This explanation puzzled the pacha. "How--what sort of a country must it be, when a man cannot have two wives? Inshallah! please the Lord, we may have hundreds in our harem! Does he not laugh at our beards with lies? Is this not all _bosh_, nothing?" "It is even so, as the Frank speaketh," replied Mustapha. "The king of the country can take but one wife. Be chesm, on my eyes be it, if it is not the truth." "Well," rejoined the pacha, "what are they but infidels? They deserve to have no more. Houris are for the faithful. May their fathers' graves be defiled. Let the Giaour proceed." * * * * * Well, I was started for the other side of the water, and got there safe enough, as I hope one day to get to Heaven, wind and weather permitting, but I had no idea of working without pay, so one fine morning I slipt away into the woods, where I remained with three or four more for six months. We lived upon kangaroos, and another odd little animal, and got on pretty well. * * * * * "What may the dish of kangaroos be composed of?" inquired Mustapha, in obedience to the pacha. "'Posed of! why, a dish of kangaroos be made of kangaroos to be sure." * * * * * But I'll be dished if I talked about anything but the animal, which we had some trouble to kill; for it stands on its big tail, and fights with all four feet. Moreover, it be otherwise a strange beast; for its young ones pop out of its stomach, and then pop in again, having a place there on purpose, just like the great hole in the bow of a timber ship; and as for the other little animal, it swims in the ponds, lays eggs, and has a duck's bill, yet still it be covered all over with hair like a beast. * * * * * The vizier interpreted. "By the Prophet, but he laughs at our beards!" exclaimed the pacha, angrily. "These are foolish lies." "You must not tell the pacha such foolish lies. He will be angry," said Mustapha. "Tell lies, but they must be good lies." "Well, I'll be----," replied the sailor, "if the old beggar don't doubt the only part which is true out of the whole yarn. Well, I will try another good un to please him." * * * * * After I had been there about six months I was tired; and as there was only twenty thousand miles between that country and my own, I determined to swim back. * * * * * "Mashallah! swim back--how many thousand miles?" exclaimed Mustapha. "Only twenty thousand--a mere nothing." * * * * *