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The three spies were not less forbidding in appearance than the horde of

warriors Rob had passed upon the desert. Their features were coarse

and swarthy, and their eyes had a most villainous glare. Old fashioned

pistols and double-edged daggers were stuck in their belts and their

clothing, though of gorgeous colors, was soiled and neglected.

With all the caution of the American savage these Turks approached the

tree, where, to their unbounded amazement, they saw the boy lying

asleep. His dress and fairness of skin at once proclaimed him, in their

shrewd eyes, a European, and their first thought was to glance around in

search of his horse or dromedary. Seeing nothing of the kind near they

were much puzzled to account for his presence, and stood looking down

at him with evident curiosity.

The sun struck the polished surface of the traveling machine which was

attached to Rob's wrist and made the metal glitter like silver. This

attracted the eyes of the tallest Turk, who stooped down and stealthily

unclasped the band of the machine from the boy's outstretched arm.

Then, after a hurried but puzzled examination of the little instrument, he

slipped it into the pocket of his jacket.

Rob stirred uneasily in his sleep, and one of the Turks drew a slight but

stout rope from his breast and with gentle but deft movement passed it

around the boy's wrists and drew them together behind him. The action

was not swift enough to arouse the power of repulsion in the Garment of

Protection, but it awakened Rob effectually, so that he sat up and stared

hard at his captors.

What are you trying to do, anyhow?" he demanded.

The Turks laughed and said something in their own language. They had

no knowledge of English.

You're only making fools of yourselves," continued the boy, wrathfully.

It's impossible for you to injure me."

The three paid no attention to his words. One of them thrust his hand

into Rob's pocket and drew out the electric tube. His ignorance of

modern appliances was so great that he did not know enough to push

the button. Rob saw him looking down the hollow end of the tube and

murmured:

I wish it would blow your ugly head off!"

The Master Key