In the Mahdi's Grasp Part 27

"Then I'll go in yonder. You stop and let 'em catch you sudden like.

Just to try if they'll know you."

Frank nodded, and Sam darted into the inner tent, just having disappeared as the professor sauntered in with the doctor, and both drew up short.

"Hullo, you, sir!" said the professor gruffly, in Arabic; "what business have you here?"

Frank made no reply, but edged a little to one side, while at the same moment the doctor caught sight of the clothes lying on the floor, and uttered an exclamation.

"Yes, see!" cried the professor. "Robbers, eh? Help me, and we'll tie this fellow up."

"Quick, then," said the doctor. "Look out for his knife. Bah! how absurd!" he added the next moment, calming down from the excitability he had displayed.

"What do you mean?" cried the professor sharply.

"Don't hold back. Why!--what!--My dear Frank, what a metamorphosis!"

"Yes," said Frank quietly. "I have pa.s.sed muster with three of you, so I suppose it will do."

"Do!" cried the professor. "Why, it is simply admirable. Stop a minute, I'll fetch Sam from his tent and try him.--Eh? You here, sir?"

he added, as Sam came out of the inner tent.--"You've seen him, then?"

"Yes, sir, and felt him too!" said the man, and the newcomers heard what had taken place.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

BEN EDDIN.

The Hakim was carefully prepared the next morning for his visit to his patients, Sam making the preparations, even to the extent of having a bra.s.s pot of boiling water for the razors.

"Seems a pity, sir," he said, as the three gentlemen sat together in the tent, a turned-up case forming the barber's chair, upon which the doctor took his seat; "master's got such a fine, thick head of hair."

"Operate, Sam, operate," said the doctor; and the next minute, comb in one hand, scissors in the other, the man was snipping away, and the doctor's crisp, dark hair fell rapidly over his shoulders and down about him upon the cloth that had been spread.

Sam's cutting was clever enough, and a pretty good transformation was produced even with the scissors, while, when the razor had done its part, and the finis.h.i.+ng touches had been given, the doctor pa.s.sed his hands over his head and then drew them over his long beard.

"Like a looking-gla.s.s?" said the professor drily.

"No, thanks. I know my features pretty well," was the reply. "I shall not forget them."

"But don't you want to see the Hakim?"

"No," said the doctor quietly. "How many years older do I look, Frank?"

he added quickly.

"Twenty," was the prompt reply.

"Quite," said the professor.

"The clothes the Sheikh sent in, Sam," said the doctor, after giving a nod of satisfaction. "Now then, let me finish the work, so that you may see whether it will pa.s.s muster."

"I'll keep you company," said the professor, and he followed his friend into the further tent, leaving Frank walking thoughtfully up and down, pa.s.sing and repa.s.sing the doorway, till his attention was caught by the tall, stately figure of the Sheikh who was coming across from his own place.

Frank hesitated a moment or two, and then he drew himself up and stood waiting with folded arms till the Sheikh reached the entrance, and said quietly--

"May I enter, O Excellency?"

"Yes, come in," cried the doctor from the inner tent, and the old Arab bent a little as he came in, and then raised himself erect as he took a step or two into the half light of the shady place, and stopped short face to face with Frank, at whom for the first few moments he stood staring without the slightest sign of recognition in his countenance, while the youth resembled an ebony carving more than a living being.

"Hah!" said the Sheikh at last. "It is very good, Excellency, very good. It would deceive me. I should not have known. But the dark stain? Will it come off?"

Frank shook his head.

"Not if you used water?"

There was another shake of the head.

"It is good--more than good," said the Sheikh. "I have come over to walk with the Hakim to see his sick people. Is he ready to go?"

Frank shook his head, and raising a hand slowly pointed to his mouth.

"Ah, I forgot that," said the old man, smiling gravely. "It is very good indeed; but can you keep this painful silence?"

Frank bowed his head slowly, and pointed to the divan for the Sheikh to take his seat, the young man preserving his erect position of respect the while.

"It is soon to begin, Excellency," said the Sheikh smiling, "but you must be Excellency no more till our work is done; only in my heart.

What name will you bear?"

"Frank!" cried the doctor from the inner tent, and the Sheikh smiled, but the young man shook his head violently. "Tell the Sheikh I shall be with him in a minute."

"I am waiting patiently, Excellency," said the old man aloud. Then turning to Frank, "Suppose we say Ben Eddin?"

Frank nodded and smiled.

"Let it be so, then, Ben Eddin, my son, slave to the learned Hakim, with whom you have been so long that you understand his Frankish tongue. I have lain awake thinking many hours about the Hakim's other slave, and I feel that it would be wise that he should be his Frankish slave. There will be no mistake then. He can wear our burnoose and haik; they will be enough. It is quite right that he should have brought a servant from his own country. What say you, Ben Eddin?"

Frank bowed his head gravely at once, and the Sheikh smiled his satisfaction, before springing up quickly, and forgetting his grave manner he clapped his hands together, applauding, and then bowing low to the grave and reverend Hakim who entered the tent slowly in flowing white garments and voluminous turban, in front of which was fastened a large, dark green scarab, a genuine treasure found by the professor in the tomb of a man who was supposed to have been physician to one of the Egyptian kings. It had been intended to form a brooch, and the doctor had had it set in gold. This he had taken from among his curios as being most suitable for the purpose in hand, and it took the Sheikh's attention at once.

"Well, Ibrahim," said the doctor, slowly removing his turban as if to place it more comfortably, but holding it long enough for the Arab to see his closely shaven head; "do you think this will do?"

"It is perfect, Excellency," said the old man warmly. "It far exceeds all I could have thought possible."

"So say I," cried the professor, entering now in travel-stained Egyptian garments and muslin-covered fez.

"Excellent, too, Excellency," said the Sheikh. "And now you will keep to this?"

"Of course. The Hakim is ready now to go round and see his sick."