ne 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 sea-coast 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 advice; and ordered his
companions to prepare immediately for the continuance of their journey.

Sidi Hamet was called, and asked by Rias Abdallah if he would sell some
of the stones they had saved from the infidel ship.

"Bismillah! No!" exclaimed the wrecker. "You say they are of no value,
and I do not wish to cheat any true belief of the Prophet."

"Will you give me some of them, then?"

"No! Allah forbid that Sidi Hamet should ever make a worthless present
to a friend!"

"I am a merch