“From under his rug my brother kept watch.  Shortly after, Moussa Isa arose from beside Ibrahim the Weeper and crawled like a snake to where the camels knelt in a ring, and there he saddled the swift white camel of Mir Jan, and I heard its bubbling snarl as he made it rise, and led it over near to where Ibrahim lay.  There he made it kneel again, and, throwing the nose-rope over its head, he laid the loop thereof, with his stick, on the front seat of the saddle.  This done, he crept back to Ibrahim Mahmud and feigned sleep awhile.  Anon, none stirring, he began to untie with his teeth and knife-point the cords that bound the captive, and when, at length, the man was free, Moussa chafed his stiffened arms and legs, his hands and feet.

“When, after a time, Ibrahim tried to rise, he fell again and again, and the moon not yet having risen above the mountains, the avaricious-seeming Moussa again massaged and chafed the limbs of the villain Ibrahim, who earnestly prayed Moussa Isa to lay him on the saddle as he was—­and depart ere some sleeper awoke.  But Moussa said ’twould be vain to start until Ibrahim could sit in the saddle and hold on, and he continued to rub his arms and legs.

“But when the edge of the moon shone above the mountain, Moussa placed the arm of Ibrahim around his neck, put his arm round Ibrahim’s body, and staggered with him to where the racing-camel knelt.  After a few steps the strength of Ibrahim seemed to return, and, by the time they reached the camel, he could totter on his feet and stand without help.  With some difficulty Moussa hoisted him into the rear saddle.  Having done so, he thrust the stirrups upon his feet and commenced to unwind his puggri.

“‘Mount, mount!’ whispered Ibrahim.

“‘Nay, I must tie thee on,’ replied Moussa Isa and, knotting one end of the puggri to the back of the saddle, he passed it twice round Ibrahim and tied the other end near the first.  This done, and Ibrahim being in a frantic fever of haste and fear and hope, Moussa Isa commenced to bargain, Ibrahim agreeing to every demand and promising even more.

“‘Anything! anything!’ he shrieked beneath his breath.  ’Bargain as we go.  You cannot ask too much.  I and my father will strip ourselves for thee.’ ...  And having tortured him awhile, Moussa sprang into the saddle and brought the camel to its feet—­as my brother’s voice said, softly and sweetly:—­

“‘Wouldst thou leave us, O Ibrahim, my friend?’ and my own chimed in:—­

“‘Could’st thou leave us, O Ibrahim, my brother’s friend?’ and the voice of Abdul Haq followed with:—­

“‘Shouldst thou leave us, O Ibrahim, my cousin’s friend?’ and Hussein Ali’s voice added:—­

“‘Do not leave us, O Ibrahim, my friend’s friend.’  Like the wolf-pack, every other voice in the camp in turn implored:—­

“‘Never leave us, O Ibrahim, our master’s friend.’

“‘Go! go!’ shrieked Ibrahim, kicking with his heels at the camel’s sides and striking at Moussa Isa, as that obedient youth, raising his stick, caused the camel to bound forward, and drove it, swiftly trotting—­to where my brother lay, and there made it kneel again....