"We have learnt something new," said Terence; "new, at least, to me; and I shall know how to live when I get where there is plenty. Heretofore I have been like a child, eating and drinking half my time, not because I required it, but because I knew no better. There is Colly now, he don't seem to appreciate the beauty of this Arabian style of living; or he may understand it better than we. Perhaps he is waiting until he acquires a better appetite, so that he may have all the more pleasure in gratifying it. Where is he now?" They all looked about. They saw that Colin had once more fallen behind; and that the mother of the child was again waiting for him. Harry and Terrence walked on, expecting that they would soon see their companion rudely driven up by the angry negress. Sailor Bill stopped, as though he was interested in being a witness to the scene thus anticipated. In a few minutes after, the young Scotchman, with the child, was hurried forward by the enraged hag, who once more seemed in a great passion at his inability or unwillingness to keep up with the others. "I ken it a' noo," said Bill, after he had stood for some time witnessing the ill-treatment heaped upon Colin. "Our freen Colly's in luck. I've no langer any wonder at his taking a' this trouble wi' the blackey bairn." "What is it, Bill? What have you learnt now?" asked Terrence and Harry, in a breath. "I've larnt why Colly could not eat his dinner yesterday." "Well, why was it?" "I've larnt that the nager's anger with Colly is all a pretince, an' that she is an old she-schemer." "Nonsense, Bill; that is all a fancy of yours," said Colin, who, with the child on his shoulders, was now walking alongside his companions. "It is no fancy of mine, mon," answered Bill, "but a fancy o' the woman for a bra' fair luddie. What is it that she gives you to eat, Maister Colly?" Seeing that it was idle to conceal his good fortune any longer, Colin now confessed it, informing them that the woman, whenever she could do so without being seen, had given him a handful of dried figs, with a drink of camel's milk from a leathern bottle which she carried under her cloak. Notwithstanding the opinion they had just expressed, on the enjoyment attending prolonged thirst and hunger, Colin's companions congratulated him on his good fortune, one and all declaring their willingness to take charge of the little darkey, on the condition of being similarly rewarded. They had no suspicion at that moment that their opinions might soon undergo a change; and that Colin's supposed good fortune would ere long become a source of much uneasiness to all of them. CHAPTER FORTY FIVE. SAILOR BILL'S EXPERIMENT. The afternoon of this day was very warm, yet Golah rode on at such a quick pace, that it required the utmost exertion of the slaves to keep up with him.