"And I was blaming him for getting bushed!" he said, in a tone of deep self-reproach.
A harsh jangle of bells close at hand interrupted further speech, and a cheery voice spoke from the gloom.
"Say, boss, ye needn't ever be skeerd 'bout me gettin' bushed; but them camel bells are mighty heavy, an' I'm just about blown out waltzing them around."
The Shadow approached, gave the bells a final shake, then flung them with a clatter to the ground. A few words served to explain matters, and it was with a feeling of devout thankfulness that the party returned slowly to camp.
"You must never run risks like that again, my laddies," Mackay admonished quietly, in the midst of the general rejoicings over the plucky rescue of the camel train.
"Jack and me didn't take no risks," came the gay reply. "We always knew by their howling when the beggars were coming too close. It's been a grand picnic for us both, hasn't it, Jack?"
"I wouldn't have missed it for anything," answered Jack, with a chuckle of keen delight.