rt in symptoms of lawlessness. Leaning his
grimy head and shoulders out of the cab, he looked the crowd
over, spat, and showed his yellow teeth in a grin that vaguely
reminded me of Grim's good-humored smile.

_"Mafish!"_ he remarked, summing up the situation in two
syllables. "Nothing doing!"

I would have given, and would give now, most of what I own for
that man's ability to pass such curt, comprehensive judgment
without reservation, equivocation, or hesitation. I rather
suspect that it can only be learned by sticking to your job when
the rest of the world has been fooled into thinking it is making
history out of talk and treason.

There was nothing whatever but water for the train to wait for.
Nobody had business at El-Maan, for the simply sufficient reason
that you can't do business where governments don't function,
where all want everything for nothing, and whoever could pay won't.

The engine-driver's grimier assistant swung the water-spout
clear and climbed back over the cab, cursing the view, crowds,
coal-dust, prospect--everything. He meant it too. When he said he
wished the devil might pitch me into hell and roast me forever he
wasn't exaggerating. But I got off my camel and boarded the
engine nevertheless. Ayisha had handed over her mount to Ali Baba
and entered the caboose, ignoring the protests of the uniformed
conductor who, having not much faith in fortune, did not care
whom he offended. But he might as well have insulted a camel as
Ayisha, for all he would have gained by it.

My friend the engine-driver blew the whistle; somebody on the
platform tooted a silly little horn; a signal descended in the
near distance and we started just as I caught sight of Mujrim
coming to take my camel.

Then it occurred to some bright genius that even if they might
not loot the train there was no embargo on rejoicing; and there
was only one way to do that. What they saw fit to rejoice about I
don't know, but one shot rang in the air, and a second later
fifty bullets pierced the dinning iron roof.

That made such a lovely noise and so scared the passengers that
they could not resist repeating it, and by the time we had
hauled abreast of the distance-signal there was not much of
the roof left.

I saw Ali Baba and Mujrim take advantage of the excitement to
start back with the camels; and two minutes later about twenty
men decided to follow them at a safe distance. The rest had begun
to scatter before the train w