“’Ow is that, Master ’Arry?” asked Bill.
“Because I cannot forget, after my experience of last night, that the greater the desire for water the more pleasure there is in gratifying it; and the anticipation of such happiness will go far to alleviate anything I may hereafter feel.”
“Well, there be summat in that, for sartin,” answered the sailor, “for I can’t help thinkin’ about ’ow nice our supper was last night, and only ’ope it will taste as well to-night again.”
“We have learnt something new,” said Terence; “new, at least, to me; and I shall know how to live when I get where there is plenty. Heretofore I have been like a child, eating and drinking half my time, not because I required it, but because I knew no better. There is Colly now, he don’t seem to appreciate the beauty of this Arabian style of living; or he may understand it better than we. Perhaps he is waiting until he acquires a better appetite, so that he may have all the more pleasure in gratifying it. Where is he now?”
They all looked about. They saw that Colin had once more fallen behind; and that the mother of the child was again waiting for him.
Harry and Terrence walked on, expecting that they would soon see their companion rudely driven up by the angry negress.
Sailor Bill stopped, as though he was interested in being a witness to the scene thus anticipated.
In a few minutes after, the young Scotchman, with the child, was hurried forward by the enraged hag, who once more seemed in a great passion at his inability or unwillingness to keep up with the others.
“I ken it a’ noo,” said Bill, after he had stood for some time witnessing the ill-treatment heaped upon Colin. “Our freen Colly’s in luck. I’ve no langer any wonder at his taking a’ this trouble wi’ the blackey bairn.”
“What is it, Bill? What have you learnt now?” asked Terrence and Harry, in a breath.