“It would do you no good as you now are, for you would be compelled to appear on the open streets, and the people of the city are greatly aroused against foreigners. You would be attacked on the street. Better the mercy of the soldiers than that of the mob.” “Then you cannot help us, after all!” “My instructions were to aid only the boy who restored life to the noble sheik when he was struck by the iron chariot of the infidels.” “Well,” said Dick, “if Ras al Had fancied I would desert my friends in order to save myself, he made a mistake.” “If you remain, you may be beheaded.” “Unless there is some way for the whole of us to get out, I shall remain and take my chances.” Assouan regarded Dick with evident surprise. “It is better that one should escape than that all should be slain,” he declared. “In order to escape, I would have to obtain some complete disguise that would enable me to pass along the streets of the city without molestation. How could I thus disguise myself?” “Abraham, the Jew, who did so once before, could attend to that.” “Abraham? But I could not go to his place of business.” “I could bring him here.” Dick’s eyes began to shine. “Can you do that, Assouan?” he asked. “So I have said.” “Wait a moment; let me consult with my friend.” He drew Buckhart aside. “Brad,” he said, “I have an idea.” “Fire her at me, partner,” invited the Texan. “If old Abraham can do the trick—if he can bring disguises enough—why should not we all make up and endeavor to get away before we are apprehended by order of the governing Pasha? Old Abraham will do almost anything for money. Let him bring disguises for us, for the professor, and for Budthorne and Nadia. He ought to know how to rig us up so we can pass through the streets without bringing the fanatics down on us. I’ll instruct Assouan to bring the old Jew here in a hurry.” “It’s worth trying, Dick. Anything to save Nadia!” Merriwell turned to the black messenger. “Is Abraham a man of education?” he asked. “He has traveled,” was the answer. “Do you know if he can read English?” “I do not know, but it may be that he can.” “Wait.” Dick strode to the desk, seized a pad of paper and a pencil and wrote rapidly. In a few moments he had finished. “What are you trying to do, Richard?” asked the old professor, who had been nervously walking about the room. “You have not sought my advice.” “There is no time for that now, professor,” declared the boy. He thrust the folded paper into one of Assouan’s huge hands. “Carry that to Abraham without delay if you wish to aid me,” he directed. “Let no other person see it. Time is precious.” The black man bowed low and hurried from the room. “It is possible that the preservation of our lives depends on the success of this scheme,” said Dick. “I wrote urging Abraham to come and bring disguises for five of us, including one woman, explaining briefly that we desired to escape by passing through the streets of the city in open day.”