The two guards now seemed inclined to leave the affair in the white man's hands, for the moment Helmar had got a firm grip on Abdu they fell back.
"So, traitors," screamed the maddened little man, bursting with fury, "you have turned on me and released your prisoner! By Allah! I swear you shall pay for this! You are in league against the great Pasha Arabi, and your lives shall pay the forfeit!"
All the answer he got to his ravings was a stolid smile of triumph from both men, and, to stay his tongue, Helmar gripped his throat until he almost choked with a spluttering cough.
"Never mind about traitors," said Helmar, in Arabic. "We are just going to read you a lesson; retribution has come to you sooner than you expected. See!" he went on, turning to the others, "pass that rope along and we will bind him!"
The two men did as they were bid, and together they secured the officer in no very gentle manner. His hands were folded behind his back and bound in that position, so that when his feet had been secured also, he looked like a trussed fowl.
"I'll be more merciful than you were," said Helmar, laughing, as he forced him to lie full length on the floor. "I will not provide you with a pillow—but," as Abdu opened his mouth to speak, "if you utter a sound unbidden, I will fasten you to that chain and let you hang outside the door for the rest of the journey."
Abdu ground his teeth with rage, but kept silent. His eyes gleamed murder at the two men who had sold him and released his prisoner. This, however, in no way seemed to trouble them, for they only grinned defiance; whilst one of them drew his knife and felt its sharp point, as if meditating giving the little wretch a taste of it.
The humour of the situation appealed to George; all thoughts of revenge had gone, and he merely intended to keep the little man a prisoner in punishment for what he had done to him. After watching the contortions of his captive's face for a few moments, George turned to the two men.
"Well, what do you think is best to do?" he asked, wishing to find out what their instructions were. "I suppose it is no use to attempt escape. If we were to manage to jump from the train, it could only end in disaster."
"No, no," said one of the men. "There can be no escape. Abdu would have killed you had we not interfered. Our orders were to see that no harm befell you by the way, so while he sat beside you, we planned that little affair."