I couldn't sleep--sort o'
warning like to do my dooty. Thieves, eh? and not a policeman on the
beat!"

Just at that moment the figure straightened itself up, and quick as
thought Sam stepped close back to the entrance and behind a hanging rug,
which hid him from the figure but enabled him to watch its proceedings.

Sam's first idea was to shout for help to capture the thief, but he
checked himself.

"Wouldn't do," he thought. "This sort's too slippery. He'd be off over
the sands and gone before anyone came. I've got to catch my gentleman
myself. Wonder whether he has a knife."

Sam's heart beat fast, but it was with excitement, for there was no
leaven of fear. A marauder was robbing his master or one of his
master's friends, and he felt it to be his duty to capture the
scoundrel. At the same time he intended to do this without injury to
himself.

"Bless him!" he muttered; "if he'll only come close and turn his back
I'll have him down on his face in a jiffy, and sit upon him as if he was
a camel. It will be time enough to holloa then."

Those were exciting moments, and Sam's heart beat faster still as the
man stepped softly out of the inner tent and stood for a few moments
where the dim light of the lamp fell upon him, showing him to be a
light, active-looking black in white cotton jacket and short drawers,
his arms, breast, and legs from mid-thigh being bare, and glistening
softly as he moved, while his eyes rolled and the whites stood out
clearly against the dark skin.

"He'll be hard to hold," thought Sam, "and I mustn't trust to that thin
cotton stuff. He'll tear away in a moment. But he hasn't a knife, as
far as I can see. What's he got in his pockets, I wonder."

Sam wondered more the next moment, as he saw the black dart softly back
into the inner tent and disappear, his bare feet not making a sound.

"Is there a way out behind there?" the man asked himself, for all was
quiet and the minutes glided by till he was just on the point of
stepping forward to make sure of the enemy's presence, when the black
appeared again, carrying an armful of clothes, which he threw down on
the carpet, and to Sam's great delight dropped upon his knees in the
very position he would have placed him, while the object of his visit
was plainly shown, for he began to rummage the pockets of the garments
and transfer their contents, the chink of money being heard, and a faint
gleam was apparently given forth by somethi