Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 13:02:01 EDT
From: adama1416@aol.com
Subject: The Journey Chapter IV  THE TRIP TO NADOR

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Copyrighted material and that I am the soul owner of the Copyright.  All
emails happily answered.


Chapter IV THE TRIP TO NADOR

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK, the rapping on the door was insistant.  I rose from the
bed and put on my dressing gown as I made my way to the door.

"Who is there?"

"It's the bellman sir, you wished to be awakened at 3:00 AM."

"Yes, thank you. And could you have them send up a breakfast cart.  Coffee,
biscuits and some fruit will do."

"Yes sir, I will take care of it."

I returned to the bed room and woke Mahomet.  "It's time to wake up, we
must get ready and leave for the caravan."  The boy immediately rose and
woke his younger brother.  We all dressed quickly.  Mahomet had to help
Musal with his bag, as we took the final bags into the lounge, along with
the kaftans which were placed on top of the bags at the door.

There was another knock at the door, which startled me, as I was unsure who
it might be.  As I made my way to the door I heard the bellman call out,
"Breakfast"

I opened the door and he pushed the cart in, placing it next to the settee.
As I handed him a coin, I inquired, "Would there be someone available to
help take my bags to the caravans?"

"Yes sir, I will inform the consierge and he will have someone waiting for
you."

I replied, "That would be very good.  Ask him to have them ready in about a
half hour.  Thank you."

The bellman turned and left the room, as the two boys and I began to eat
our meal.

As promised, there was a young man waiting at the lobby door with a cart.
He loaded the bags into it and after I signed the bill for my rooms, we
left the hotel headed for the north end of the city.  When we reached the
caravan, I gave the boy a coin for his time and trouble and Mahomet set
about locating the man who was in charge of the caravan.

I stood with the bags and little Musal, as we waited for Mahomet to return.
I had already counted out the money that I was to pay for the trip with, so
that it would be ready to just hand over.  I looked up and saw Mahomet
returning with a rather large looking man.  He was wearing the white linen
trousers and gauze shirt that I was quickly becoming familiar with, and a
flowing white kaftans.  Atop his head was a crumpled looking dark red fez,
and he had the largest handlebar mustache that I had ever seen on one man.
We exchanged pleasentries, and I paid the man the money for the trip.
Mahomet interpreted for me, and the boys and I picked up the bags and
headed in the direction the fat man was leading us.  As we approached a
large camel with a brightly colored platforn mounted on it's back, he said
something in Arabic to the man standing by, who immediately took the bags
and placed them into the cab.  I lifted little Musal into the cab and
Mahomet waited until I got in and then he joined us as well.  The curtains
at the front of the cab were pulled apart so that we could see out.

With a start, the camel lifted off the ground, and we were rather
unsereptiously jolted about in the box of the cab.  Musal thought this was
quite amusing as he laughed hysterically throughout the process.  I heard a
command from the front of the caravan, and we were off.  As the sun was
just beginning to rise, I breathed a sigh of releif, knowing that we were
underway.  I looked at my pocket watch and noted that it was just shy of
5:00.  It would be another six hours before anyone would know that anything
was amiss.

Once underway, we decided to try and get a little rest, before the sun got
too high in the sky, which would make sleep nearly impossible.  Musal and
Mahomet both curled together against the pile of bags at the rear of the
cab, and I lay back as best I could, resting my head against Mahomet's
side.

I presume that it was the heat the woke us, as I looked again at my pocket
watch.  The time was nearly 8:00.  I was suddenly very thirsty and was sure
that the two boys were as well.  The heat was beginning to get somewhat
oppressive.  I opened the side curtains on the cab in hope of catching a
slight breeze.  Mahomet had located a bota of water and had passed it to
me.  Pulling the plug from the end, I marveled at how the skin was able to
keep the liquid inside cool, despite the heat.  I took a good drink and
handed the bota back to him.  He then handed it to Musal and then he drank
last.  We rode along and I watched the scenery unfold before us.  Mahomet
and Musal both seemed to be overjoyed at the prospect of leaving Marrakech
behind.

The caravan came to a stop shortly and I heard the camel leader saying
something in Arabic, so I turned to Mahomet with an inquisitive look.  "It
is time for a break, to do.er.how you say?  To make necessary."

"You mean a toileting break?"

"Yes Robert, a toileting break.  That would be it."

We were again jostled about as the camel went down to his knees.  I
welcomed the break, as my bladder was full, and I was sure that the boys
were as well.  I looked around for a safe place when Musal took my hand and
began pulling me in the direction of a large boulder about a hundred meters
from the caravan.  Mahomet had already began to move in that direction, so
I followed the lad obediently.  Once behind the boulder, out of sight of
the rest of the caravan, we did what we came out to do, and headed back.

"ROBERT STOP!" came the excited words of Mahomet.  I froze in my steps as
he said something to Musal in Arabic.  Musal stepped toward the caravan,
slowly at first, then he changed to a dead run.

"What is the matter Mahomet?"

"It's a cobra, Robert.  Do not move."

In a fright, I stood perfectly still as I looked in the direction that
Mahomet was looking.  There, about a meter in front of me was the biggest
snake I had ever seen.  Mahomet behind me, was slowly moving to my left.
The snake must have caught the movement as it turned to face in that
direction.  I was at a loss for what to do, but I knew that if Mahomet
continued to move, the snake would surely strike him.  Just then, I heard
noises coming from the direction of the caravan.  A rider on horseback
appeared and leaned forward, swinging his saber as he rode past the snake.
It all happened so quickly, that I didn't realize the man had actually hit
him, until I saw the snake's body fall to the ground.

The horseman dismounted and came over to us.  "Are you alright sir?"

Shaken, and still a bit dazed, I mumbled dryly, "Yes, I think so."  then it
dawned on me that the man had spoken to me in English.  As I regained my
composure, I turned to Mahomet to see if he was hurt.  The boy seemed fine
so I looked back at the horseman and asked, "are you English?"

"Oh yes sir, I am a lancer in Her Majesties 4th African regiment.  Corporal
Winston Fugate at your service sir!"

"Well, corporal, it was most fortuitus, you coming on the scene when you
did.  Thank you!"

"No need to thank me sir, when the little lad came running over to the
caravan in a panic, I figured someone must be in trouble, so I just did me
duty and came to check it out.  You see sir, there is always a military
unit traveling with these caravans, just in case of trouble, and since this
particular caravan has several English citizens on it, it falls to the
crown to provide protection."  "And just how many of you are there?"

"There'll be 36 of us all told, sir.  Under command of Left-tenant Hopkins.
But enough chit chat, we'd best be getting back to the caravan, they'll be
wanting to get moving again."

He walked his horse as we all walked back to the caravan together.  Musal
was standing beside our camel, and his face broke out in a huge smile when
he saw us coming.  He ran to greet us and wrapped himself around Mahomet's
waist, then turning him loose, he attacked me in the same manner.  I was a
bit surprised by this, but lowered my arms to embrace him as well.  The
corporal mounted his horse and turned to go.

"Excuse me, corporal Fugate."  He stopped and turned his horse toward me.
"Would it be possible for me to speak with your Left-tenant later, perhaps
when we've stopped to set camp?"

"I'll see what I can do sir.. I don't even know your name sir."

"Robert, Robert Light of London."

"I'll see what I can arrange for you Robert."  and with that, he turned his
horse and headed back to the front of the caravan.

We quickly got back into our cab and the driver jolted the camel upright.
Once again, we were bounding forward on our way toward Nador.

We traveled for what seemed like hours, and the heat was beginning to get
extremely oppressive when the caravan came to a halt again.  As the driver
gave his command, the camel again lowered to his knees and we got out of
the cab.  I looked at my watch which read 3:00, we were now some 10 hours
out of Marrakech and I was suddenly very hungry.  Various Arabic men were
scurrying about doing this and that, unpacking camels loaded with various
supplies, and just being very busy.  Our driver took our bags from the cab
and indicated for us to follow him.  He led us to a large tent, which had
been set up, and placed the bags inside the door on a rug which had been
placed inside.  He then returned to the camel and led him to the back of
the tent and staked him out for the night, removing the cab and placing it
on the ground.

After the events earlier in the day, I had resolved that I would not
venture far from the tent.  Mahomet and Musal entered the tent and began to
busy themselves getting things ready for the night.  Mahomet came out with
a canvas bucket and headed for the stream to get some water.  Upon his
return, he looked at me and said, "come inside Robert, you must refresh
yourself."  I followed him into the tent and he poured a portion of the
water into a basin which stood on a metal tripod.  I realized that he
wanted me to bathe, as it were, to help me to cool down from the heat.  As
I removed the kaftans, and then my shirt, Mahomet took a flannel and dipped
it into the water, and then began to wash my upper torso.  Musal stood by
holding a large towel to dry me with.  I smiled as I realized that the
towel and flannel were from the hotel.  I thought to myself, I have stolen
the boy Musal, and he and his brother have stolen towels.  I laughed
inwardly at this thought.

I wondered to myself, what must be going on at the Regent Hotel back in
Marrakech.  Surely they would dispatch someone to retrieve him from my
hotel after he failed to return.  Perhaps the concierge at the hotel had
told them that I had already left, with two boys in tow, and they had now
dispatched someone to catch the caravan to take him back.  I was unsure
what they would do, but I was sure that they would take some sort of
action.  After all, a boy so young would surely be considered a valuable
commodity.  I hoped that Thomas hadn't gotten into any trouble because of
me using his name as a reference.  I suppose that the only thing I was
truly sure of was the fact that the presence of English soldiers on the
caravan made me feel a little more secure.

We lay down on the rugs set out for sleeping, and dozed away the afternoon.
I woke to the sound of Musal whimpering in his sleep.  I got up from my rug
and moved over, kneeling beside him, as I brushed the hair from his sweat
laden face, I whispered softly, "quiet little Musal, it will all be better
soon."

Mahomet touched my shoulder as he leaned down next to my ear.  "He is
dreaming of the bad things they have done to him."  he leaned over the boy
and gently turned him on his side, lifting his shirt.  I looked in horror
at the stripes and bruises cut into the small boy's back, as I drew my
breath in sharply.  "They beat him if he does not do as they say, and
sometimes, they beat him just for their own pleasure."

As Mahomet released the shirt and allowed his brother to roll back onto his
back, I looked into his eyes.  I saw his tears, and felt his pain, as I
reached to him and drew him into me.  I held him tightly, as though if I
turned him loose he would be gone.  Our lips met, and we exchanged a warm,
loving kiss.  When we released, he looked at me and said, "We owe you our
lives Robert, this is a debt we can never repay."  "Mahomet, my dear
Mahomet, you owe me nothing.  I did what I had to do, and I will continue
to do so, because I..."

He put his finger to my mouth to stop me.

"Robert, if you want anything, you must ask, no matter what it is.  If you
want to take pleasure with me, or with Musal, it will be done without
question, because we owe you so much for what you have done for us."

"I could never do that with Musal, he has been hurt enough by those evil
men.  As for you, I don't want to have pleasure with you because feel
obligated.  If we have pleasure with each other, it is to be because you
want to, I don't want you to do anything that you don't want to do, ever
again."

We kissed again and hugged each other tightly as the boy began to sob in my
arms.  We were interrupted by the bell clanging to signal that the evening
meal was ready.  We broke our embrace and Mahomet woke little Musal.  The
two boys rose and left the tent, returning shortly with platters of food
and a bota of water.

We sat in the light of the lamps, suspended from the ceiling of the tent,
and ate our meal.  As we finished eating, Mahomet was gathering the
platters to return them to the commissar.  He was exiting the tent, when a
voice from outside asked if his master was available.  Mahomet opened the
door of the tent and showed the young Brittish officer in and excusing
himself, left the tent.

"I'm Left-tenant Hopkins, sir.  My corporal indicated that you had need to
speak with me.  How might I be of service?"

"Robert Light, Left-tenant, please come in and have a seat.  I am curious
about a few things sir.  I am here on holiday from London, my father is
Lord John Light, formerly of the Queens own, and we discussed the problem
of slavery before my departure from home.  What is the Army's stand on such
things?"

"Well sir, my orders are simple, we are to take whatever means necessary to
stop the slave trade, wherever we happen across it, and to insure, as much
as possible, that the slaves are returned to their homes.  Bloody nasty
business that, most of the traders would rather die than give up their
slaves, especially the young boys `cause that's where the big money is.
They sell them as sex slaves, what with the laws against fraternization
with the young women, it's a very lucrative business.  We usually only get
to set one or two free in a month or so, and they usually end up becoming
rent boys, as they don't have any idea where their families are.  Most of
them are taken so young."

He glanced over at Musal, then turned back to me.

"I would hope that a nobleman of your class wouldn't be having a sex slave
of his own, and implying that the Army might be willing to turn it's head."
he scowled his face.

"Absolutely not Left-tenant.  Please allow me to explain why I've asked you
here."

I proceeded to explain the situation to him, leaving out the details of the
relationship between Mahomet and myself, and informed him that I was sure
that I had broken some law by taking Musal on the trip with us to Nador..
I also informed him, that I had no intentions of sending Mahomet back to
Marrakech.

He sat in total silence for a bit as he absorbed all that I had told him.

"Master Light, Robert, if I may, I am not sure how to handle this.  It
would appear that you have done the Army's job for us.  While I'm
apprehensive of your methods, I'm also impressed by your boldness.  Do you
understand the risk that you have taken, by bringing the younger boy along
with you?"

I nodded my head, not totally sure that I did understand.  It was
impulsive, and I am sure risky, but I just had to act, and the consequences
be damned.

"Well, I'm sure that there will be no trouble over the next four days, but
I can't gurantee what will happen once we get to Nador.  The boy's owner
may have someone waiting for you there, to cut your throat and take the lad
back with him.  When we get there, I will approach the Officer of the
Garrison and see what he thinks should be done at that point.  However, in
the meantime, I am going to have them move you farther up in the caravan.
An Englishman shouldn't be traveling at the back of a caravan anyway, but
at least that way, my men can keep an eye out for any unexpected visitors."

We stood and moved toward the door of the tent.

"Tomorrow morning, we shall be entering the pass at Beni Mellal, if
anything is to happen before we reach Nador, that would be the likely
place.  The pass is narrow but the walls of the pass are not high.  I'll
have my men on the alert."

"By the by, would you happen to have a medical officer with your unit?  The
younger boy has some injuries on his back from a whipping at the hands of
his owners."

"I'll send him right away.  Have you received your commission as yet sir?"

"No, I shant receive it until I've finished at university, but I am looking
forward to it.  I should like to one day serve in the Queen's own, as my
father did."

"Well, when you do, I'm sure that you'll make as fine an officer as ever
served. "

We shook hands and he left the tent.  Mahomet entered the tent a moment
later and threw himself into my arms. I asked, "how much did you hear?"

"Mahomet heard all.  Robert does not intend to send Mahomet back?  What
shall become of me, and Musal when you leave Nador?"

"We shall discuss that when we get to Nador.  I am not sure what to do, but
my father shall have some ideas I'm sure."

We sat and talked while we waited for the doctor to come have a look at
Musal's back.  When he arrived, he applied some ointment and left some of
it for me to apply the next morning.

"That should take care of him, but I'm surprised that there are no broken
ribs with a beating like that lad has had.  I'll drop around to check on
him from time to time."

He left the tent and I suggested that we all get ready for bed.  As I lay
on my sleeping rug, Musal and Mahomet moved their rugs over to either side
of mine.  As the two boys snuggled close to me, we all drifted off to
sleep.

The next morning, we had some fruit and coffee for breakfast and were again
off with the dawn.

Within two hours, we were passing a small village, which I presumed to be
Beni Mellal.  As we passed the village, the soldiers seemed to become more
active, riding the line of the caravan more frequently.  Corporal Fugate
managed to stay fairly close to our cab throughout most of the morning.

The Left-tenant was right about the pass.  The road, as it was, was
seemingly narrow, but the walls of the pass were not very high and rigid.
It seemed that we could see, somewhat clearly, in all directions, with only
a few high hills as we approached the higher elevations.

As we arrived at the top of the pass, the caravan came to a stop.  We all
exited our cabs, and several of the travelers in the caravan stretched and
did their necessaries, as the drivers began watering the camels in the
spring.  Mahomet, Musal, and I all went to take care of the proprieties,
and then wandered over to the spring for a refreshing drink.  As we neared
the spring, Musal suddenly got very frightened, and began to cling tightly
to me.  Stopping, I turned to the boy, kneeling so that we were face to
face.

"Musal, what is wrong?"

"The man by the spring, he is from hotel.  He beat Musal!"

"Does he work for the hotel?  He looks European."

"No, he hire Musal for pleasure.  When Musal did not do exact what he want,
he beat me."

"Well, he won't beat you again.  I promise you that!  But I think it best
that we return to oour cab.  I'll keep an eye on him, don't you worry."

We returned to our cab and got in.  The bota was laid on the floor of the
cab and appeard to be wet.  I picked it up and handed it to Musal to drink,
and he then handed it to Mahomet.  After both boys had drank, I too took a
cool drink of the fresh water.  It tasted cool and sweet.  The driver
jerked the camel back to his feet and we were again underway.

That evening in camp, some of the drivers were playing music off from the
main camp.  The music had an almost eerie lull to it, which seemed to put
most everyone in a pleasant mood.  The boys and I ate our dinner, and
enjoyed the sound as we relaxed in our tent.  The doctor made a visit to
check on Musal's wounds, and bid us a goodnight as he left.

Young Musal went to sleep rather quickly, after the doctor's visit, and
Mahomet and I lay talking.  After the previous night, we had already
arranged our sleeping rugs together, and Musal was sleeping less than two
feet from where I lay.

Mahomet trimmed all of the lamps but one, and returned to his rug.  He
looked over at me and leaned in, kissing me softly on the lips.

"Should we do this with Musal so close, we might waken him?"

"Musal will sleep soundly.  Mahomet must have.pleasure.  And Robert needs
relief as well."

The boy began undressing me as I lay there.  In the dim light, I watched as
he undressed himself, the soft glow reflecting off his olive skin.  The
sensuality of his movement was intoxicating as he straddled my body and
leaned down to kiss me again, more passionately this time.

As he began to kiss his way down my chest, and then my abdomen, I could
feel the tension rising in my loins.

The exotic strains of the drivers' music, combined with the heat of our
bodies connecting, gave me an intoxicated feeling as the boy skillfully
imbedded my penis into himself, and began to ride with abandon.  I was sure
that the whole camp could hear our pleasurable moaning, but at that point,
I didn't care.

I rolled Mahomet gently onto his back, keeping myself fully imbedded in
him, and rose to my knees, leaning forward to kiss him as I thrust into him
with all my being.  Wrapping my arms around his waist, I lifted him
slightly from the rug, and thrust more wildly than I thought was possible.
As we neared our climax, we both became more audible.  When my loins
exploded into him, he lost all control and exploded his semen violently
between us as I collapsed onto him.

We lay there, in a state of delerium, as we both slowly returned to a more
normal breathing rhythm.

"Robert, this was the most beautiful! Mahomet is very happy to be with
Robert."

"Mahomet has made me very happy as well."

I got up and went to the basin, wet the flannel, and brought it back to
clean Mahomet, then the boy took it and rinsed it clean, returning to clean
me off as well.  We lay there, quietly, as I cuddled the boy close to me,
and we both fell into a deep restful sleep.

The next day began as usual, and remained uneventful until we made our
first relief stop.  Mahomet had taken the bota to fill it with fresh water.
Musal and I were sitting in the shade of a fig tree awaiting his return.
Suddenly, the large scary man form the watering hole of the previous day
was standing before me.

As he spoke, his English was crude and broken, and his accent seemed
Germanic.  "Boy is good in bed, yes?

"What? No, please go away!"

Musal was visibly becoming upset.

"You have no business here."

"I see, you want to keep boy all to yourself.  But you have two boy, you
can surely share with Klaus, yes?"

"No, I told you, you have no business here."

His anger was beginning to take hold of him as he moved toward Musal.  I
immediately jumped to my feet and stood firmly between the man and the boy.

"You will please leave, and leave the boy alone as well!"

"Klaus just need some recreation, surely you have had your fun with the boy
too."

At that moment, the Corporal rode up on his horse.  Bringing the horse to a
halt and jumping from it's back, he asked, "Is there a problem gentlemen?"

Klaus immediately took on a whole new demeanor with the arrival of the
officer.

"Corporal, this gentleman is the man who caused Musals' injuries. "

The Corporal turned to Musal, "Is that so son?"

Musal whispered, "Y..yes.he beat Musal as he took his pleasures!"

The Corporal grabbed hold of Klaus and held him tightly.  Two more soldiers
rode up and inquired of the Corporal should he need any assistance.

"Yes, I am placing this man under arrest.  If he tries to escape, shoot
him!"

The two soldiers dismounted their horses and took custody of the man,
leading him toward the front of the caravan.

 The remainder of our trip was uneventful, as our caravan followed along
the Moulouyo River.  The doctor made a final visit to check on Musals' back
and remarked that they were healing nicely.  Toward the end of the fourth
day, we were met by soldiers from the Garrison at Nador, who accompanied
the caravan the remaining few kilometers.

Upon our arrival in Nador, Mahomet, Musal, and I were taken by cart,
straightway, into the Garrison headquarters.

Corporal Fugate led us to a large building and knocked on the door.  A
young officer opened the door and motioned for us to enter.  As he motioned
toward some chairs along the wall he said, "have a seat please, the Major
will be with you momentarily."

We sat down as the Corporal excused himself and left the building.

An inner door opened and a slightly graying officer stepped out.  He looked
in our direction and walked over, extending his hand.  "Robert Light?  I've
heard a great deal about you, please, come into my office."

We followed the Major into his office and he told his orderly to close the
door on his way out.

"Please, sit down.  I am Major Reed.  Left-tenant Hopkins has told me about
your situation, but I have also received a cable from London, from General
Halloway of the Queens' Royal Brigade.  It would appear that you have very
high connections sir.  My men have spent the past four days scouring the
coast looking for the parents of the two boys in your company, at the
request of General Halloway.  I am not sure how he was made aware of your
situation, but I was given specific orders that every effort should be made
to locate them, and to have my troops meet and escort your caravan, giving
you the protection of the crown."

"I had a friend in Marrakech send a cable to my father, explaining what I
had done, and requesting assistance from his end.  Apparently, he did what
he thought proper, given the situation."

"Well, sir, it doesn't get much higher than General Halloway, so I would
expect that your father is a very powerful man in London.  You and your
companions will be quartered here, at the Garrison.  It is probably the
safest place in Nador, and we can insure your safety until your boat leaves
for Cairo in two days.  As for the man taken prisoner on the caravan, he
will be dealt with as harshly as regulations will allow."

"But what of Mahomet and Musal?  I must be sure that they are to be safe
when I'm gone."

"We're taking care of them too.  I have several people who have been
brought in from coastal villages to see if any of them are the boys
parents, or may know of them.  They'll be meeting them in the morning.
Now, I'm sure that you and the boys would like to have a chance to freshen
up after your long trip.  You can have use of the latrines and bath house
without being disturbed, as most of the men are out on patrols at this time
of day.  The Corporal will show you to your quarters, and help you get
settled in, and he'll show you where everything is.  Mess .er dinner, will
be served at 7:00, and of course, you'll dine in the officers mess."

"Thank you Major, you've been most kind.  And I'm sure that the boys will
look forward to meeting the people you have brought in, in hope of finding
their family."

We stood and shook hands.  The young corporal was waiting outside with
Mahomet and Musal and escorted us to our quarters.  Along the way he
pointed out the officers mess, the latrines and the bath house, none of
which where too distant from our quarters.  Our bags had already been taken
into the large room that was to be our home for the next two days, and a
young private had been assigned to see to our comfort and needs as well.
He had already set to the task of putting our clothes away in the drawers
and wardrobe in the large room.  The room was simply decorated, with blinds
at the windows, a large woven rug at the center and a large bed and one
smaller one.  There was a large wardrobe and two smaller chests of drawers,
a wooden bench and two wooden chairs.  On one wall hung a portrait of the
Queen and Prince Albert, and the other walls were bare.  There was a large
oil lamp hanging in the center of the room, and a small lamp on a table
beside the larger bed.

The private, his name was Davis, was not much older than myself, if as old.
He had the beginning of a light mustache, barely visible over his lip.  His
hair was almost the color of straw, and he had blue green eyes.  He stood
only about five and six and didn't look much like he should be soldiering,
but rather playing games with his mates at home.  His uniform was clean and
crisp, which indicated to me that he didn't get out of the Garrison much at
all.

As he finished putting things away, he turned and said "I'll bring some
libations for the three of you."  With that, he turned and left the room.

Musal and Mahomet both turned to me and grabbed me, hugging tightly.  Musal
clung tightly around my waist, while Mahomet, held me around my chest.  We
had made it to Nador, with only minor trepidation, and the boys realized
that they were at last free.  Free from being forced to do things with
total strangers, often abusive, who just wanted to use them for their own
pleasures.

We held each other and cried as the realizations fully sunk in.  Mahomet
looked into my eyes, tears flowing from both of us, as he leaned in and
whispered in my ear, "Robert, take Mahomet with you, as your servant."

Mahomet, why, what about your family?  I know that they are among those who
have been brought in for you to meet in the morning.  Surely you will want
to stay with them?"

"Mahomet no longer knows his family, except for Musal.  And I er.I have
grown to love you, and want to remain with you.  Please do not send Mahomet
away?"

The boy was sobbing hard and I felt my heart sink at his words.

"I think that we need to get cleaned up and refreshed from our trip.  We
will go and make use of the bath house, and then we will sit and discuss
things before dinner."

We all broke our embrace and began gathering the things we would need.  As
we were exiting the room, the Private returned with a pitcher of lemonade
and several large glasses.  We informed him of where we were headed and
took our leave.

We entered the bath house and found that there were a large number of stall
like structures along the walls.  There was a tube of metal sticking out
over the center of each stall with a large wooden cask directly above it.
The tube had a handle, of sorts, attached to it with a chain that hung down
about four feet, just enough for a grown man to reach.  I presumed that
this was the spigot to release the water to bathe with.  However, I was
unsure how young Musal would facilitate things.  I turned to Mahomet and
nodded my head toward the younger, smaller boy.  "You may have to give your
brother some help with this."

Mahomet looked at the apparatus, and gave me a confused look.  I removed my
clothing and stepped under the spiggot and pulled the chain.  The water
fell over my body and wet me thoroughly.  It was warm enough not to be
unpleasant.  I took the flannel and began lathing soap over my body.
Mahomet must have gotten the idea, as he undressed and had Musal follow his
lead.  The two boys stood under one spiggot, and Mahomet pulled the chain.
Musal squealed with delight as the water covered him.  His reaction caused
me to laugh out loud.  As I glanced at the small boy, I couldn't help but
wonder why a grown adult would consider him a sex object.  We finished our
bathing and dried and dressed.  Upon returning to our quarters, Mahomet
poured each of us a glass of the lemonade.  We sat on the chairs and sipped
on the liquid, as I looked at Mahomet.  His face was still a bit uneasy, so
I thought that now would be as good a time as any to have a talk about what
tomorrow would hold in store.

I moved my chair in front of the two boys, so that I could see them both at
the same time.  Not sure what I was going to say, I cleared my throat and
took another sip from my glass.

"Mahomet, Musal, the soldiers have brought some people to the fort to talk
to you.  They, er, we hope that your parents are among them.  If they are,
you will be going home with them.  Perhaps, however, they may not be, in
which case, hopefully some of them may know your parents.  If that is the
case, the soldiers will take you to them."

I could see the tears starting to form in Mahomet's eyes.

"If, however, your parents are not among them, and none of them know
anything about them, we have a whole new situation.  In either case, I am
not going on to Cairo until I know what is to happen with the two of you."

"But why cannot Mahomet go with you to Cairo?"

"Mahomet, my friend, Jack, is waiting for me in Cairo.  I don't think he
would understand my having a young servant accompanying me, especially
considering that we will be sharing rooms while there."

"But Mahomet can serve both of you, and would not be any trouble."

"Yes, but if your parents are here, or someone knows where they are, you
should really try to get home to them.  Surely you miss your mother and
father?"

"Mahomet no longer knows his mother and father. But I will do as Robert
says."

The boy looked totally dejected, but at this point, I was unsure of what
else I could say to make him feel better.  I looked at my watch and saw
that it was nearly time for dinner.  I told the boys that we should be
going and we all got up to leave for the Officer's Mess.

The boys sat silently through the meal, unaccustomed to sitting at the same
table as westerners.  Musal ate heartily, while Mahomet simply toyed with
his food.  I was unsure if he was distracted, or still upset over my
decision earlier.

Upon our return to our quarters, I suggested that Mahomet and Musal share
the large bed and that I would take the smaller one.  I pulled the shutters
on the window, and began to ready myself for sleep.

Mahomet was talking to his brother in Arabic and the boy smiled and came
over to the small bed and took my hand.  He led me over to the larger bed
and motioned for me to get onto it.  As I sat on the side of the bed in my
nightgown, he leaned up to me.  As he was considerably shorter than I, I
leaned over so that our faces were near to one another.  He leaned closer
to me and kissed me on the cheek.  He whispered, "If it is to be perhaps,
our last night together, you must spend it with Mahomet."

The boy then turned and ran to the small bed and doused the lamp, then
climbed up onto the bed.  I could hear the bedclothes rustle as he got
himself comfortable.  I sat silently on the side of the bed.  I was unsure
if this was the proper thing to do, but I knew that I wanted to be Mahomet,
especially if this might be our last night together.

In the silence I could hear my own heartbeat as it echoed in my ears.  The
bed began to move as Mahomet crossed from the side he sat on to sit behind
me.  It was almost like our first time, again, as he lifted my gown up over
my body.  We were both trembling as he fumbled with my garment.  As his
hands touched my shoulders, I thought my heart would leap out from my
chest.  When his lips caressed my neck, I knew that I had no resolve left.
I was his!  There was nothing I could do about it.  He could do anything to
me, and I would not, could not, object.  As his hands moved down my sides,
I could feel the heat radiating from him to me.  I lay back into his
embrace and surrendered myself to his ministrations.  I turned my face to
the side and our lips met, opening to one another, as our tongues sought
and found their destinations.  They entwined with one another like two
snakes in their mating ritual.  The kiss was long, passionate, and totally
breathtaking.

As we broke the kiss, Mahomet lay me back onto the bed.  He kissed my nose,
my forehead, my eyes, my chin.  I was lost in his passion, and, being
driven to new heights of sensuality.  His soft, sensual, lips caressed my
nipples, as he scraped them lightly with his teeth, bringing each of them,
in turn, to an almost painful hardness.  The sensations were nerve racking,
yet delightful.

As he worked his way lower, it seemed, he deliberately avoided my groin
completely.  He nibbled and kissed his way down the inside of my right leg,
lavishing his attentions on my feet and toes as he reached them, then
nibbling and kissing his way back up the inside of my left leg.  As he got
back up to my groin, he raised my legs into the air, bringing them nearly
into my chest.  Lowering his head between my legs, he began to nibble and
kiss on my bum cheeks.  Within minutes, he was darting his tongue into the
crevace there between the cheeks, and seemed to be sucking my arse hole
into his mouth.  He worked skillfully, kissing, sucking, then sticking his
tongue into the small tightness of the pucker.  I was thrashing about on
the bed from the sensations that were coursing through my every fiber.

I could feel the sweat pouring from my body, soaking the bedclothes, making
me realize that he must be sweating profusely as well.

As he raised himself to a kneeling position, he didn't ask what to do next,
he didn't have to.  The look that he saw on my face must have reassured him
that what he wanted was the same as what I wanted.  He spat into his hand
and massaged the spittal onto his uncut member, then spat again, working it
into my arse hole.

I felt the tip touch me, and felt as he pulled the foreskin back behind the
head.  As he entered me, the pain that I expected was not there.  Only
pleasure as he pushed slowly forward, filling me with his member.

His movements were deliberate and sensual as he began to set up a rhythm.
I could feel the muscles in his thighs as he came into me fully, only to
back away again.  I wanted him inside me, not just his member, but the
whole of him.  I wanted to absorb him into my body so that he could never
leave me. To become a permanent part of me.  We remained coupled like that
for what seemed hours.  There was no urgency, only sensuality.  When he
spent himself inside me, I told him not to take it out, but to let it stay
inside.  He lay over on his side as I turned with him so that we could
remain coupled.  He took his hand and manipulated my own member until I
climaxed.

We slept, with him still inside me, and when I woke in the morning I smiled
with the knowledge that he continued to be inside, a part of me, if only
for that one night.

As I got up from the bed, I moved to the wash stand and cleaned myself with
water from the pitcher and the flannel that was hung there.  Hearing
movement, I turned to see Mahomet opening his eyes, smiling.

Mahomet cleaned himself, and we dressed.  He woke Musal, and we waited as
he dressed and then we went to the Mess for some breakfast.

Following breakfast, the young private came to escort us to a large hall
where we were to interview the local people who had been brought in.

By noon, we still had not found anyone who even knew the parents of the
boys.  Back in our quarters, Mahomet was very quiet, not even talking to
his younger brother.  I decided that I would take the younger boy for a
walk and give Mahomet some space, and some time to himself.

We walked around the Garrison, and Musal seemed entranced by the great size
of the cannon located around the fortification.  The soldiers seemed very
accommodating to the boys seemingly endless questions.

When it came time to fire the salute he stood, hands over his ears,
watching as the soldiers tamped the powder and dropped the punk to the
latch, touching off the powder.  The gun fired with a great roar and the
boy laughed harder than I had ever seen anyone laugh before.  I was
captivated by his contagious exuberance as even the soldiers laughed to see
the boy so excited.

It was time for tea, so I took the boy by the hand as we walked the short
distance back to our quarters.

We had almost arrived at our room, when there was a flurry of activity at
the gate.  I made out the words "robbed" as I turned my total attention in
the direction of the gate.  Suddenly, a great hulk of a man came bursting
through the soldiers, running, straight toward Musal and myself.  As I saw
the flash of metal, I realized that he was the man who brought Musal to my
room at the hotel.  Jumping quickly, I grabbed the boy and rolled with him
held fast in my arms as I heard a single shot ring out.  The big man fell
to the ground and his blade stuck into the ground, dangerously close to my
most private parts.  The soldiers gathered quickly around us as Mahomet
appeared at the door of our quarters.  He was on us so quickly that I
hadn't time to think.  The young private was helping me to my feet as
Mahomet held his brother, lifting him to his chest.  My heart sank, as I
noticed that the boy was limp and his face paled.  The Garrison doctor came
to us and began to examine me.  "Look to the boy, I'm fine, just shaken a
bit."

The doctor looked at the boy and smiled.  Looking at me he said, "The lad's
just a bit winded and unconscious, but he's alive.  He'll be a bit sore
though from the bruises."

"Thank God!"  I turned to Mahomet and we hugged with him still holding onto
his brother.

The doctor looked down at the big man, "Can't say the same for him,
however, the shot went straight through his black heart!  It`s lucky for
you that you moved when you did, or the ball might have hit you instead of
where it hit."  I followed the direction of his gaze.  The ball from the
musket went all the way through the man and lodged in the mud wall of the
building, directly behind where I had been standing only moments before.

After the excitement settled, we went into our quarters.  We had completely
forgotten about our afternoon tea.  I thought to myself, Jack will never
believe all that's happened in the past fortnight.  And I don't think I can
tell father about it either, at least not while mother is in earshot.  I
chuckled as I made my journal entry for the day.

The next morning, we went back to the task of interviewing the remaining
local people.  As we talked to the last couple, we still had not found
anyone who even knew Mahomet's family.  It was as though they didn't exist.
My boat for Cairo would be leaving in a few hours and I still had not
assured the future of the boys.

I sent Mahomet and Musal to the room, and told them that I would return
shortly.  I had no idea what I was going to say when I returned, nor what I
was going to do now.

I found myself at the door of the Major's office.  Entering the outer
office, I asked the corporal, "May I see the Major?"

"I'll see if he can see you sir."

He walked to the door and knocked.  Opening the door, he informed the Major
that I was there to speak with him.  As he turned from the door, he
motioned for me to enter.

"Thank you for seeing me Major."  "Please, Robert, have a seat.  How can I
be of service sir?"

"We have interviewed everyone that was brought to the Garrison, and we
still haven't found any one who even knows the boys family.  Frankly,
Major, I am at a loss.  I am supposed to leave for Cairo this afternoon,
but I can't just leave the boys here.  I gave my word that I would not
desert them."

"Young Robert, have you considered the obvious solution?"

"Sir?"

"Well, it would seem to me that you have three choices.  First of all, you
can just leave them to their own devices.  Of course, knowing a bit about
you, that would not be an option for you.  Secondly, you can put them on a
ship bound for London, I can have a patrol escort them to Casablanca and
put them on the next steamer.  I would be more than happy to cable your
father to let him know that they are on their way."

"And the third option?"

"The third option, would be to take them with you, on the remainder of your
travels.  I can give you a letter of entitlement, which would empower you
as their guardian.  No one will ever question it, for all intent, they are
orphaned, and you, being a citizen of the empire, are permitted to assume
the position.  I will take care of the local authorities, not that that
would be a problem, as they would see it, it would just be two more rent
boys occupying the streets of Nador, and they would much rather not have
that problem."

I sat there quietly mulling over the options presented.  The Major was
correct in thinking that there was no way I would just let the boys fend
for themselves.  I wasn't sure that the second idea was very good either.
There would be no one to see for their safety once they were onboard a ship
bound for England.

"How soon could you have the papers drawn up?"

The Major smiled.  He called his orderly from the other room.  As the
corporal opened the door, he said, "Bring me the documents for Mr. Light."

The young man left the room and came back shortly with the documents in
hand.

"I had already considered the possibility of the boys not finding their
parents.  I had these drawn up, almost before you arrived at the Garrison."

I smiled as he rolled the parchment and lit a sealing candle.  Dripping the
wax onto the documents, he applied his ring signant, allowing it to cool.
He then reached into the drawer of his great desk and pulled out a pouch.
"Compliments of the crown, this should cover any additional expenses that
you might incur as a result of having the boys with you.  Their tickets for
the boat are waiting at the dock with yours, and I have already contacted
your hotel in Cairo and informed them that you should need a much larger
suite.  As for your other accommodations after Cairo, your father is taking
care of that."

"What, why, but how, how did you know that I would agree, I mean, bloody
hell, did you have all this planned from the start?

"Well, Robert, your father suggested, in his cable, that this might be the
outcome, should the parent search fail, and as it turns out, he was right.
I shouldn't think to harshly of the whole situation if I were you, after
all, how many young men your age have two sons, one near their own age and
one near half.  Now sir, I think you have a boat to catch if you plan to
meet your friend in Cairo day after tomorrow."

I was nearly laughing as I left his office.  I hurried back to our quarters
and told Mahomet and Musal that they were going to Cairo, and then to other
wonderous places, and they were going with me.I waved the parchment like a
madman, laughing hysterically as I told them, "You too are now my sons.
I've just adopted and taken custody of you both.  Now what do you think of
that?"

The two boys began dancing around and hugging each other and then me.  "We
must hurry, my boys, we have a boat to catch!"

We hurridly packed our things, and looking around to be sure that we hadn't
forgotten anything, we left the room, to be met in the courtyard by a small
patrol which was to escort us to the boat.  They took our bags and put them
into a wagon, then one of the soldiers lifted young Musal onto the wagon as
Mahomet and I climbed up.

We were soon on the boat, and settled into our stateroom, awaiting our
departure for Cairo.