“If you like the horses, leave me to bargain, and seem to understand nothing of my talk.”

The Arab, who took no notice of them, saluted Masouda, and said to her in Arabic: 

“Is it then for Franks that I have been ordered to bring the two priceless ones?”

“What is that to you, my Uncle, Son of the Sand?” she asked.  “Let them be led forth that I may know whether they are those for which I sent.”

The man turned and called into the door of the cave.

“Flame, come hither!” As he spoke, there was a sound of hoofs, and through the low archway leapt the most beautiful horse that ever their eyes had seen.  It was grey in colour, with flowing mane and tail, and on its forehead was a black star; not over tall, but with a barrel-like shape of great strength, small-headed, large-eyed; wide-nostriled, big-boned, but fine beneath the knee, and round-hoofed.  Out it sprang snorting; then seeing its master, the Arab, checked itself and stood still by him as though it had been turned to stone.

“Come hither, Smoke,” called the Arab again, and another horse appeared and ranged itself by the first.  In size and shape it was the same, but the colour was coal-black and the star upon its forehead white.  Also the eye was more fiery.

“These are the horses,” said the Arab, Masouda translating.  “They are twins, seven years old and never backed until they were rising six, cast at a birth by the swiftest mare in Syria, and of a pedigree that can be counted for a hundred years.”

“Horses indeed!” said Wulf.  “Horses indeed!  But what is the price of them?”

Masouda repeated the question in Arabic, whereon the man replied in the same tongue with a slight shrug of the shoulders.

“Be not foolish.  You know this is no question of price, for they are beyond price.  Say what you will.”

“He says,” said Masouda, “that it is a hundred gold pieces for the pair.  Can you pay as much?”

The brethren looked at each other.  The sum was large.

“Such horses have saved men’s lives ere now,” added Masouda, “and I do not think that I can ask him to take less, seeing that, did he but know it, in Jerusalem they could be sold for thrice as much.  But if you wish, I could lend you money, since doubtless you have jewels or other articles of value you could give as security—­that ring in your breast, for instance, Peter.”

“We have the gold itself,” answered Wulf, who would have paid to his last piece for those horses.

“They buy,” said Masouda.

“They buy, but can they ride?” asked the Arab.  “These horses are not for children or pilgrims.  Unless they can ride well they shall not have them—­no, not even if you ask it of me.”

Godwin said that he thought so—­at least, they would try.  Then the Arab, leaving the horses standing there, went into the stable, and with the help of two of the inn servants, brought out bridles and saddles unlike any they had seen.  They were but thickly-quilted pads stretching far back upon the horses’ loins, with strong hide girths strapped with wool and chased stirrups fashioned like half hoofs.  The bits also were only snaffles without curbs.