"Oh, _yes_, plenty of them. Fine red or brown morocco, ornamented with silver or gold. You could get such a one, Ibrahim?" "Oh, yes, Excellency, or a saddle either." "Yes," said the professor, after a few moments' thought. "Such a present would appeal to a man like that. Yes, Frank, I like that idea. You could stop and watch while the bridle was put on. Ibrahim must see about the gift at once." "Yes, Excellencies," said the old man; "the words are good. To-morrow, then, I shall bring plenty for them to choose. But will not your Excellencies see now what the great Emir has brought?" "No--yes," said the Hakim. "We must not slight his gifts. Open them out." Sam was summoned, and costly rugs, pieces of richly woven stuffs, the finest cotton haiks and burnooses, were spread out before the friends, and they noticed that their Emir's gift was far more costly than his friend's. But one and all had another present in their vision, one that seemed to stand out real before Frank Frere all the time--a rich, well-stitched, red morocco head-stall and reins, ornamented with thick bosses and buckles of gold, and fitted with a silver bit; and that night when he slept the present was the main feature of one long-continued dream. CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE. FRANK'S VENTURE. As Ibrahim had said, the task was easy, for the next morning, before the Hakim had commenced with his sick and wounded, one of the Soudanese harness-makers was at the palace gate with his men and a great white donkey heavily laden with admirable specimens of leather work, barbaric in style, but for the most part such as would have delighted anyone of artistic taste. The various objects were brought in and spread before the Hakim; but Frank was disappointed, for there was no such bridle as he had designed in his mind's eye--nothing so costly; and not one head-stall that was ornamented with gold. But in the end one was bought profusely decorated with heavy buckles and bosses of silver; the steel bit, too, had cheek pieces of the more precious metal, while to hang from beneath the neck of the steed that was to wear it, there was a large glistening ball of silver, from which streamed a great tuft of scarlet horsehair. The maker asked many piastres for his work, but it was well worth the price, and his face shone with pleasure as Ibrahim stood solemnly, bag in hand, to count them out; and then the black cleared away his stock-in-trade and went off rejoicing. "So far so good, Frank, my boy," said the professor; "but how do you mean to get the present delivered?" "By sheer daring," said Frank quietly, "and this very day if the young Emir will only let me be at rest." "And how then?" asked the Hakim anxiously.