Chapter
16
FOR SIX WEEKS THE YOUTH REMAINED THE GUEST OF COLONEL Joseph Vivier whose daughter, Marie, he had rescued from the two Arab servants who had attempted to abduct her.
The French officer took a deep interest in the strange story of the young man's life; but question him as he would he could not get back of the time that Aziz had come to the deck of the strange steamer.
Much of his story seemed too weird and unreal for credence, so that at last the Frenchman came to doubt it all, although he took a liking to the narrator and did what he could to make his stay at the camp pleasant.
Marie also took a lively interest in the stranger, and when she discovered that his only language was broken and imperfect Arabic she set to work to teach him French, as well to read and write as to
