“Welcome, Effendi!” he exclaimed; “do you come from afar? Are you for Mecca, or do you stay long? A caravan starts to-morrow. Are you a merchant or simply a traveler? No matter. I will make you comfortable for a day or a month. _Oui_, by gar!”
“I am a traveler,” replied Jack, “and require accommodation at your hostelry for a time.”
“Very good. My charges reasonable. These Arabs who are orthodox Mahometans, do not drink, but I have a cellar of wine and spirits for Europeans.”
“Give me a bottle of champagne and fricassee a chicken!” exclaimed Jack. “Show me your dining-room and let me have some cigars.”
“You shall have everything, Milor, except the daily paper, which is a thing we do not indulge in here.”
“You may arrive at that some day when you have railroads, tram cars and the electric light.”
“Ah, sapristi, we have flying machines before those things come here.”
Jack was ushered into a large room, facing the sea, and was provided with what he required.
“How is trade? Sit down and join me,” said he.
“With much pleasure; trade is bad. Sacre, the plague is about.”
“Certain. Ah! they are a bad lot to entertain. I do not like them at all, but”--he shrugged his shoulders--“I am here, and what am I to do!”
“Not at all,” answered Leronge. “They are peaceable, so are the pilgrims. When they come, little money I get out of them. Poor--live on rice and lobscouth, which is a kind of Bouilabaise, which we have at Marseilles. Those I am afraid of are the pirates, but you know them.”
“My acquaintance with them has been an expensive one,” replied Jack.
“_Mon ami_, will you tell me your story?”
He related all that had happened to him, and Leronge sympathized with him.
“Monsieur,” he exclaimed, earnestly, “you have had a bitter experience and a narrow escape. These _sacre_ pirates of the Red Sea are capable of any villainy. I should like to have you as a guest for weeks--months--years, but though it will be my loss, I advise you strongly to get away.”
“Yes, but they are possibly on the sea searching for me.”
“Dreadfully so. I cannot make up my mind how to act.”
“The pirates will get your money and capture you again to obtain more if you stay here.”
“_Mon Dieu_, what can I do? They burn my house to the ground.”
