Idris took the barrel and looked through it into the air.
“Yes, there is nothing in it.”
“Now pay attention,” said Stasch; “this is the way the gun is put together”—and at the same time he put the butt and the barrel together—“and this is the way it is opened. Do you see? I shall now take it apart, and then you may put it together again.”
The Sudanese, who followed Stasch’s movements very attentively, tried to do likewise, but he did not find it very easy; however, as the Arabs are generally noted for their great dexterity, the gun was put together after a while.
“Open it,” said Stasch.
Idris opened the gun without any trouble.
“Close it.”
This was done still more easily.
“Now give me two empty cartridges. I will teach you how to put them in.”
The Arabs had kept the empty cartridges, and so Idris handed two of them to Stasch, and the lesson began again.