258 THE LION KILLER. 



"Oh, you don't want our lives," said the poor devils, falling 

 at my feet, * you couldn't do that. We are saved when we 

 can touch your dress, for you are the Roman who hunts the 

 lion, and you would not slay defenceless men." 



" Defenceless, eh ! What is this, then ?" said Bou-Aziz, 

 who threw out from the branches of the tree a pistol with a 

 barrel about a foot in length. 



" Oh ! it is not mine," cried out one of the marauders, " it 

 isn't mine, I will swear by the head of the Roman." 



" Nor mine," said the other, throwing a glance of disdain, 

 and the epithet of traitor and coward, at his companion in 

 misfortune. 



At this instant Bou-Aziz drew a second pistol out of the 

 ambulating tree, then two cartridge-boxes, and then a bunch 

 of false keys to open the hopples that are used to fasten 

 horses, and lastly two poniards. 



" And this !" called out Bou-Aziz, at every new discovery. 



" Not ours — not ours," repeated the marauders, swearing to 

 the truth of their assertion, now by the head of the Roman, 

 and now by the head of the Nazarene. 



" You are infamous liars, not worthy of the least pity, and 

 you are to follow us that you may be sent to-morrow to the 

 camp at Guelma," I said, as I shook off their embraces. 



" We don't lie," they cried louder than ever, in piteous 

 accents, " these arms are not ours, they were loaned to us." 



This subterfuge appeared so comical, that I could not resist 

 laughing, and the fellows seeing my amusement became more 

 pressing than ever. 



" You are wrong," said Bou-Aziz, " for these hyenas would 

 have devoured you had they met you alone." 



" Coward ! You don't know what a night robber is, you 

 dare not go abroad except in the day-time or by moon- 

 light," said one of the marauders, placing himself fiercely 

 before Bou-Aziz. 



** You were sucking your mother's milk when I was chief 



