Yussuf the Guide Part 33

"Are you sure?"

Yussuf smiled.

"I went out at the mouth of the ravine to observe," he said; "and I could see nothing till, all at once, I saw a flash of light."

"Well?"

"Such a flash could only be reflected from a sword or gun."

"From water--a piece of gla.s.s--or crystal."

"No, excellency. There is no water up on the mountain slope. Pieces of gla.s.s are not seen there, and a crystal must be cut and polished to send forth such rays. The enemy are waiting for us in a depression, out there beyond the mouth of the plain, and we must go back the other way."

"Of course. It will be safer. But after a time they will follow us."

"I think I can stop that, effendi," said their guide smiling; and while the horses were being loaded, and everything was being got ready for a start, Yussuf took out his knife, and selecting from among the bushes a good straight stick, he cut and trimmed it carefully till it was about the length of a gun.

This done, he climbed up the ridge that screened them from the mouth of the gorge, and, selecting a spot from whence a good view of the sloping plain beyond could be obtained, he walked up and down for a few minutes.

After this he beckoned to the professor and the others to join him; and as soon as they were there he drew their attention to a clump of bushes, as they seemed, but which must have been trees, a couple of miles away, though in that wondrously clear mountain air the distance did not seem to be a quarter.

Mr Burne was nearest to the guide, in his straw hat, which he had retained in safety so far through having it secured by a lanyard, but it was growing very shabby, and was much out of shape from its soaking in the sea.

The professor noticed that Yussuf--who was conspicuous in his red fez skull-cap, about which was rolled a good deal of muslin in the form of a turban or puggree--kept walking up and down on the edge of the ridge, and pointing out to Mr Burne the beauty of the prospect, with the distant ranges of snow-topped mountains, and the old lawyer kept on nodding his satisfaction.

"Yes. Very fine--very fine," he said; "but I want my breakfast."

"There!" exclaimed Mr Preston suddenly. "I saw it yonder."

"The flash of light, effendi?" said Yussuf quietly.

"Yes. And there again."

"I saw it then," said Lawrence quickly; and no one doubted now that their guide was right.

After staying there for about a quarter of an hour Yussuf suggested that as the horses were ready, breakfast should be hastily eaten and they should start. Consequently all went down, a hearty meal was made, Yussuf taking his walking to and from the ridge to guard against surprise, and then he approached Mr Burne to request him to give up his straw hat.

"My straw hat!" exclaimed the old gentleman in astonishment.

"Yes, effendi," replied Yussuf. "I propose to fasten it, after wearing it for a few minutes and walking up and down, on one of the little bushes at the top of the ridge, and to stick this little pole out by its side."

"What! to look like a man on guard?" cried Lawrence eagerly.

"Yes," replied Yussuf. "It will keep the enemy where they are watching it for half the day, even if it does not keep them till evening before they find out their mistake."

"Then, stick your turban there," said Mr Burne shortly.

"I would, effendi, if it would do as well, but it would not be so striking, nor so likely to keep them away. They might suspect it to be a trick; but they would never think that an English effendi would leave his hat in a place like that."

"And quite right, too," said the old lawyer with a snort. "No; I shall not expose my brains to the risk of sunstroke, sir. Bah! Pis.h.!.+ Pooh!

Absurd!"

There was a s.h.i.+ver among the horses, and a disposition to start off again, for Mr Burne blew another of his sonorous blasts; but the moment he whisked out his yellow silk flag, the others, as if by instinct, seized the horses' bridles and checked them in time.

"Pah! Bless my heart!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the old gentleman, as soon as he saw what he had done. "Here, Lawrence, you will have to take all my pocket-handkerchiefs away till we get back to a civilised land."

"If the effendi would let me have his handkerchiefs I could make him a turban to keep off the sun, or if he would condescend to wear my fez it is at his service."

"Rubbis.h.!.+ Stuff!" cried Mr Burne, taking off his battered straw hat, which looked as if he had slept in it on the previous night, if not before, and then sticking it on again at a fierce angle. "Do I look like a man, sir, who would wear a fez with a towel round it? Hang it all, sir, I am an Englishman."

Yussuf bowed.

"Why, he must think me mad, Lawrence."

"My dear Burne," said the professor smiling, "Yussuf is quite right.

Come, you might make that concession."

"Sir, do I look like a man who would wear a fez with a jack-towel twisted round it?" cried Mr Burne in the most irate manner.

"You certainly do not, my dear Burne," said the professor laughing; "but you do look like a man who would make any sacrifice for the benefit of his party."

"Ah! I thought as much," cried the old gentleman. "Now you come round me with carney. There, Yussuf, take it," he cried, s.n.a.t.c.hing off his straw hat and sending it skimming through the air. "Now, then, what next? Do you want my coat and boots to dress up your Guy Fawkes with?

Don't be modest, pray. Have even my s.h.i.+rt too while you are about it."

He took five pinches of snuff in succession so close to Ali Baba that the horse began to sneeze--or snort would be the better term.

Yussuf smiled, and took off his fez, from which he rapidly untwisted the muslin folds.

"Your excellency will condescend to wear my fez?" he said.

"No, sir, I will not," cried Mr Burne. "Certainly not."

"But your excellency may suffer from sunstroke," said Yussuf. "I must insist."

"You must what?" cried Mr Burne angrily.

"Insist, your excellency," replied Yussuf gravely. "I am answerable for your safety. Your life, while I am in your service, is more than mine."

"And yet, sir, you brought me here, along a break-neck path, to fight robbers yesterday. Didn't they shoot at me?"

"I could not prevent that, excellency," said Yussuf smiling. "I can prevent you from being smitten by the sun. Your handkerchief, please."

"Oh, all right!" exclaimed Mr Burne ruefully. "I suppose I am n.o.body at all here. Take it. Here are two."

"Hah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Yussuf smiling with satisfaction, and with all the oriental's love of bright colours, as he took the two yellow silk handkerchiefs, and rolled them loosely before arranging them in a picturesque fas.h.i.+on round his bright scarlet fez, and handing the head-dress back to Mr Burne.

"Humph!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed that gentleman, putting it on with a comical expression of disgust in his countenance. "Here, you, Lawrence, if you dare to laugh at me, I'll never forgive you."

"Do, please, Mr Burne," cried the lad, "for I must laugh: I can't help it."