ome minutes before he
answered me, for, since the loaves were counted he went to see them
distributed, and I followed him.

"Tugendheim," he said at last, "has driven the Turkish officer to
seek refuge in seclusion! I used the word 'Wassmuss,' and that had
effect; but Tugendheim's insolence was our real passport. Nobody
here doubts that we are in full favor at Stamboul. Wassmuss can keep
for later on."

"Sahib," said I, seeing he was in good humor now, "tell me of this
Wassmuss."

"All in good time!" he answered. And when he has decided it is not
yet time to answer, it is wisest to be still. After fifteen or
twenty minutes with the men, I followed him across the yard and
entered the station waiting-room--a pretentious place, with fancy
bronze handles on the doors and windows.

Lo, there sat Tugendheim, with his hands deep in his pockets and a
great cigar between his teeth. His four guards stood with bayonets
fixed, making believe to wait on him, but in truth watching him as
caged wolves eye their dinner. Ranjoor Singh was behaving almost
respectfully toward him, which filled me with disgust; but presently
I saw and understood. There was a little window through which to
sell tickets, and down in one corner of it the frosting had been
rubbed from off the glass.

"There is an eye," said I in an undertone, "that I could send a
bullet through without difficulty!" But Ranjoor Singh called me a
person without judgment and turned his back.

"When do we start?" asked Tugendheim.

"When the men have finished eating," he answered, and at that I
stared again, for I knew the men's mood and did not believe it
possible to get them away without a long rest, nor even in that case
without argument.

"What if they refuse?" said I, and Ranjoor Singh faced about to look
at me.

"Do you refuse?" he asked. "Go and warn them to finish eating and be
ready to march in twenty minutes!"

So I went, and delivered the message, and it was as I had expected,
only worse.

"So those are his words? What are words!" said they. "Ask him
whither he would lead us!" shouted Gooja Singh. He had been talking
in whispers with a dozen men at the rear of the middle hut.

"If I take him such dogs' answers," said I, "he will dismiss me and
there will be no more a go-between."

"Go, take him this message," shouted Gooja Singh. "But for his
sinking of our ship we should now be among friends in Gallipoli!
Could we not have seized another ship and pl