any cause a man required to fall
out of the line, there was a halt and a constant worrying of the
unfortunate wretch until the caravan had been overtaken. If one needed
a drop of water all had to stop. In all gangs and crews of slaves there
is always one calling for something or requiring something more than his
fellows; and this to the others is a source of vexation, because the
chief who has charge is soon irritated if such a proceeding is carried
too far, and he is not slow to avail himself of the rod to quicken the
footsteps of the lagging gang.

In the boy's gang, Isa was one of those who continually required to
halt, and all the boys suffered in consequence, especially Selim, whose
file-leader was the lagging and unfortunate lea.

Niani saw through the trick of lea in a very short time, and no doubt he
would have remained silent about it, had he not seen that his young
master Selim suffered through it. For two or three days of the march
Niani held his peace, but when Selim received a more than usually severe
beating from Tifum Byah, Niani exploded, and told the chief, to his
surprise, that he was whipping the wrong boy, that it was Isa who was
the cause of the stoppage; whereupon Isa received a severe punishment
with the ever-ready kurbash (hippopotamus-hide whip). While Selim had
been whipped Isa had never expressed any great sympathy with him, but
when he was punished himself his cries and groans were dreadfully long
and loud, and in the camp he was constantly bewailing his hard lot, and
always threatening that supple-minded and tough-bodied little negro
Niani for his expose of him.

On the evening of the fifth day after their arrival at camp, Niani, who
knew how to like and how to hate, said aloud to Selim, as soon as he had
an opportunity, that he would much prefer if Selim took his waist-cloth.
Selim refused it upon the ground that he would have none left for
himself.

"Oh, but, Master Selim," said Niani, "I am but a little nigger; no one
will mind me. I wanted to give it to you before, but I did not like to
offer my cloth to you, because it is dirty."

"Anything is better than nothing. I will take it with thanks, since you
say you don't want it; but won't you keep a little of it for yourself?"

"Not an inch," said Niani, resolutely. "I don't want a cloth anyhow--
never did want it; besides that is the cloth you gave me that night I
tripped Isa, and cruel Isa was going to put me on the fire."