First he roared with laughter, then on second thoughts grew exceedingly indignant.

“I call it scandalous of Oliver, compromising us all in this way—­the lucky dog!  These selfish, amorous adventures will let us in for no end of trouble.  It is even probably, Adams, that you and I may come to a miserable end, solely because of this young man’s erotic tendencies.  Just fancy neglecting business in order to run after a pretty, round-faced Jewess, that is if she is a Jewess, which I doubt, as the blood must have got considerably mixed by now, and the first Queen of Sheba, if she ever existed, was an Ethiopian.  As a friend almost old enough to be his father, I shall speak to him very seriously.”

“All right,” I called after him as he hobbled off to take his bath, “only if you are wise, you won’t speak to Maqueda, for she might misinterpret your motives if you go on staring at her as you did yesterday.”

That morning I was summoned to see the Prince Joshua and dress his wounds, which, although not of a serious nature, were very painful.  The moment that I entered the man’s presence I noticed a change in his face.  Like the rest of us I had always set this fellow down as a mere poltroon and windbag, a blower of his own trumpet, as Oliver had called him.  Now I got an insight into his real nature which showed me that although he might be these things and worse, he was also a very determined and dangerous person, animated by ambitions which he meant to satisfy at all hazards.

When I had done what I could for him and told him that in my opinion he had no ill results to fear from his hurts, since the thick clothes he was wearing at the time had probably cleaned the lion’s paws of any poison that might have been on them, he said,

“Physician, I desire private words with you.”

I bowed, and he went on: 

“The Child of Kings, hereditary ruler of this land, somewhat against the advice of her Council, has thought fit to employ you and your Gentile companions in order that by your skill and certain arts of which you are masters you may damage its ancient enemies, the Fung, and in reward has promised to pay you well should you succeed in your endeavours.  Now, I wish you to understand that though you think yourselves great men, and may for aught I know be great in your own country, here you are but servants like any other mercenaries whom it may please us to hire.”

His tone was so offensive that, though it might have been wiser to keep silent, I could not help interrupting him.

“You use hard words, Prince,” I said; “let me then explain what is the real pay for which we work and undergo some risks.  Mine is the hope of recovering a son who is the slave of your enemies.  That of the Captain Orme is the quest of adventure and war, since being a rich man in his own country he needs no further wealth.  That of him whom you call Black Windows, but whose name is Higgs, is the pure love of learning.  In England and throughout the West he is noted for his knowledge of dead peoples, their languages, and customs, and it is to study these that he has undertaken so terrible a journey.  As for Quick, he is Orme’s man, who has known him from childhood, an old soldier who has served with him in war and comes hither to be with the master whom he loves.”