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Swarms of white-robed pilgrims came running in masses after the drifting shadow, knocking each other down, falling aver tent-pegs, stampeding pack-animals. The confusion amazed the Legionaries as they watched all this excitement through their powerful glasses. "It looks," thought the Master, with a smile, "as if our little surprise-party might be a lively affair. Well, I am ready for it.
For my part I think that trade from tribe to tribe sufficiently accounts for the presence of such articles as tent-pegs and pieces of iron, though strangely enough an iron tent-peg is not commonly used nowadays, stakes of wood being as serviceable, and none but a large expedition would be burdened with the unnecessary weight of iron pegs.
The cedar-wood pillars of the tent were covered with gold, and the ropes, which secured the light erection to the tent-pegs, were twisted of silk, and thin threads of silver.
From every corner came the brisk insistent tapping of hammers on tent-pegs; the shrill neighing of ponies, and shriller chatter of coolies, bargaining for payment in advance; repudiating loads a few ounces overweight, and tragically prophesying death on the road if the illegal incubus were not removed.
Moise and Alex, who had paddled steadily all the afternoon, stepped out on the beach and stretched themselves. "Let's go back into the woods," said Jesse. "We can't sleep on these hard little rocks we can't even drive the tent-pegs here." "Well, Mr. Jess," said Alex, "if you went back into the woods I think you'd come back here again the mosquitoes would drive you out.
Presently a lantern flashed out, and spots of light shifted over them as they slaved pounding tent-pegs, and scraping stones away from places where our blankets were to be spread, hacking and hewing among the wet willows, and grappling with stovepipes and tent-poles; and the harder they worked the better their spirits seemed to be.
Once more he screamed: "O Allah, deny not their skin and bones to the eternal flame! O owls, oxen, beggars, cut-off ones! Oh, give them the burning oil, Allah! The cold faces! Oh, wither their hands! Make them kusah! Oh, these swine with black livers, gray eyes, beards of red. Vilest that ever hammered tent-pegs, goats of El Akhfash! O Beni Harb!
The trenches that had been cut round the tents were still perfect, and the marks of the fire-places distinguishable; while the trees in the neighbourhood had been felled, and round about them the staves of some casks and a few tent-pegs were scattered. Mr. Oxley had selected a place at some distance from the river, in consequence of its then swollen state.
He knew that supper would be quite ready before he had finished his own work of unloading the canoe and setting up the teepee. In this latter work he needed no help. There were no tent-pegs to drive into the hard ground. He had only to erect the tall poles in pyramid shape, and then enclose them in the buffalo-skin cover, lacing the latter together down to the door flap.
Left alone, the man by the reedy lake stood watching them until they were out of view. The song came back to him, echoing across the waters: "O come, let us camp on the North Trail together, With the night-fires lit and the tent-pegs down."
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