not work at the loom again; but as I am now free, and have the scroll
that proves it, I must soon look about for some employment. And a
strong, healthy fellow like you cannot always be nursing yourself."

"Nursing myself!" and he laughed gaily. "I will earn money, and enough
for three!"

"By your camels always, up and down the country?"

"I have done with that," said he with a grin. "We will go back to our
own country; there I will buy a good piece of pasture land, for my eldest
brother has our little estate, and you may ask Haschim whether I
understand camel-breeding."

"But Rustem, consider."

"Consider! Think this, and think that! Where there's a will there's a
way. That is the upshot of it all. And if you mean to say that before
you buy you must have money, and that the best may come to grief, all I
can tell you is... Can you read? No? nor I; but here in my pocket I
have my accounts in the master's own hand. Eleven thousand, three
hundred and sixty drachmae were due to me for wages the last time we
reckoned: all the profit the master had set down to my credit since I led
his caravan. He has kept almost all of it for me; for food was allowed,
and there was almost always a bit of stuff for a garment to be found
among the bales, and I never was a sot. Eleven thousand, three hundred
and sixty drachmae! Hey, little one, that is the figure. And now what
do you say? Can we buy something with that? Yes or no?"

He looked at her triumphantly, and she eagerly replied: "Yes, yes indeed;