Sailor Bill at his brother’s request then summoned his companions to the tent.
“Which of you have been trying to do me an injury?” inquired Jim. “I told you not to say that the stones were worthless.”
It was explained to him how the Krooman had been enlightening his master.
“Call the Krooman,” said Jim, “and I’ll enlighten him. If these Arabs find out that they have been deceived, I shall be killed, and your master, the old sheik, will certainly lose all his property. Tell him to come here also. I must talk to him. Something must be done immediately, or I shall be killed.”
The Krooman and the old sheik were conducted into the tent; and Jim talked to them in the Arabic language.
“Leave my masters alone to their folly,” said he to the sheik; “and they will be so busy that you can depart in peace. If not, and you convince them that they have been deceived, they will rob you of all you have got. You have already said enough to excite their suspicions, and they will in time learn that I have been humbugging them. My life is no longer safe in their company. You buy me, then; and let us all take our departure immediately.”
“Are the stones in the wreck really worth nothing?” asked the sheik.
“No more than the sand on the shore; and when they find out that such is the case, some one will be robbed. They have come to the sea-coast to seek wealth, and they will have it one way or the other. They are a tribe of bad men. Buy me, and leave them to continue the task they have so ignorantly undertaken.”
“You are not well,” replied the sheik; “and if I buy you, you cannot walk.”
“Let me ride on a camel until I get out of sight of these my masters,” answered Jim; “you will then see whether I can walk or not. They will sell me cheap: for they think I am done up. But I am not; I was only weary of diving after worthless stones.”