“We’re in Egypt, and the law of the land——”
“Look here, Dick Merriwell,” blazed Brad, in sudden indignation. “I’ve generally backed you up in anything you’ve said or done; but, by the everlasting Rockies, if you’ve become so depraved and degenerate that you can regard an affair like this as anything but a crime, I want you to understand that I think you’ve lost your senses!”
Dick dropped on a chair and laughed heartily.
“I mean it!” roared the Texan. “It’s shameful! You hear me chirp! That doddering old chump has a wife in America! Now he wants to buy a harem in Egypt! And you’re willing to aid him in his polygamous design! Waugh! Laugh! laugh! But you’re not the sort of pard I took you for! This is my first disappointment in you! I’ll block the old roué’s game, I will! I’ll spoil his scheme, or I’m not the Unbranded Maverick of the Rio Pecos!”
The Texan was greatly wrought up. He stamped up and down the room in a tempest, while Merriwell continued to laugh.
“I don’t see where the joke comes in!” snarled Buckhart. “Ha, ha! Isn’t it funny? I suppose you’ll be in for buying a harem next? That’s a fine idea! Perhaps you’ll take a half interest in old Gunn’s bunch of beauties? Wow! I sure am a heap disgusted!”
“Cool down a little, Brad,” said Dick, still smiling. “I hardly think I’ll invest in a harem. Why, you excitable longhorn, don’t you know harems are not sold that way here?”
“Hey?”
“A man may purchase wives for his harem, but he can’t sell the whole outfit when he gets tired of it.”
“Can’t?”