a clear stream that spouted from a rock, and, slinging it upon his shoulder, he took Tim's gun and ammunition in addition to his own. Thus loaded, he took a last farewell of the fatal spot, and in a few words, as he stood by the grave, he offered up a heartfelt prayer for the dead, and for guidance on his lonely way.

Strengthened by the cool rain, and rendered callous to fatigue by sorrow, he wandered on direct for the high blue cone that had been pointed out as a landmark by the guide. This appeared to be nearer than before, as the rain had rendered the atmosphere doubly clear, but it was in reality about fourteen miles distant. Ned plodded on.

It was nearly sunset when he reached a grove of tall palm-trees that grew in a long line at the base of the mountain, and extended as far as the eye could reach. Passing through these for about two hundred yards, he perceived a considerable village upon a high rocky ridge, which looked down upon a roaring torrent now swollen by the rain. Without caring for his reception, Ned slowly ascended the rocky path and entered the village. To his astonishment he was met by a number of Arabs, instead of the natives to whom he had been accustomed. These people were engaged in storing elephants' tusks within a large shed that was constructed after a different fashion to the huts of the natives. Upon seeing Ned, they gathered around him; and he, tired, hungry, and dispirited, threw his two guns upon the ground, and then lay down exhausted at full length.

For some time Ned lay half asleep, but at length, having recovered sufficiently to speak, he endeavored to explain his situation. Although only a small portion of his narrative was understood, it was sufficient to arouse the sympathy of his hearers, who declared that Ned had brought good luck to the country, as the rain had arrived with him.

The Arabs were ivory and slave traders belonging to

Zanzibar. Many of their slaves had been purchased from the country in which Ned had so long been a captive; thus, as he spoke their language, it was not difficult to procure an interpreter, and he shortly discovered several people who had served the Arabs for some years, and therefore had a knowledge of Arabic.

There was no further difficulty in describing the adventure. Ned, having arrived among them with the first storm. of rain that had fallen for nearly twelve months, was regarded by the natives with a superstitious reverence that was also shared by the Arabs; the latter agreed that he should join their party and accompany them to Zanzibar on their return.

Some months passed away in the Arab camp, during which their parties made long excursions in the interior, and returned laden with ivory, together with many slaves. At length the long-wished-for period arrived, and Ned, who had sadly missed and mourned for his faithful companion Tim, hailed the day of departure with joy as the Arabs beat their drum and assembled a body of five hundred porters to transport the tusks to Zanzibar. Long strings of slaves of both sexes accompanied the march; many were fastened by ropes from neck to neck, while others were fettered by the forked stick similar to that in which Ned had been secured when first captured.

In six weeks' march they reached Zanzibar without any incident worthy of notice, and having delivered the ivory, the captain of the party introduced Ned to his employer, who was a wealthy Parsee merchant from Bombay. This man not only received him kindly, but furnished him with clothes and money, and promised to send him to Egypt on board one of his own vessels that would shortly proceed to Cosseir, on the Red Sea. Ned.presented the captain of the trading-party with his two guns as a return for the kindness R

he had received, and, when the day of departure arrived, he warmly thanked the Parsee merchant for his hospitality, and sailed on board a large Arab dow loaded with ivory and slaves for Egypt.

Once more Ned's heart bounded with joy as he felt himself again upon the sea, and steering toward home.

The wind was favorable throughout the voyage, and without an accident of any kind they reached Cosseir. There they disembarked, and the cargo was transported on camels, while the slaves marched on foot across the desert to the Nile. Ned was provided with a camel, as the Bombay merchant had ordered that he should be well cared for, and be delivered to his agent at Alexandria.

Upon arrival at the Nile the slaves were divided among several large-decked vessels, upon one of which Ned was furnished with a cabin, and they sailed down the stream. They were detained at several large towns on the banks of the river, and especially at Cairo, at which place many of the slaves were disposed of at good prices; and, after a voyage of three weeks, the boats arrived at Alexandria, and Ned for the first time looked upon the blue waters of the Mediterranean. He felt almost at home; and having been kindly received by the agent of the Parsee merchant, he was provided with a passage on board an English vessel that was about to sail.

The sight of the union-jack flying at the mast-head that Ned had not seen for many years filled him with delight, and, as the boat took him alongside, he sprang up the ladder and found himself on the clean deck of a fine merchantvessel of about three hundred tons. The captain and crew were English, and Ned once more could speak his native tongue and associate with his own countrymen. The captain was a fine hearty fellow, who took a fancy to Ned at first sight, and sympathized warmly with the history of his

adventures, which quickly made the round of the ship, and Ned was looked upon as a second Robinson Crusoe.

After a voyage of six weeks the vessel passed the Lizard light and entered the Channel. They were within sight of the coast on the following day with a light but favorable breeze, when they met a large fishing-smack, which they spoke, being anxious to obtain the earliest news from England. To Ned's delight she hailed from Falmouth, which would be his most favorable landing-place; therefore he took leave of the captain and crew of the vessel, with whom he had shared a most agreeable voyage, and, going on board the smack, the sails filled, and the two ships parted on their different courses.

On the following day they sighted Falmouth, and once more Ned set his foot upon the soil of Old England.

NED

CHAPTER XXI.

[ED GREY happened to arrive at Falmouth a few days after Paul had been committed to prison by the magistrates on the original warrant for his apprehension; thus he was lying in jail at that town to await his trial at the Sessions at the very time that Ned unconsciously hurried through on his way home.

The committal of Paul to prison had been effected through the instrumentality of James Stevens, who had no sooner got rid of him from the rectory than he once more renewed his visits and pressed his suit with Edith. With consummate hypocrisy he had persuaded her, and also Polly Grey, that he was forced to commit Paul upon the warrant, but that, as the Sessions were drawing near, he would shortly be tried and acquitted, as there could be no doubt of his innocence.

Although Edith felt no love for Stevens, she had learned not to dislike him: she had been so constantly talked to by her mother and impressed with the idea that he was really a worthy object for her affection, that she regarded him as a person whom it was not impossible that she might some day learn to love. Nevertheless she lingered fondly upon the recollections of the past, when her heart had first known the feelings of real love. It was by a pretended sympathy for her early affection for Ned Grey that Stevens had succeeded in winning her regard; and well aware of the influence thus obtained, he appeared to delight in frequent allusions to the time when Ned and he served together on