At this crisis a third party stepped between the two disputants, a young fellow, who appeared to have some authority with both. His behaviour told Bill that he was acting as mediator. Whatever was the proposal made by him, it appeared to satisfy both parties, as both at once desisted from their wordy warfare, at the same time that they seemed preparing to settle the dispute in some other way.
The mode was soon made apparent. A spot of smooth even sand was selected by the side of the encampment, to which the two sheiks, followed by their respective parties, repaired.
A square figure was traced out, inside of which several rows of little round holes were scooped in the sand, and then the rival sheiks sat down, one on each side of the figure. Each had already provided himself with a number of pellets of camels’ dung, which were now placed in the holes, and the play of “helga” was now commenced.
Whoever won the game was to become possessed of the single stake, which was neither more nor less than Sailor Bill.
The game proceeded by the shifting of the dung pellets in a particular fashion, from hole to hole, somewhat similar to the moving of draughts upon the squares of a chequer-board.
During the play not a word was spoken by either party, the two sheiks squatting opposite each other, and making their moves with as much gravity as a pair of chess-players engaged in some grand tournament of this intellectual game.
It was only when the affair ended that the noise broke forth again, which it did in loud triumphant shouts from the conquering party, with expressions of chagrin on the side of the conquered.
By interpreting these shouts Bill could tell that he had fallen to the black; and this was soon after placed beyond doubt by the latter coming up and taking possession of him.
It appeared, however, that there had been certain subsiding conditions to the play; and that the sailor had been in some way or another staked against his own clothes, for before being fully appropriated by his owner he was stripped to his shirt, and his habiliments, shoes and sou’wester included, were handed over to the sheik who had played second-best in the game of “helga”. In this forlorn condition was the old sailor conducted to the tent of his sable master, and placed like an additional piece upon the pile of plunder already apportioned.