generosity touched me to the heart, and with
something like a choking sensation in my
throat, I said I would do my best.

I went up to the officer.

"Listen, Turk! We have some money with
us. Let us go away, and it is yours."

"Hm!"

"I will give you all we have— the money
and the watches. Do you understand me?"

"Hm! How much have you got?"

"I hardly know. But you shall have all
as a ransom for us four."

"I believe you. But why shouldst thou
give me what is mine already?"

"I see!" said I. "Your right is as good
as any other robber's. Take it, and let us go."

"No, I cannot do that."

"Evalah! then take me to Jasenica."

"Why to Jasenica?"

"Because there I can give you ten purses
more, which I lent to Capitan Sulejman
Effendi, when he was at the Rastell, and—"

"Listen, old man!" said the officer, addressing
Staniza. "What man is this Swabo?"

"A Doctur."

"A Doctur? We want a Doctur!" cried
all the Turks.

"Ama!" said the officer, who had already
become enamoured of the ten purses. "Let us
give the dog his life and take him with us."

"I'll go," said I, "wherever you like; but
my friends must go along with me."

The officer threw a quick glance at his
men. His cupidity had now fairly overrun his
discretion.

"Hm! Why should it matter?" said he.
"We are not afraid of four men."

"Evalah!— we fear them not!"

"Well! we take these four men to
Jasenica."

Staniza and I lighted our pipes, and the
officers rifled all our pockets. Day was just
breaking when the troops formed, and we,
surrounded by our captors, proceeded on our
way to Jasenica.

"If the Capitan hears of this night's
proceedings, know," said the officer, showing me
his pistols, "that all the Sultan's treasures
shall not avail to redeem thy life. Dost thou
understand me?"

"Perfectly!" said I.

We reached Jasenica early in the afternoon,
and were somewhat displeased with its
appearance. To speak plainly, the place is an
abomination of filth and misery; and the
fortress, or castellated hovel, which bears
that pompous title, has the wretched tumble-
down appearance which struck me as the
chief characteristic of all Bosnian architecture.
With the exception of those eternal
dogs, which haunt all Turkish places, there
was not a single living being visible in
the one street of the city. We were taken
to the Capitan's Kula, and my honest friend,
the officer, dismounted and entered it. I
was afflicted with an uncomfortable sensation,
when I thought of the Capitan, Sulejman
Eifendi, whom I had never seen, though I had
heard his name mentioned; and to whom I
had never lent, and much less given, those
ten purses, the offer of which had saved my
life. Saved it? A fine saving, indeed! In
a few minutes Mehmed must learn that I had
imposed upon his credulity; and he——

"May the Lord have mercy upon us!"
ejaculated I, as Mehmed reappeared with the
blackest looks imaginable even for a Turk.

"Confound you, Swaba!" said he. "Sulejman
Effendi is gone to Pridor. He went
yesterday!"

"Hm! did I send him?" said I, breathing
more freely.

He collared me, and dragged me tip the
steep stairs. Jusuf, Staniza, and Richard
were left to follow, without his kind assistance.

The Bimbasha, who officiated in the Capitan's
absence, sat in the centre of the room,
on his crossed legs, smoking. He was a
gloomy-looking old man; and his eyes, as
they fed on us, expressed vexation and
distrust.

"What crime have they committed?" said
he, at last, looking at the officer.

"None, sir," said I; "none whatever. We
were on our road to Sarajewo, and last
night, in the forest, these people came and
offered——"

Here honest Mehmed interrupted me.

"We captured them because they are of
the Insurgent party!"

"Mashallah!" cried I; "this is not true.
Have I not a Teskera from Ahmed Beg?—
and did not Ahmed Beg expel the Dijdar of
Vranograc from Bijelastjena?"

"Show me the Teskera!" said the
Bimbasha. I handed it to him, and he examined
it carefully.

"It is our own Teskera!" said he. "Let
them go! Peace be with them!"

Mehmed looked daggers at me, but I defied
him; and, turning to the Bimbasha, I thanked
him, in Turkish, having at once understood,
from his peculiar accent, that he was not
Bosnian born. The sounds of his own
language caused him to brighten up, and he
called for coffee and chibuks.

"Valah!" said he. "This is the first time
I hear Turkish from a Swaba. Who could
have thought it!"

"Valah!" replied I, with rather a strong
tinge of conceit, "I understand Turkish and
Arabic."

"Can you read the Citab?" *
* That is to say, the Coran.

"Certainly."

He mused for a time; and then, as if
struck with a very bright idea, started up, and
ordered one of the soldiers to run for the
Hodza, or teacher. "Tell him," added he,
"to bring the Book."

It was not long before the Hodza made his
appearance. He stooped low before the
Bimbasha.