“Not for money?”
“H’m! Ah! English money?”
Another depressing interval of silence.
“How much?”
“Twenty-five pounds English paid into the hand of the driver at my journey’s end, and as much more into the hand of the camel-sheik here, to be paid when the driver returns.”
This was royal payment, and the sheik, who knew that he would get his commission on this deposit, stirred in Dick’s behalf.
“For scarcely one night’s journey—fifty pounds. Land and wells and good trees and wives to make a man content for the rest of his days. Who speaks?” said Dick.
“I,” said a voice. “I will go—but there is no going from the camp.”
“Fool! I know that a camel can break his knee-halter, and the sentries do not fire if one goes in chase. Twenty-five pounds and another twenty-five pounds. But the beast must be a good Bisharin; I will take no baggage-camel.”
Then the bargaining began, and at the end of half an hour the first deposit was paid over to the sheik, who talked in low tones to the driver.