t, old man, so it is."

"And I hope when all the work is done, and we have taken Mr Frank's--"

"Steady there: Ben Eddin's."

"Yes, Ben Eddin's brother safely back to Cairo, that I may have an
accident."

"An accident?" said Sam, staring.

"Or a bad illness, so that the great Hakim may cure me. Hah! what a
physician! It is noble--it is grand!"

"I say, do you mean all that?" said Sam.

"Mean it?" said the Sheikh wonderingly. "I have been seventy years in
the world, and for forty of those years I have been taking travellers to
see the wonders of my land; but I have never met another man like the
Hakim, whom I could look up to as I do to him."

"You do mean it?" said Sam, whose eyes glistened and looked moist.
"Thank you, Mr Abrahams. You and me's the best of friends for saying
that. He is what you say--grand. You like him, and don't half know
him."

"I know him to have a great heart, Mr Samuel," said the old man warmly.

"Great heart, yes, and a big, broad chest; but it ain't half big enough
to hold it. Why, when my poor old mother was bad--dying of old age she
was--I made bold to ask the doctor to go down to see her, meaning to pay
him out of my savings, and feeling as I'd like the dear old girl to have
the best advice. Down in the country she was, forty miles away."

"How sad!" said the old Sheikh. "Two very long days' journey."

"Get out!" cried Sam, laughing. "England ain't the Soudan. Forty miles
by the express means under one hour's ride, Mr Abrahams."

The Sheikh looked at him gravely.

"Mr Samuel," he said, "the barbers in Egypt and Turkey and Persia
always have been famous for telling wonderful stories. I thought now
you were speaking seriously."

"So I was, and about the doctor being so good to my poor old mother.
Twice a week he kept on going to see her till she died, and when I
wanted to pay something, he laughed at me and said he had done it all
for a faithful servant and friend who was a good son. That's why I'm
out here to look after him, Mr Abrahams. He's splendid, and you're
right. Just you tumble off your camel and break a leg or a wing, or
crack your nut, and let him put you right. I'll nurse you, and so will
Mr Frrrr--Ben Eddin."

"Hah! I think I will," said the Sheikh, "when we have done; only I must
not break too much for I am growing old. But two long days' journey in
an hour, Mr Samuel? The Cairo railway never does anything like that."

"The Cairo railway!"