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The Moors endeavoured to make him proceed, but were unsuccessful. Bill declared that should he again be placed on the horse, he should probably fall off and break his neck. This was communicated to Rais Mourad, who had turned back in a rage to inquire the cause of the delay. It was the Krooman who acted as interpreter.
Now and again he would turn to give a fierce order to the steersman or to the patient Yoka, the squat black Krooman who knew every inch of the river, and who stood all the time, his hand upon the lever of the telegraph ready to "slow" at the first sign of a new sand-bank. For, in parts, the river was less than two or three feet deep and the bed was constantly changing.
"We have nothing to do with the future," said Colin, in answer to Jim's entreaties that they should remain firm. "The future is the care of God, and we are only concerned with the present. We ought to promise anything if we can obtain food by it." "I think so too, now," said the Krooman; "for it am worse than sure dat if we starve now we no be slaves bom-bye."
On the old sheik being asked when he intended taking his slaves on to Swearah, he answered "Our barley is now ripe; and we must not leave it to spoil. You must help us in the harvest; and that will enable us to go to Swearah all the sooner." "Do you really intend to take your slaves to Swearah?" asked the Krooman. "Certainly!" replied the sheik. "Have we not promised?
When the rage of the old sheik had to some extent subsided, he procured a leathern thong, and declared that his two slaves should be fast bound, and never released as long as they remained in his possession. "Talk to him," exclaimed Harry to the Krooman: "tell him, in his own language, that God is great, and that he is a fool! We don't wish to escape certainly not at present."
The Krooman, who understood the desert language, was attentive to all that transpired; and, from time to time, informed the white slaves of what was being done. At an early period in the discussions, he discovered that each of the four was to fall to different masters. "You and me," said he to Harry, "we no got two massas, only one." His words were soon after proved to be true.
They do that sort of thing, but I never believed it before." He took a step toward her, but she did not flinch, and he turned and walked quickly from the room, locking the door behind him. When Beale left Krooman Mansions with his two companions he had only the haziest idea as to where he should begin his search.
Another, unable to swim, was upheld by a Krooman. Here and there, an impatient individual plunged into the surf and struck out for his boat, rather than await the tedious process of embarkation. All reached the vessels in safety, but few with dry jackets.
With this opinion their Krooman captive did not agree; and, fearing to fall again into the possession of Golah, he laboured to convince his new master that they were as likely that night to receive a visit from the black sheik as they had ever been before.
"Why could you not show us more smoke pictures Sikaso?" asked Harry eagerly. "I have no more of the powder left," replied the old Krooman bending over his beloved axe and feeling the edge with a critical thumb. "Moreover, the smoke does not reveal the future." There was, naturally enough, no thought of sleep that night, and so excited were the boys that they did not even feel the want of it.
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