he followed him till they were in the innermost of the booth.  Now the heart of this Religious hung to the love of the barber’s boy for that he had of beauty and perfection and he continued frequenting the shop every day whilst the lad ceased not spreading the rug and receiving upon the mirror ten Ashrafis.  Hereat the barber and his apprentice rejoiced till one day of the days when the Darwaysh came to the shaving-shop, as was his wont, where he met none but only the boy nor was there any other in sight.  So he asked concerning his employer and the other answered, “O uncle, my master hath gone forth to solace himself with seeing the casting of the cannon; for this day the Sultan and the Wazir and the Lords of the land will all be present thereat.”  Said he, “O my son, go thou with us and we will also enjoy the spectacle and return before the rest of the folk, ere thy master can be back, and we will enjoy ourselves and make merry and look at the sport before I set out upon my journey, for ’tis my intention this day to go forth about noontide.”  Quoth the lad, “’Tis well O uncle;” and arising he locked the shop-door and walked with the Darwaysh till they reached the spot where the cannon were being cast.  There they found the Sultan and the Wazirs and the Chamberlains and the Lords of the land and the Grandees of the realm all standing in a body until presently the workmen took the crucibles[FN#155] from off the ore.  Now the first who went up to them was the Sultan and he found them full of molten brass:  so he put his hand into his pocket and drew it forth full of gold which he cast into the melting pots.  Then the Grand Wazir walked forward and did as the King had done and all the Notables who were present threw cash into the crucibles, bar-silver and piastres and dollars.  Thereat the Darwaysh stepped out of the crowd and brought from his cowl a reed used as an etui[FN#156] wherefrom he drew a spoon-like ear-picker and cast into one of the crucibles a something of powder like grain.[FN#157] This he did to each one of the melting pots; after which he disappeared from the eyes of the folk and taking the boy with him returned to the booth and opened it and said to him, “O my child, when the Sultan shall send after thee and shall question thee concerning me, do thou tell him that I am in such a town where shouldst thou come to seek me thou shalt find me sitting beside the gate.”  Then he farewelled the boy, the barber’s apprentice, and set forth seeking that city.  Such was the case with these twain; but as regards the matter of the King, he ceased not standing there until they had brought the crucibles to the cannon-moulds and when the folks designed to pour out their contents they found all therein pure gold.  Then quoth the Sultan to the Wazir and the Notables of his realm, “Who was it threw aught into the crucibles and what stranger man happened to be here?” Quoth they, “We beheld a Darwaysh man who took some powder and fell to casting thereof a somewhat into