own mistress, the Lady of the Abati, had given to me. We came face to
face, and halted, staring at each other.

"By the beard of Aaron! is it you, lords?" he asked. "We thought you
were dead."

"By the hair of Moses! so I gather," I answered angrily, "seeing that
you are going off with all our belongings," and I pointed to the baggage
camels laden with goods.

Then followed explanations and voluble apologies, which Higgs for one
accepted with a very bad grace. Indeed, as he can talk Arabic and its
dialects perfectly, he made use of that tongue to pour upon the heads of
Shadrach and his companions a stream of Eastern invective that must have
astonished them, ably seconded as it was by Sergeant Quick in English.

Orme listened for some time, then said:

"That'll do, old fellow; if you go on, you will get up a row, and,
Sergeant, be good enough to hold your tongue. We have met them, so there
is no harm done. Now, friend Shadrach, turn back with us to the oasis.
We are going to rest there for some days."

Shadrach looked sulky, and said something about our turning and going on
with _them_, whereon I produced the ancient ring, Sheba's ring, which I
had brought as a token from Mur. This I held before his eyes, saying:

"Disobey, and there will be an account to settle when you come into the
presence of her who sent you forth, for even if we four should die"--and
I looked at him meaningly--"think not that you will be able to hide this