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Bill wished to learn if the mother would reward him for taking care of her child, as she had his predecessor in the office. To carry out the experiment, he allowed himself to be left in the rear of the caravan. Golah's son and the other guard had noticed the old sailor's suffering condition, and objected to his being encumbered with the child. They pointed to Harry and Terence.
"Tell them I must have water or die," muttered Harry to the Krooman, in a hoarse whisper. "I am worth money, and if old Golah lets me die for want of a drop of water, he's a fool." The Krooman refused to make the communication, which he declared would only result in bringing ill-treatment upon himself. Colin appealed to Golah's son, and by signs gave him to understand that they must have water.
"Pig!" exclaimed the sheik, "tell your story first, and eat afterwards." "Praise be to Allah!" said the youth, as he resumed his narrative; "Golah ran against one of the camels and killed it." His listeners looked towards the dead camel. They saw that the body bore the marks of Golah's great scimitar. "After killing the camel," continued the young man, "the sheik became quiet.
After they had disappeared behind the hill, Golah's son was sent to its top to watch them, while his women and slaves were ordered to strike the tents as quickly as possible.
"Then we should deserve it," cried Harry, "for it will partly be our own fault if ever we fall into Golah's power again." "I don't think so," said Bill; "Golah is a wondersome man, and 'as got somethin' more nor human natur' to 'elp 'im. I think as 'ow if we should see 'im 'alf a mile off signalisin' for us to follow 'im, we should 'ave to go.
Trembling with apprehension, the woman rose to obey. The Krooman glanced at the white captives with an expression of horror; and although they had not understood Golah's command, they saw that something was going wrong. The woman produced the bag, which was not quite half full. There were in it about two quarts of dried figs.
Golah's son, who was leading them off, by keeping concealed behind one of the animals, had found an opportunity of giving the guard his death-blow without any noise to disturb the slumbering denizens of the douar.
The sangleh was then consumed by the Arab with a real or sham profession of gratitude; the water was poured into a bucket, and given to one of the camels; and the two calabashes were returned to the women. Neither a keen longing for food, nor a burning thirst for water, could divert Golah's thoughts from the contemplation of something that was causing his soul extreme anguish.
Golah's first act after coming forth was to take some thongs from his saddle. Having done this, he beckoned to the two who guarded the slaves, giving them some admonition in an unknown tongue. The effect was to excite their greater vigilance. The muzzles of their muskets were turned towards the white captives, and they seemed anxiously waiting the order to fire.
The youth who had fled the night before, had evidently come up with Golah and his son; and the two men who had pursued him and lost their lives, their animals, muskets, and scimitars. Golah now had two accomplices, and the three were well mounted and well-armed. The anger of the Arabs was frightful to behold. They turned towards the two women whom they knew to be Golah's wives.
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