Darkness having by this time descended over the desert, the sheik set about appointing the guard for the night. He was too suspicious of his white slaves to allow all the four of them to act as guards at the same time, while he and his companions were asleep. He was willing, however, that one of them should be allowed to keep watch in company with one of his own followers.
In choosing the individual for this duty, he inquired from the Krooman which of the four had been most ill-used by the black sheik. Sailor Bill was pointed out as the man; and the interpreter gave some details of the cruel treatment to which the old man-o’-war’s-man had been subjected at the hands of Golah.
“Bismillah! that is well,” said the sheik. “Let him keep the watch. After what you say, revenge should hinder him closing his eyes in sleep for a whole moon. There’s no fear that he will betray us.”
Chapter Fifty Nine.
Golah calls again.
In setting the watch for the night, one of the sentinels was stationed on the shore about a hundred yards north of the douar. His instructions were to walk a round of about two hundred paces, extending inward from the beach.
Another was placed about the same distance south of the camp, and was to pace backwards and forwards after a similar fashion.
Sailor Bill was stationed on the land side of the camp, where he was to move to and fro between the beats of the two Arab guards, each of whom, on discovering him at the termination of his round, was to utter the word “Akka” so that the sailor should distinguish him from an enemy.