Thou art dismissed."

"O Prince! I have more to report."

"More?"

"A vessel came in to-day from Hormuz on the eastern shore, bringing a
horde of beggars."

"Bismillah! It was well I hired of thee a herd of camels, and loaded
them with food. I shall pay my fine to the poor early."

The Shaykh shook his head.

"That they are beggars is nothing," he said. "Allah is good to all his
creatures. The jackals are his, and must be fed. For this perhaps the
unfortunates were blown here by the angel that rides the yellow air.
Four corpses were landed, and their clothes sold in the camp."

"Thou wouldst say," the Prince rejoined, "that the plague will go with
us to the Kaaba. Content thee, Shaykh. Allah will have his
way."

"But my men are afraid."

"I will place a drop of sweetened water on their lips, and bring them
safe through, though they are dying. Tell them as much."

The Shaykh was departing when the Prince, shrewdly suspecting it was he
who feared, called him back.