u not see that he is handcuffed? He is
dangerous. Simba, be thou ready. Watch me nod my head, do not stir
until I do so, then go to him and catch him. When I have paid the money
he becomes Master Selim's slave. And thou, Selim, keep guard over this
big fellow, or he will ruin the game I am going to play. Abdullah,
Moto, do ye hear?" asked the factor.

"We do; we understand," they answered.

From their position they could observe everything without being seen.
They saw the factor make his way to the front among the buyers. They
heard the auctioneer, a sturdy, strong-voiced fellow, conspicuous from
an enormous turban he wore round his head, bellow out:

"Ho, Arabs, children of Zanzibar, and ye rich men, look up! Here is a
priceless slave from Ututa. He calls himself King of Ututa" (a laugh
from a bystander). "Kings command high prices." ("They make very bad
slaves!" shouted Selim's factor.) "I am going to run this fellow high."
("No you won't;" Selim's factor.) "Look at him well. Watch his eyes;
they are living fire. See the pose of his head. Observe his limbs;
clean and well-shaped as a Nedjed mare's. Look at his chest; there's
wind, there's hard work there." ("Very little work, plenty of wind to
run;" Selim's factor.) "Just take a glance at his teeth; there,--open
boy. No, dog! take that" (buffeting him). "Look at his hair; it hangs
below the shoulders. Believe me, no slave was ever offered in this
market to equal him. Offer; an offer, Arabs. Rich men, who require a
good slave, make an offer for the best slave ever brought to Zanzibar."

"Say, auctioneer, why is he handcuffed? did he try to murder his master?
And why is the chain about his neck? Has he tried to run away?" asked
Selim's factor.

"Silence!" thundered the auctioneer. "An offer is what I want."

"Two dollars!" shouted the factor, smiling sardonically.

"Two dollars!! Only two dollars! for this unequalled slave. Man, look
at him, and offer a hundred."

"Five dollars!" shouted a bystander.

"Five dollars! Five, five, five, five, five."

"Six!" shouted the factor.

"Six dollars! Six, six."

"Ten dollars!" from a bystander.

"Twenty dollars!" shouted the factor.

"Twenty dollars. Come, bid up. Only twenty, twenty, twenty, twenty.
Who goes beyond twenty?"

"Twenty-five!" shouted the bystander.

"Thirty dollars! He is worth more, but he is a devil. I can see that
by his eye."

"Thirty, thirty, thirty, thirty.