The merchants then went off to complete their bargain with the old sheik, and make other arrangements for their departure.
For a few minutes the white slaves kept uttering exclamations of delight at the prospect of being once more restored to liberty. Jim then gave them a translation of what he had said about the Krooman.
"I know the Arab character so well," said he, "that I did not wish to agree to all their terms without a little haggling, which prevents them from entertaining the suspicion that we are trying to deceive them.
Besides, as the Krooman is not an English subject, there may be great difficulty in getting him redeemed; and we should therefore beforehand bargain for him as cheap as possible."
Not long after the Arab merchants had taken their departure from the penn, a supply of food and drink was served out to them; which, from its copiousness, proved that it was provided at the expense of their new owners.
This beginning augured well for their future treatment; and that night was spent by the boy slaves in a state of contentment and repose greater than they had experienced since first setting foot on the inhospitable sh.o.r.es of the Saara.
CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE.
ONWARD ONCE MORE.
Early next morning our adventurers were awakened and ordered to prepare for the road.
The Arab merchants had purchased from their late hosts three donkeys, upon which the white slaves were allowed to ride in turns. Harry Blunt, however, was distinguished from the rest. As the nephew of the rich merchant, "For G.o.d"s sake buy us!" he was deemed worthy of higher favour, and was permitted to have a camel.
In vain he protested against being thus elevated above his companions.
The Arabs did not heed his remonstrance; and at a few words from Jim he discontinued them.
"They think that we are to be released from slavery by the money of your relative," said Jim, "and you must do nothing to undeceive them. Not to humour them might awaken their suspicions. Besides, as you are the responsible person of the party, the one whose throat is to be cut if the money is not found, you are ent.i.tled to a little distinction, as compensation for extra anxiety."
The Krooman, who had joined the slaves in cutting the grain, was in the field at work when the merchants moved off; and was not present to bid farewell to his more fortunate countryman.
After travelling about twelve miles through a fertile country, much of which was in cultivation, the Arab merchants arrived at a large reservoir of water, where they encamped for the night.
The water was in a stone tank, placed so as to catch all the rain that fell in a long narrow valley, gradually descending from some hills to the northward.
Jim had visited the place before; and told his companions that the tank had been constructed by a man whose memory was much respected, and who died nearly a hundred years ago.
During the night, the Krooman, who had been left behind, entered the encampment, confident in the belief that he had escaped from his taskmasters.
At sunset he had contrived to conceal himself among the barley sheaves, until his masters were out of sight, when he had started off on the track taken by the Arab merchants.
He was not allowed long indulgence in his dream of liberty. On the following morning, as the kafila was about to continue its journey, three men were seen approaching on swift camels; and shortly after Rias Abdallah Yezzed and two of his followers rode up.
They were in pursuit of the runaway Krooman, and in great rage at the trouble which he had caused them. So anxious were the boy slaves that the poor fellow should continue along with them, that, for their sake, the Arab merchants made a strenuous effort to purchase him; but Rias Abdallah obstinately refused to sell him at anything like a reasonable price. The Krooman had given proof that he could be very useful in the harvest field; and a sum much greater than had been paid for any of the others was demanded for him. He was worth more to his present owners than what the Arab merchants could afford to give; and was therefore dragged back to the servitude from which he had hoped to escape.
"You can see now that I was right," said Jim. "Had we consented to cut their harvest, we should never have had an opportunity of regaining our liberty. Our labour for a single year would have been worth as much to them as the price they received for us, and we should have been held in perpetual bondage."
Jim"s companions could perceive the truth of this observation; but not without being conscious that their good fortune was, on their part, wholly undeserved, and that had it not been for him, they would have yielded to the wishes of their late masters.
After another march the merchants made halt near some wells, around which a large Arab encampment was found already established, the flocks and herds wandering over the adjacent plain. Here our adventurers had an opportunity of observing some of the manners and customs of this nomadic people.
Here, for the first time, they witnessed the Arab method of making b.u.t.ter.
A goat"s-skin, nearly filled with the milk of camels, a.s.ses, sheep, and goats, all mixed together, was suspended to the ridge-pole of a tent, and swung to and fro by a child until the b.u.t.ter was produced. The milk was then poured off, and the b.u.t.ter clawed out of the skin by the black dirty fingers of one of the women.
The Arabs allege that they were the first people who discovered the art of making b.u.t.ter; though the discovery does not ent.i.tle them to any great credit, since they could scarce have avoided making it. The necessity of carrying milk in these skin bags, on a journey, must have conducted them to the discovery. The agitation of the fluid, while being transported on the backs of camels, producing the result, naturally suggested the idea of bringing it about by similar means when they were not travelling.
At this place the slaves were treated to some barley cakes, and were allowed a little of the b.u.t.ter; and this, notwithstanding the filthy mode in which it had been prepared, appeared to them the most delicious they had ever tasted.
During the evening, the three merchants, along with several other Arabs, seated themselves in a circle; when a pipe was lit, and pa.s.sed round from one to another. Each would take a long draw, and then hand the pipe to his left-hand neighbour.
While thus occupied, they kept up an animated conversation, in which the word "Swearah" was often p.r.o.nounced. Swearah, of course, meant "Mogador."
"They were talking about us," said Jim, "and we must learn for what purpose. I am afraid there is something wrong. Krooman," he continued, addressing himself to the black, "they don"t know that you understand their language. Lie down near them, and pretend to be asleep; but take note of every word they say. If I go up to them, they will drive me away."
The Krooman did as desired, and, carelessly sauntering near the circle, appeared to be searching for a soft place on which to stretch his body for the night.
This he discovered some seven or eight paces from the spot where the Arabs were seated.
"I have been disappointed about obtaining my freedom so many times,"
muttered Jim, "that I can scarce believe I shall ever succeed. Those fellows are talking about Mogador; and I don"t like their looks. Hark!
what is that about "more than you can get in Swearah!" I believe these new Arabs are making an offer to buy us. If so, may their Prophet curse them!"
CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO.
ANOTHER BARGAIN.
The conversation amongst the Arabs was kept up until a late hour; and, during the time it continued our adventurers were impatiently awaiting the return of the Krooman.
He came at length, after the Arabs had retired to their tents; and all gathered round him, eager to learn what he had heard.
"I find out too much," said he, in answer to their inquiries; "too much, and no much good."
"What was it?"
"Two of you to be sold to-morrow."
"What two?"
"No one know. One man examine us all in the morning, but take only two."
After suffering a long lesson teaching the virtue of patience, they learnt from Krooman that one of those who had been conversing with their masters was a grazier, owning large droves of cattle; and that he had lately been to Swearah.
He had told the merchants that they would not be able to get a large price for their slaves in that place, and that the chances were much against their making more than the actual expenses incurred in so long a journey. He a.s.sured the Arab merchants that no Christian consul or foreign merchant in Mogador would pay a dollar more for redeeming six slaves than what they could be made to pay for two or three; that they were not always willing or prepared to pay anything; and that whenever they did redeem a slave, they did not consider his value, but only the time and expense that had been incurred in bringing him to the place.
Under the influence of these representations, the Arab merchants had agreed to sell two of these white slaves to the grazier, thinking they would get as much for the remaining four as they would by taking all six to the end of the journey.
The owner of the herds was to make his choice in the morning.
"I thought there was a breaker ahead last night," exclaimed Jim, after the Krooman had concluded his report. "We must not be separated except by liberty or death. Our masters must take us all to Mogador. There is trouble before us yet; but we must be firm, and overcome it. Firmness has saved us once, and may do so again."