the faces of my enemies!"

"That would be a beautiful handwriting!' observed Mr. Lion,
laughing. "It will, however, be some time before you can do that,
and, in the mean while, I would advise you to go to old Scha-er
Mehsed, the story-teller. He knows wonderful tales, and the whole
history of the great Prophet Mohammed. You know, in the evenings,
crowds assemble around him, and it fairly rains pennies. But Scha-er
Mehsed has grown old, and hard to understand because he has lost his
teeth. Go and listen to him, then take your seat on the stone and
tell stories of the olden time yourself."

"No, Mr. Lion, that does not suit me either. I will first do great
deeds before I tell of them. Not until I have grown old shall the
men and women assemble around me; then they shall hear of my deeds.
But to tell of the deeds of others only, would give me no pleasure.
I see nothing is left me but to become a soldier. Yes, a soldier."

"I, too, believe that would be the best thing for you," said Mr.
Lion, with a kindly nod of the head. "But then you must wait until
you are larger and stronger, for they do not make soldiers of boys,
and you are still a boy. At ten years of age one is not yet a man,
my little hero. But at fifteen you will be a youth, and then you
will be accepted as a soldier. And I prophesy for you a great and
brilliant career as such. Until then, however, I promise to help
your mother to take care of you, and, if I can serve you in any way,
come to me, for you know I love you, and will gladly do what I can
for you."

"Until then I will be the general of the boys of Cavalla, and they