Solimin—­for it was indeed he—­paused as the sound caught his ears, and snuffed the wind.  Again came the call; he wheeled, plunged, threw his rider, dashed forward, broke through the bushes, and in a second was on his knees before his old master.

“Up, up, my father! there is no time to lose!” cried Mustapha, grown stronger in a moment.  “Up, up! for the robbers are close upon us!”

In fact, wild cries and clouds of dust showed that the foe had taken the alarm, and were hurrying on.  But already Ahmed and Mustapha were mounted, and Solimin, like a ship at full sail, was speeding away with them.  And where was the camel could overtake him, even when he was loaded double?  Fast and swift his long, swinging trot bore them onward, and before two hours were gone, all traces of the pursuers had disappeared behind them, and they were free to turn their course toward the brown tents where rest, and food, and welcome had waited so long for their coming, and where, after a little time, their hardships and sufferings seemed to them only like a bad dream.

As for Solimin, he hardly could be more tenderly treated or beloved than before this adventure; but if the freshest water, the prickliest furze,—­if bowls of sour milk;—­if a triple necklace of shells,—­if brushing and grooming,—­if soft pats from childish fingers, and sweet names murmured in his ears by girlish voices can make a camel happy, then is Solimin the happiest of heries.  Solimin no longer, however.  His name is changed to “The Blessed,” in memory of the day when, like a stately ship, he came over the desert sea, and bore his starving masters to home, and life, and liberty.

BELINDA BLONDE

BY LAURA E. RICHARDS.

  Belinda Blonde was a beautiful doll,
  With rosy-red cheeks and a flaxen poll;
  Her lips were red, and her eyes were blue,
  But to say she was happy would not be true;
  For she pined for love of the great big Jack
  Who lived in the box so grim and black. 
  She never had looked on the Jack his face,
  But she fancied him shining with beauty and grace;
  And all the day long she would murmur and pout,
  Because Jack-in-the-box would never come out. 
  “Oh, beautiful, beautiful Jack-in-the-box! 
  Undo your bolts and undo your locks! 
  The cupboard is shut, and there’s no one about;
  Oh, Jack-in-the-box! jump out, jump out!”
  But alas, alas for Belinda Blonde! 
  And alas, alas for her dreamings fond! 
  There soon was an end to all her doubt,
  For Jack-in-the-box really did jump out!—­
  Out with a crash, and out with a spring,
  Half black and half scarlet, a horrible thing;
  Out with a yell and out with a shout,
  His great goggle-eyes glaring wildly about. 
  “Alas! alas!” cried Belinda Blonde;
  “Is this the end of my dreamings fond? 
  Is this my love, and is this my dear,
  This hideous, glowering monster here? 
  Alas! alas!” cried Belinda fair. 
  She wrung her hands and she tore her hair,
  Till at length, as the dolls who were witnesses say,
  She fell on the ground and she fainted away.