showed there an expression of deep perplexity. But it was no
question of mercy that was agitating his mind.

It was whether he would kill the boys right there or sell them into
slavery.

To his money-making mind the latter idea commended itself. Two
strong youths such as they were would fetch a good price anywhere,
and so it came about that Billy and Lathrop--who had fully expected
to share the Professor's fate--were flung by no gentle hands into
their bullet-riddled tent and left to pass the night as best they
could. Two men were posted to watch them and a rough cuff on the
head rewarded Billy's single attempt to speak to Lathrop.

The next day at dawn the camp was the scene of great activity. The
dead were carried into the forest a short distance and buried, while
the wounded were attended to with such rough surgery as Muley-Hassan
knew. In this work Diego, his lieutenant, who seemed to be a sort
of Jack-of-all-trades-outside of his regular occupation of
scoundrel-aided him; bandaging the, cuts and extracting the bullets
of his companions with some skill.

The boys were then given to eat some sort of stew in a big wooden
basin and being just healthy American boys and not heroes of romance
they ate heartily of the compound and felt better. Muley-Hassan
himself examined the cut on Billy's forehead and Lathrop's two
wounds and pronounced them mere scratches.

Just as it appeared that a start was about to be made the signal
bell of the wireless rang. As our readers know it was Frank