And the boy said, "I wish I
could sing like that."
"Very well," said the father, "Antonio shall teach you."
The children were overjoyed, and Antonio assured the father that it
would give him great pleasure to instruct them. The music served as a
bond to draw them closer, and soon the children grew very fond of
Antonio. This pleased the parents, and won for Antonio their full
appreciation.
CHAPTER IV
THE LION
Ashmed now decided to take his family, Antonio included, to visit his
country estate, which lay in the southwestern part of Algeria near the
mountains. Here he owned a large house, surrounded by a beautiful
garden. A short distance from the house stood a great number of olive
trees belonging to the estate. Many slaves were busily employed
gathering the olives, which were afterwards pressed to extract the oil.
Shortly after their arrival, Ashmed took his family to view the estate
and to watch the laborers finishing their day's work. The sun was fast
declining and the men, before leaving the grounds for the day, tried to
extinguish a small fire which they had shortly before lighted. They
stamped on the burning material and scattered it, leaving a brand or two
to die out slowly.
Ashmed and Fatime walked on to view the mountains, whose tops glowed in
the sunlight, while the valley lay in shadow. The two children enjoyed
themselves chasing insects that looked to them like flying diamonds.
Suddenly there came down the mountain path a ferocious lion, with
bristling mane and wide open month.
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