old sheik to convince the wreckers, as
he had been convinced himself, proved fruitless.

The arguments he used to them were repeated to the sailor, Bill's
brother; and by him were easily upset with a few words.

"Of course they will try to make you believe the cargo is no good,"
retorted Jim. "They wish you to leave it, so that they can have it all
to themselves. Does not common sense tell you that they are liars?"

This was conclusive; and the wreckers continued their toil, extracting
stone after stone out of the hold of the submerged ship.

Sailor Bill, at his brother's request, then summoned his companions to
the tent.

"Which of you have been trying to do me an injury?" inquired Jim. "I
told you not to say that the stones were worthless."

It was explained to him how the Krooman had been enlightening his
master.

"Call the Krooman," said Jim, "and I'll enlighten him. If these Arabs
find out that they have been deceived, I shall be killed, and your
master--the old sheik--will certainly lose all his property. Tell him to
come here also. I must talk to him. Something must be done immediately,
or I shall be killed."

The Krooman and the old sheik were conducted into the tent; and Jim
talked to them in the Arabic language.

"Leave my masters alone to their folly," said he to the sheik; "and they
will be so busy that you can depart in peace. If not, and you convince
them that they have been deceived, they will rob you of all you have
got. You have already said enough to excite their suspicions, and they
will in time learn that I have been humbugging them. My life is no
longer safe in their company. You buy me, then; and let us all take our
departure immediately."

"Are the stones in the wreck really worth nothing?" asked the sheik.

"No more than the sand on the shore; and when they find out that such is
the case, some one will be robbed. They have come to the seacoast to
seek wealth, and they will have it one way or the other. They are a
tribe of bad men. Buy me, and leave them to continue the task they have
so ignorantly undertaken."

"You are not well," replied the sheik; "and if I buy you, you cannot
walk."

"Let me ride on a camel until I get out of sight of these my masters,"
answered Jim; "you will then see whether I can walk or not. They will
sell me cheap; for they think I am done up. But I am not; I was only
weary of diving after worthless stones."

The old sheik promised to follow Jim's advic