THRILLING ALARM IN JERICHO. 
385 
dragoman and protector, Yusef Badra ! It was clear enough, 
even at a glance, why he did not come to our assistance 
when called upon at the first alarm ; it was clear enough 
why a supposed Bedouin should understand English, and 
struggle like a maniac when he heard that his throat was 
going to he cut; it was all clear enough now, except the 
cause of this singular mistake which had well-nigh cost us 
the life and future services of Yusef Badra. I need not say 
with what astonishment the tall Southerner relaxed his grasp; 
how Yusef sat up with blood-shot and starting eyes, looking 
all around him, and gasping for breath; how we immediately 
lit the lamp, and pacified the old Sheik and his wife, who 
were perfectly frantic with fear ; in fine, how we called upon 
Yusef to tell us, in the name of the seven wonders, how he 
had fallen into this difficulty. 
“ Spirit of Eblis !” he gasped, panting for breath, “what a 
horrible—a—a—what a—a very dreadful night-mare I’ve 
had ! By the beard of the Prophet!—I-—I—thought I was 
ch—choking ! It even seemed to me that I was al—almost 
st—strangled ; for I protest I c—c—couldn’t get my breath ! 
I do believe—I—I—would have d—d—died, if your Excel¬ 
lencies hadn’t w—w—aked me up !” 
In the course of a few minutes, when he had somewhat 
recovered, he gave us some further particulars in regard to 
his dream, which was certainly of a very extraordinary char¬ 
acter. It appeared that as he lay upon his mattress thinking 
how he could best protect us from the Bedouins, the idea oc¬ 
curred to him that, being very cunning fellows, they would, 
in all probability, upon seeing a door-way open in the bush- 
work, naturally suppose that he, Badra, the Destroyer of 
Robbers, was lying there waiting for them ; that* they would, 
therefore, endeavor to effect their entrance through that part 
where the Howadji lay. In order to meet them upon their 
own ground, therefore, he had cautiously crept over into that 
corner, behind us, where he sat waiting for them ; that while 
he was thus watching over us, he fell into a doze, but imag¬ 
ined it was into the river Jordan; and feeling himself going 
down, he began to swim ; that the moment he moved his 
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