mfortable. He tramped up and down for a time, hoping that
the camel would rise; but as there was no sign of any change of mood in
it, he by and by spread a mat by the animal's side, and squatted on it,
leaning against the camel, prepared to make the best of the situation.
He ate some of the food he had brought with him, and then, it being
midday and hot, he fell asleep. A Pathan sleeps like a rabbit, with only
one eye shut, and Ahmed would wake at the slightest sound. If a band of
mutineers should come upon him he knew that there was no escape for him,
so that whether awake or asleep he would be in the same predicament.

It was late in the afternoon when he awoke. Nothing had disturbed his
rest; the animal had not moved. Ahmed got up to try the effect of a
little coaxing; it was quite time the camel came to a reasonable frame
of mind. As he moved towards the animal's head he noticed a man
approaching across the fields. He carried a lathi, and in dress and
appearance looked like a ryot. The man stopped short when he caught
sight of Ahmed's turban. Apparently he had supposed that the camel lying
in the road was untended. Ahmed looked at him and he looked at Ahmed.
Then he drew a little nearer and shouted a salutation.

"Salaam, sarban, what is amiss?"

"Not a great matter, stranger," said Ahmed. "The camel does but take a
rest."

"Thou hast without doubt come far?"

"That is possible."

"And is it far thou goest?"

"Even to the city of the king."

"Have a care lest thou fall among the Feringhis. What is the news whence
thou comest?"

"Nay, thou wilt have news, being so near the city. What is said here,
stranger?"

"Why, that Bakht Khan is on his way hither with 50,000 men, and the Shah
of Persia has taken Lahore, and Jan Larrens was caught as he sought to
escape on an elephant, and all men knew him by the wounds on his back.
The accursed Feringhis will soon be altogether destroyed, that is
certain."

"If it be Allah's will."

To this the ryot made no reply. He had stood at a distance during the
conversation, every man being suspicious of every other in this time of
unrest and upheaval. Paying him no further attention, Ahmed went to the
camel's head and tried to induce the animal to get up. He did not relish
the prospect of remaining all night in the open, liable to be drenched
by another rain-storm. But the beast was obstinate. Even when Ahmed
offered it the last of his chapatis, its only response was a sa