314 
A CRUSADE IN THE EAST/ 
Yusef neither lifted up .the stick nor whirled it over his head 
on that occasion. Had he even lifted himself up without the 
stick, he might have sustained the illusion by a series of ficti¬ 
tious flourishes ; but he remained hanging there by the saddle 
in the most pitiable state of helplessness. He tugged, and 
writhed, and struggled, much in the style of a cat hung 
by the tail. It was all one : there he dangled entirely un¬ 
able either to lift himself up or extricate his feet from the 
stirrups. 
It was an awkward position for any man; positively hu¬ 
miliating for one who was regarded as an Admirable Crichton 
by the whole female population of Syria; more than awkward 
and humiliating in the presence of a large concourse of expe¬ 
rienced riders ; but intensely deplorable as a display of horse¬ 
manship on the part of the renowned Badra, the Prince of 
Dragomans and Destroyer of Robbers. The Arabs on the 
house-tops laughed aloud ; the women tittered and screamed, 
and, to the best of my belief, asked Yusef if he stood in need 
of their assistance, which was an exceedingly satirical and 
feminine question; for the truth was, Yusef didn’t stand at 
ali ; if he needed any assistance he rather hung in need 
of it. 
Fortunately, however, Syed Sulemin stood. It was admir¬ 
able to behold the resignation with which he turned his head 
and contemplated the struggles of his friend and master. 
What else could he do ? It was not in horse-flesh to lend a 
helping hand on such an occasion. Syed Sulemin could not 
reasonably be expected to take hold of Yusef in his teeth and 
throw him up on his back again ; hence, like a philosopher, 
he calmly awaited the result. 
Mustapha, the muleteer, happening to come along about 
this time, and perceiving his renowned master hanging by 
the leg in that critical position, stood by and contemplated 
the scene for some moments in profound astonishment. Had 
he been a vindictive or revengeful man, he would, in remem¬ 
brance of the beatings he had received in Baneas and other 
places, have passed on ; but Mustapha had a kind and for¬ 
giving heart. As soon as he discovered that it really was not 
