed with clubs, sticks, stones, and so forth. A few flourished swords or other deadly weapons. They are crying out in their indignation against the foreigners. A crooked, befezzed Turk was their leader. At sight of him Dick Merriwell uttered an exclamation. “See that man?” he cried—“the one who is urging the mob on?” “I sure see the varmint,” nodded Buckhart. “Well, he’s the old wretch who bribed Ras al Had’s black men to betray Nadia and myself.” “That dog, eh?” growled the Texan, taking something from his pocket. “Well, I reckon I can just about shoot a couple of holes through his big ears at this distance.” Professor Gunn uttered a squawk of terror and clutched the wrist of the grim-faced boy from the Panhandle country. “You’re crazy, Bradley!” he gasped. “You’re mad!” “I admit the accusation,” said Buckhart. “I am mad—a heap mad.” “If you were to fire at that man it would precipitate the destruction of this hotel and the murder of every inmate!” “The professor is right, Brad,” said Dick quietly. “Put up your gun.” “I’d certain like to——” “Never mind that. Put up the weapon and bide your time. You may be compelled to use it in self-defense before this day is over. Hear those creatures!” The mob was howling: “Death to the foreigners!” “Kill the infidels!” “Burn their hotel!” “Destroy them! Destroy them!” “Death to the unbelievers!” Wildly waving his arms, the crooked old Turk shrilly yelled: “They have defiled our city and our temples! They have basely murdered one of the true faith!” “Ah-yah!” snarled the mob. Then some one hurled a stone. There was a crash of glass in the lower part of the hotel. A volley of stones followed, smashing glass and raining against the building in a shower. “It begins to look pretty bad,” confessed Dick. Dunbar Budthorne, followed by Nadia, came hurrying into the room. Budthorne was agitated and his sister was very pale. “What is happening?” asked Dunbar. “Take a look out of this window and you will see,” answered Dick. Nadia pressed forward to look, but drew back, shuddering. Brad sought to reassure her. “It’s only a lot of crazy fools,” he said. “Don’t be frightened, Nadia.” “But they are mad! They mean to destroy the hotel and murder us all!” “I don’t reckon the governor will permit that.” “Can we do nothing?” asked Budthorne. “Can’t we apply to the American consul?” “We tried that yesterday when Nadia disappeared,” reminded Dick, “and the American consul was out of the city.”