“That is well-spoken, Moto,” replied Mohammed; and turning to Sheikh Khamis, he asked:
“Hast thou decided what to do, son of Abdullah?”
“Mashallah! my friend, can I decide upon so important a subject as giving away thy property to this greedy infidel? May his soul perish in Al Hotamah! Does he think that cloth, and guns, and powder grow in the jungles of Africa? But this is serious, and we must set on our heads the caps of wisdom and understanding to consider the determination of Olimali. Speak, friends, Arabs of Muscat and chiefs of Zanzibar, my ears are open.”
Out spoke Amer bin Osman: “Do you think, Moto, if we offered half he would accept?”
“No, master, I do not. I think Olimali desires war and not peace, and if he thought you would send fifty bales of cloth, he would ask for fifty more. I heard the people talk, as I left the King’s presence, of war. My ears are very sharp.”
“War!” shouted Mohammed, “then war he shall have, and I shall have the pleasure to put light through his body with my good Shiraz sword;” and Sheikh Mohammed looked as fierce as his threat.
“Peace, Mohammed, my friend,” said Sultan bin Ali. “It is not everyone who trusteth in his sword flourisheth. I think there are more ways of tiding over this evil hour than by war, even if we were doubly strong with men and guns. Let us act prudently in the hour of danger.”
“Sultan bin Ali is right,” said Sheikh Thani. “Rather let us try all pacific measures first, and let war be the last resource. We have slaves, and women, and little ones in the camp, besides much property. We must remember this before we act hastily.”
“Thani has spoken well, and with understanding; and I propose that we send forty good cloths and forty ordinary cloths, besides an odd gun or two, with half a keg of powder to Olimali by Moto and the kirangozi, who will speak him fairly and with due respect,” said the leader, Khamis.
“I do not go again,” said Moto. “What I have seen in the village, and what my ears have heard are no light things, and I would ask permission from my master to remain.”