in and
squat down. After exchanging salutations the chief gravely stroked his
beard, and gave vent to a few polite expressions of welcome. To these
Sheikh Abdul Qadir vouchsafed no reply beyond a grunt. The chief glanced
at Shah Sowar, and that excellent comedian, assuming the ashamed look of
one disgraced by his master's rudeness, at once made a long-winded and
complimentary reply in the most fluent and high-flown Persian. Then,
before the effect should be lost, he ordered in tea, and commenced an
animated conversation with the two strangers, all parties absolutely
ignoring, out of politeness, Sheikh Abdul Qadir and his Evil Spirit.
Thus anxiously skating over the thin ice, Shah Sowar at last, with a
feeling of infinite relief, bowed out the visitors, charmed with his
excellent manners and quite unsuspecting that they had sat for
half-an-hour within two feet of a British officer. When the time for the
return visit came, Shah Sowar went alone to make the readily accepted
excuse that his master was not in a fit state that day to fulfil social
obligations.

Thus the ready wit and resource of Shah Sowar piloted the party through
many dangerous waters, till one day they chanced across a nomad tribe
under a venerable white-bearded chief, who could count a thousand spears
at his beck and call. The usual visits of ceremony had been paid and
tided over somehow, and the travellers were resting during the heat of
the afternoon, when a confidential servant of the White Beard came to
Shah Sowar and said that his master had sent for him. A peremptory call
like this boded no good, but by way of getting a further puff to show
which way the wind blew, Shah Sowar assumed a haughty air. "Peace be
unto you," he said; "there is no hurry. I will come when I am
sufficiently rested, and have received permission from my own master."
"Be advised by me, who wish you no harm, to come at once, as the matter
is of importance," replied the messenger. "Oh, very well," grumbled Shah
Sowar, feeling that trouble was in the air; "I will come."

When he arrived at the camp of the White Beard he was immediately
ushered into his tent, and there found the old warrior seated
cross-legged on a rich carpet, and gravely stroking his beard. "Look
here, Shah Sowar," said he with soldierly directness, "it is no good
lying to me. That is a sahib you have with you. I have been to Bushire,
and I know an Englishman when I see him."

Shah Sowar was prepared for this,