Jack Harkaways Boy Tinker Among The Turks | Page 9

suspected the presence of the former.
Herbert Murray, in fancied security, was reclining on deck upon some
cushions he had got up from below, smoking lazily, and looking up at

the blue sky overhead, when Chivey, who had been looking vainly out
for an appropriate cue to make his reappearance, slipped suddenly
forward, and touching his hat, remarked in the coolest manner in the
world--
"Did you ring for me, sir?"
Herbert looked up just as if he had seen a ghost.
"Chivey!"
"Guv'ner."
Herbert Murray stared at his villainous servant.
But villainous as Chivey was, Herbert Murray never thought a bit about
that.
His heart leaped to his mouth, and he was overjoyed to find him there.
"Oh, Chivey, you vagabond!" he ejaculated. "I'm so awfully glad to see
you."
"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."
There's a lot of truth in that trite and homely old saying.
For one little phrase from the guilty Herbert had come so straight from
the heart that even the villainous tiger was touched immediately.
"Look here, guv'nor," said Mr. Chivey, "I don't think you are half so
bad as I thought. My opinion is that you are not half as bad as some of
'em, and that the ugly job up at the gravel pits was all of my provoking.
I bear no malice."
"You don't!" exclaimed his master, quite overjoyed.
"Not a bit."

"Shake hands."
Chivey obeyed.
And they were faster friends than ever after that.
But what about Señor Velasquez?
What about all their compacts with the villain?
For the time they were of no use to that plotter, whose plans had, up to
the present time, failed.
CHAPTER LXIII.
THE ORPHAN IS PRESENTED AT COURT--IS A BIT
NERVOUS--LESSONS IN THE TURKISH
LANGUAGE--MANNERS AND CUSTOMS--THE PASHA OF
MANY WIVES--AN OFFICIAL PRESENT--BOWSTRINGING--AN
EXECUTION--HORROR! THE ORPHAN'S PERIL, AND WHAT
CAME OF IT.
Having got Chivey and his master together again, we now travel to the
Turkish coast to be in the company of young Jack and his friends.
The orphan had been roused from his slumbers to be presented to the
pasha of that province.
His excellency the pasha had done them the honour to pay them a visit
of ceremony on board ship, and was seated in great state surrounded by
his suite in the best saloon.
After the chief personages on board had been presented, his excellency
had, according to Captain Deering, desired to see that distinguished
personage, Mr. Figgins, alias the orphan.
And now the orphan stood trembling outside the door of the saloon.
"In you go, Mr. Figgins," whispered Captain Deering.

"One moment."
"Nonsense."
"Just a word."
"Bah!" said the captain, with a grin; "you aren't going to have a tooth
out. In with you."
He opened the door, gave the timorous orphan a vigorous drive behind,
and Mr. Figgins stood in the august presence.
The pasha was seated--it would be irreverent to say squatted, which
would better express it--upon a cushion that was, as Paddy says,
hanging up on the floor.
His excellency was in that peculiar, not to say painful attitude, which
less agile mortals find unattainable, but which appears to mean true rest
to Turk or tailor.
The pasha rejoiced in a beard of enormous dimensions, a grizzled
dirt-coloured beard that almost touched the cushion upon which he sat.
A turban of red and gold silk was upon his venerable head.
And beside his excellency upon a cushion were laid his arms, weapons
of barbarous make, thought the orphan.
A scimitar, curved à la Saladin, two long-barrelled pistols, with
jewelled butts, "as though they were earrings or bracelets," the orphan
said to himself, a long dagger with an ivory hilt and sheath, and a piece
of cord.
"That's to tie them together with," mentally decided the orphan. "One
might as well travel with the Woolwich Arsenal or the armoury from
the Tower. Barbarous old beast."
"Now," said Captain Deering, "tuck in your tuppenny, Mr. Figgins;
bow as low as you can."

The orphan put his back into an angle of forty-five with his legs.
"Lower."
"Ugh!"
"A little bit more."
"Lower," said Captain Deering, in an agonised whisper. "We shall all
be bowstrung if his excellency thinks us wanting in respect."
The orphan thus admonished made a further effort, and over he went
Head first!
There was such a chattering, such horrible sounds going on, as Captain
Deering scrambled after the unfortunate orphan, that the latter thought
his time was come.
The captain dragged him to his feet, however.
Then the presentation was proceeded with.
"His Excellency Ali Kungham Ben Nardbake," cried a dignitary
standing beside the pasha, with a voice like a toastmaster.
"Good gracious me!" exclaimed the orphan, "all that?"
"That's not half of it," said Captain Deering. "To the faithful, he is
known