now unfit for
further action. But we did not wait to bandage them. They
affected to make light of their injuries, saying they would go
over to the British and get attended to in hospital. Abdul Ali
was put on Ahmed's miserable mount, with his legs lashed under
the horse's belly. Ahmed, with Mahommed ben Hamza and his men
were sent along ahead; being unarmed, unmounted, they were a
liability now. But those Hebron thieves could talk like an
army; they put up a prodigious bleat, all night long, about
that cash-box. They maintained they had a clear right to share
its contents, since unless they had first captured Abdul Ali,
Anazeh's men could not have burned his house and seized
his money. Anazeh's men, when they had time to be, were
suitably amused.

It was not a peaceful retreat by any means. Time and again
before morning we were fired on from the rear. Our party
deployed to right and left to answer--always boasting afterward
of having killed at least a dozen men. I added up their figures
on the fly-leaf of the pocket Bible, and the total came to two
hundred and eighteen of the enemy shot dead and forever damned!
I believe Anazeh actually did kill one of our pursuers.

By the time the moon disappeared we had come too close to
Anazeh's country to make pursuit particularly safe. Who they
were who pursued us, hauled off. We reached the launch, secure
in its cove between the rocks, a few minutes after dawn. Anazeh
ordered his six wounded men into it, with perfect assurance
that the British doctors would take care of them and let them
go unquestioned.

When Grim had finished talking with Anazeh I went up to thank the
old fellow for my escort, and he acknowledged the courtesy with a
bow that would have graced the court of Solomon.

"Give the old bird a present, if you've got one," Grim whispered.

So I gave him my watch and chain, and he accepted them with the
same calm dignity.

"Now he's your friend for life!" said Grim. "Anazeh is a friend
worth having. Let's go!"

The watch and chain was a cheap enough price to pay for that two
days' entertainment and the acquaintance of such a splendid old
king of thieves. Anazeh watched us away until we were out of
earshot, he and Grim exchanging the interminable Arab farewell
formula of blessing and reply that have been in use unchanged for
a thousand years.

Then Abdul Ali produced his wallet again.

"Major Grim," he said, "please take this money. Keep