American Boys Afloat by Oliver Optic

When Louis and Felix returned to the street they found Scott and Morris bargaining for a horse with one of the Arabs who keep them to let. These men are found in the principal parts of the city; and when the horse is taken, they accompany him on foot wherever he goes. With the assistance of Munif they had made the trade, and Morris had mounted the horse. Scott and the guide attended him.

"I think we had better go to the landing, Flix," said Louis as soon as they came out of the hotel; and they started down the steep and filthy street.

"Do you believe now that the gentleman is the Pacha, my darling? " asked the Milesian.

"I have no doubt of it," replied the young millionaire. "He is dressed like a Christian now; but there is no mistaking his face. He is the handsomest man I ever saw in my life, not only in his figure-head, but in his form."

"I was just going to say the same thing; and he could make his fortune in a dime museum, with his circus clothes on, though his present dress shows him off to the best advantage," added Felix.

"According to all accounts, he is about as bad a man as ever lived, in spite of his masculine beauty, and he is as rich as Crœsus; a Mohammedan millionaire. The Portuguese gentlemen at Funchal said that he travelled all over Europe, Asia, and Africa on shore or in his yacht, and spent his money as freely as water," continued Louis. "He is a man of the world in the worst sense of the term."

"But how did the blackguard get here so soon?"

"We have not seen the steam-yacht in which he sails since we left Gibraltar; but she may be in the Bosporus or Golden Horn for all that. We stopped a day at Algiers, and the ship slowed down to the ordinary speed of the Maud. But he could have come here by land in much less time," Louis explained.

"Well, he is here, and it don't make much difference how he got here," said Felix. "But Captain Ringgold took him down so thoroughly in Gib that I should suppose he had had enough of him."

"That may be the very reason why he is here. Whether he is dressed as a Moor or a Christian, he has the Oriental love of vengeance in his bones, and his millions will enable him to gratify it at any expense," replied Louis.

"He is a more dangerous enemy than John Scoble, _alias_ Wade Farrongate, ever was. Do you suppose he means to follow us all over the world to get his revenge for the upsetting the captain gave him? " asked Felix. "He can make it lively for us, if that is his idea."

"I don't know what he means to do, and I don't much care. I only hope the captain will not run away any more from this Mohammedan millionaire."

When they reached the landing they found that the Maud had gone off to the steamer; but she returned immediately, and they went on board of her to wait for the coming of Scott and Morris. Presently the horse appeared, leading the procession, with Scott in the saddle. They declared that there was no fun in riding horseback at a walk, and they had had enough of it. Munif went off to the Guardian-Mother with them, as Dimitri had done before.

Felix and Louis had kept their own counsel in regard to the Pacha, and the equestrian party had not heard a word about him. As soon as they went on board of the ship they hastened to the captain's cabin, where they found him looking over some letters he had just received. Louis told his story; and the commander listened to it with a frown on his face, as though it was not pleasant news.

"Of course Scott and Morris know all about this matter? " asked the captain.

"We kept it to ourselves," replied Louis.

"That was wise; and you will oblige me by saying nothing about it to any one. We will continue to attend to our affairs without regard to the Pacha. To-morrow we are to make an excursion in the Maud through the Bosporus and Golden Horn, and we shall ascertain whether or not the Fatimé is here."

Nothing more was said about the matter on board, and the next morning the entire party started on the excursion, the two guides attending them. The little steamer passed through the bridge of boats, and then coasted along the eastern shore, passing the navy-yard and several government buildings, the commander, Louis, and Felix keeping a sharp lookout for the Fatimé, but nothing was seen of her. After a run of about three miles they landed at the mouth of a stream and visited the mosque at Eyub.

"This is Eyub; the word means Job, who was an Arabian general buried here twelve hundred years ago," said Dimitri, as the party landed. "The _firman_ will admit us to the mosque."

On their return the Maud followed the other shore, and made another landing at a place to which Dimitri gave a name which no one could remember ten minutes, from which they proceeded to a Turkish cemetery, which was full of interest to them. The sad-looking cypress grew in great numbers on the grounds, as in the miles of burial-places in and about the city. The most of the sail back was alongside the part of the city called Stambool.