She also began to feel more at ease in traversing the intricate streets of the city, for the crowds that passed her daily had evidently too much to do attending to their own business to bestow more than an indifferent glance at two negro girls. And if the features of one of the two was not according to the familiar negro type, it is probable that all the inhabitants of Algiers were aware of the fact that some of the tribes of black people in the interior of Africa possess the well-formed features and comparatively thin lips of Europeans. As Hester's anxieties about herself began to abate, however, her desire to find out where and how her father was became more and more intense. But the poor child was doomed to many months of hope deferred before that desire was gratified. Peter the Great did indeed make a few efforts to meet with him again-- sometimes in company with George Foster, more frequently alone, and occasionally he visited Hester--having been informed by his sister Dinah where to find her--in order to tell of his want of success, and to comfort her with earnest assurances that he would "neber forsake her," but would keep up a constant look-out for her fadder an' an eye on herself. Consideration for the girl's safety rendered it necessary that these visits should be few and far between, and, of course, owing to the same necessity, our middy was not permitted to visit her at all. Indeed, Peter refused to tell him even where she was hiding, all the information he condescended to give being that she was safe. "You see, my dear," said Peter to Hester, in a paternal tone, on the occasion of the first of these visits, "if I was to come yar oftin, massa--spec'ally Osman--would 'gin to wonder, an' de moment a man 'gins to wonder he 'gins to suspec', an' den he 'gins to watch; an' if it comes to dat it's all up wid you an' me. So you mus' jest keep close an' say nuffin till de tide 'gins to turn an' de wind blow fair. De good Lord kin turn wind an' tide when He likes, so keep your heart up, Geo'giana!" As he uttered the last word the negro put his great hand on the girl's shoulder and patted it. "_What_ a good name Geo'giana am," he continued, bringing his eyes to bear on the slender little black creature before him; "an' _what_ a good nigger you would make if on'y you had an elegant flat nose an' bootiful thick hips. Neber mind, you's better lookin' dan Sally, anyhow, an' no mortal could guess who you was, eben if he was told to look hard at you!" "But oh, Peter, this is such an anxious, weary life," began Hester, with a trembling lip. "Now, hold on dar!" interrupted the negro, almost sternly; "you _mus'_ _not_ cry, whateber you do, for it washes off de black. You mus' larn to cumtroul your feelin's."