Then Abdul started away from the tent, watching the ground closely. He walked and walked. At last he saw a tuft of grass.
"There must be water somewhere under the sand, or this grass would not be here," thought the merchant.
He ran back to the tent, shouting and calling, "Bring an ax and a spade. Come quickly!"
The men jumped up and ran with the merchant to the place where the grass was growing. They began to dig in the sand, and presently they struck a rock.
Abdul jumped down into the hole and put his ear close to the rock.
"Water! Water!" he cried. "I hear water running under this great rock. We must not despair!"
Then, raising his ax above his head, he struck a heavy blow. Again and again he struck the rock.
At last the rock broke, and a stream of water, clear as crystal, filled the hole almost before the merchant could jump out of it.
A shout of joy burst from the lips of the men. They drank the water eagerly, and afterwards led the camels to the spring. Then they set up a pole, to which they fastened a flag, so that other traders might find the well.
In the evening, the men again started on their journey, and they reached the city the very next day.