Page:Ballantyne--The Pirate City.djvu/225

Rh "It is a woeful state of things," observed the Colonel, while a slight flush mantled on his cheek—possibly at the thought of his having, as the representative of a civilized power, to bow his head and recognise such barbarians. "And you, Bacri, will you not also stay here?"

"No. There are others of my people who require my aid. I go to join them. I trust that Hamet's promise—if he succeeds—will sufficiently guard me from violence. It may be that they will respect my position. In any case I stay not here.—Farewell."

When the Jew had left, the consul turned to superintend the arrangements of his house, which by this time had assumed the appearance of a hospital or prison—so numerous and varied were the people who had fled thither for refuge.

Chief among the busy ones there was the ebony damsel from beyond the Sahara, whose tendency to damage Master Jim and to alarm Jim's mamma has already been remarked on more than once. Zubby's energies were, at the time, devoted to Paulina, in whom she took a deep interest. She had made one little nest of a blanket for her baby Angelina, and another similar nest for Master Jim, whose head she had bumped against the wall in putting him into it—without awaking him, however, for Jim was a sound sleeper, and used to bumps. She was now tearfully