As if to make sure of what he said, the sailor dropped down upon his knees by the hindquarters of the prostrate camel; and, taking one of the teats in his mouth, commenced drawing forth the lacteal fluid which the udder contained.
The animal made no resistance. It might have wondered at the curious “calf” that had thus attached himself to his teats; but only at the oddness of his colour and costume; for no doubt it had often before been similarly served by its African owner.
“Fust rate!” cried Bill, desisting for a moment to take breath. “Ayqual to the richest crame; if we’d only a bite av bred to go along wi’ it, or some av your Scotch porritch, Master Colin. But I forgets. My brave youngsters,” continued he, rising up and standing to one side. “Yez be all hungrier than I am. Go it, wan after another; there’ll be enough for yez all.”
Thus invited, and impelled by their hungry cravings, the three, one after another, knelt down as the sailor had done; and drank copiously from that sweet “fountain of the desert.”
Taking it in turns, they continued “sucking”, until each had swallowed about a pint and a half of the nutritious fluid; when, the udder of the camel becoming dry, told that her supply of milk was, for the time, exhausted.
Chapter Fourteen.
The Sailor among the Shell-Fish.
It was no longer a question of slaying the camel. That would be killing the goose that gave the golden eggs. Though they were still very hungry the rich milk had to some extent taken the keen edge off their appetites; and all declared they could now go several hours without eating.