"The stock is short," he cried. "What have you done with the goods?"
Frank looked at him with a smile, but said nothing.
"Do you hear?" shouted Wonckhaus, the charm of manner which had won him a certain popularity among the Europeans dropping from him like a loosened garment. "What have you done with the goods?"
Frank turned to the Turkish officer.
"Major Wonckhaus is curious about my business," he said. "I have no information to give."
Wonckhaus blustered. He roared at Joseph, who had been standing silent in the background.
"You fellow, where are the rugs? What have you done with them?"
"I am my master's servant," said Joseph quietly.
"And your father's son!" cried the German. "You will tell me instantly what I want to know, or you will find yourself laid by the heels, and the army will have another contractor."
Wonckhaus had lost his temper, or he would have reflected that a change of contractors at this critical moment was out of the question. Joseph was shrewd enough to perceive the emptiness of his threat, and merely replied that he could say nothing without his master's orders.