This was too much for the delinquent; lowering his eyes, he walked out of the room, through a long row of servants, who had come from the neighbouring houses to hear me administer justice. The sentence appeared to give great satisfaction to the Onbashee. "May I put Osman in prison?" he eagerly inquired. "I have no authority on such matters," I replied. "No, Effendi, but the Caimacan likes you, and if you asked him to do so, he would put Osman in prison. Just a day or so, Effendi! Please do!" "Why do you want to put him in gaol?" I asked. "Because, if he is once shut up, we will not let him out till he has returned me the difference between your present and the five piastres." "No," I said; "here is the difference," at the same time giving him a small sum of money. "But now go and inquire in the town for a man who wants a situation, as I want a servant immediately." Just then a sergeant entered the room. He brought word from the Caimacan that he was waiting for me, and that the battalion would leave Tokat in about half an hour. I at once rode to the barracks. They consisted of two old Khans, which surrounded a courtyard, the Khans being used as barracks when there were troops in Tokat, and at other times of the year as lodgings for wayfarers. The streets leading to the Khans were lined with women, muffled up in long white sheets, and weeping piteously. The battalion was drawn up in two ranks inside the courtyard. The men were standing at ease, and engaged in talking to their numerous friends and relatives. Immense enthusiasm prevailed amidst the bystanders. Numbers of volunteers were offering their services. "Look at these men, sir," observed Radford, who was riding behind me; "they do not look as if they liked going as soldiers: bless my heart alive, if they ain't a-crying!" I glanced in the direction he was pointing, and saw thirty or forty men with most woe-begone faces, and some of them in tears. "Why are you crying?" I said to one of their party. "Are you afraid of being killed?" "No, Effendi, we want to go with our brothers in the battalion and to fight by their side; but the major will not take us, he says that his battalion is complete. Do ask him to let us accompany him! Our hearts are full of sorrow at being left behind." A captain in the regiment, a short, podgy-looking man, with very fat cheeks, now came to them, and tried to console the volunteers by saying that their turn would come soon, and that they should go with the next battalion.