In the course of a few moments, Tinker returned and passed something slyly into Mr. Mole's hand.
It was a small sponge in an oil-skin bag.
Yet it appeared to be saturated with something, to judge by the way it was handled, for Mr. Mole slyly put it in his pocket.
Mr. Mole then took up the smallest of the row of implements just described.
"Behold what an Englishman can do!"
And then to the amazement of the spectators, he thrust the needle into the thick part of his calf.
A quiet smile played about the corners of his mouth.
But no sign of the slightest suffering.
"Judge how much your bastinado can affect me," he said, with superb disdain.
"Allah be praised!" ejaculated the Turk; "wondrous man."