fast enough
for the baggage beasts, the man in front of me urged his beast
forward, thrusting others out of the way and getting thoroughly
well cursed for it, until he rode next behind Grim.

Seeing that, Narayan Singh rode after him, flogging furiously,
and got well cursed too. But nothing else in particular happened
for several miles until we began to descend between huge hills of
limestone and, just as the moon rose, came on the reserve camels
waiting for us in the charge of two policemen in a hollow.

Then there began to be happenings. First there was shrill delight
from Ayisha and a chorus of approval from her four men at the prospect
of changing to reasonably decent mounts. Then a tumult of indignation
from the wool-merchant's crowd--blunt refusal by them to consent
to any change at all--threats--abuse--arguments--the roaring of
camels who object on principle to everything, whatever it is,
even to a chance to rest, because it hurts their backs to stand
still loaded and over it all presently Grim's voice issuing
orders in a tone he had when things go wrong.

Strange that they don't choose leaders more often for their
voices! It's the most obvious thing in the world that a man with
a silver tongue, as they call it, can swing and sway any crowd.
If that man knows his own mind and has a plan worth spending
effort on he can trumpet cohesion out of tumult and win against
men with twenty times his brains. I don't doubt Peter the Hermit
had a voice like a bellbuoy in a tide-rip. Grim pitched his above
the babel so that every word fell sharp, clear, and manly. They
began to obey him there and then.

But he could not attend to everything at once, and while he
oversaw the changing of pack-saddles, and gave orders to the
policemen to ride back on the camels behind Rafiki's men and see
them safely into the city, that black-faced fellow on the
Bishareen edged away, and in a moment was off at full gallop
headed southwards. Narayan Singh was the first to see him go, but
it was half a minute before he could get near Grim and call his
attention to it.

Grim ordered three of Ali Baba's men in pursuit at once.

"Shall we shoot? Shall we slay?" asked one of them.

"No, no. He hasn't committed any crime yet. Catch him and bring
him back."

"Crime? What is crime out here? We can kill him. But overtake him
on that beast? _Wallah!"_

They wasted another minute arguing for leave to shoot, and by the
time they were off the de