the boys right up to my horse's tail, and then with one malarious blast
emptied the saddles, almost. I never heard an Arab abused so in my life.
He really owed his preservation to me, because for one entire hour I
stood between him and certain death. The boys would have killed him if
they could have got by me.

By and by, when the company were far in the rear, I put away my pipe
--I was getting fearfully dry and crisp about the gills and rather blown
with good diligent work--and spurred my animated trance up alongside the
Arab and stopped him and asked for water. He unslung his little
gourd-shaped earthenware jug, and I put it under my moustache and took a
long, glorious, satisfying draught. I was going to scour the mouth of
the jug a little, but I saw that I had brought the whole train together
once more by my delay, and that they were all anxious to drink too--and
would have been long ago if the Arab had not pretended that he was out of
water. So I hastened to pass the vessel to Davis. He took a mouthful,
and never said a word, but climbed off his horse and lay down calmly in
the road. I felt sorry for Davis. It was too late now, though, and Dan
was drinking. Dan got down too, and hunted for a soft place. I thought
I heard Dan say, "That Arab's friends ought to keep him in alcohol or
else take him out and bury him somewhere." All the boys took a drink and
climbed down. It is not well to go into further particulars. Let us
draw the curtain upon this act.

..............................

Well, now, to think that after three changing years I should hear from
that curious old relic again, and see Dan advertising it for sale for the
benefit of a benevolent object. Dan is not treating that present right.
I gave that pipe to him for a keepsake. However, he probably finds that