The consul nodded.  “She’s pretty, if that’s what you mean.  It was very unwise to let her go, escorted only by Armenians.  Of course, she may get through without as much as suspecting trouble’s brewing, but—­well—­I wish you’d look out for her.”

“Chicken, eh?”

Will stuck both hands deep in his trousers pockets and tilted his chair backward to the point of perfect poise.

“Cuckoo, you ass!” laughed Fred, kicking the chair over backward, and then piling all the veranda furniture on top, to the scandalized amazement of the stately kavass, who came at that moment shepherding a small boy with a large tray and perfectly enormous drinks.

Chapter Three “Sahib, there is always—­work for real soldiers!”

WHERE TWO OR THREE

Oh, all the world is sick with hate,
And who shall heal it, friend o’ mine? 
And who is friend?  And who shall stand
Since hireling tongue and alien hand
Kill nobleness in all this land? 
Judas and Pharisee combine
To plunder and proclaim it Fate.

Days when the upright dared be few
Are they departed, friend o’ mine? 
Are bribery and rich largesse
Fair props for fat forgetfulness,
Or anodynous of distress? 
Oh, would the world were drunk with wine
And not this last besotting brew!

Oh, for the wonderful again —
The greatly daring, friend o’ mine! 
The simply gallant blade unbought,
The soul compassionate, unsought,
With no price but the priceless thought
Nor purpose than the brave design
Of giving that the world may gain!

So we took two rooms at the Yeni Khan instead of one, not being minded to sleep as closely as the gentry of Asia Minor like to.  Will hurried us down there for a look at the gipsy girl.  But the tent was gone and the gipsies with it, and when we asked questions about them people spat.

Your good Moslem—­and a Moslem is good in those parts who makes a mountain of observances, regarding mole-hills of mere morals not at all—­affects to despise all giaours; but a giaour, like a gipsy, who has no obvious religion of any kind, he ranks below the pig in order of reverence.  It did not redound to our credit that we showed interest in the movements of such people.

Monty brought an enormous can of bug-powder with him, and restored our popularity by lending generously after he had treated our quarters sufficiently for three days’ stay.  Fred did nothing to our quarters —­stirred no finger, claiming convalescence with his tongue in his cheek, and strolling about until he fell utterly in love with the khan and its crowd, and the khan with him.  That very first night he brought out his concertina on the balcony, and yowled songs to its clamor; and whether or not the various crowd agreed on naming the noise music, all were delighted with the friendliness.

Fred talks more languages fluently than he can count on the fingers of both hands.  He began to tell tales in a sing-song eastern snarl —­a tale in Persian, then in Turkish, and the night grew breathless, full of listening, until pent-up interest at intervals burst bonds and there were “Ahs” and “Ohs” all amid the dark, like little breaths of night wind among trees.