a dung-hill," Grim answered. "A
rooster crows a mile away. Another answers with a challenge, but
the camels draw the plow in ten fields between them. That is like
a blood-feud between you and Ali Higg. Five days' march from here
to Petra and how many deserts and tribes between?"

"So much the easier to keep the loot when we have won it!"
answered Ali Baba.

"There's going to be no loot!" said Grim.

"Allah!"

"Would you rather have me send back to Jerusalem for regular police?"

"Nay, Jimgrim! That would be the end of you, for those police
would bungle everything. You need clever fellows with you if you
go to sup with Ali Higg."

"Well? Are you coming?"

_"Taib._ We are ready. But--"

"On my terms!"

"But the pay is nothing!"

"So is my pay nothing! This man"--he pointed to me--"gets no pay
at all. Narayan Singh, the Sikh, gets less pay than a policeman."

"Then what is the profit?"

"For you? The honor of keeping your word. The privilege of making
fair return for past immunity. Why aren't you and all your sons
in jail this minute? Why did I invite you to come with me on this
occasion? Because a man looks for friends where he has given
favors! But if you consider you owe the administration nothing
for forgiving all past offenses, very well; I'll look for
friends elsewhere."

"As for the administration, Jimgrim, may Allah turn its face
cold! But you are another matter. We will come with you."

"On my terms?"

_"Taib."_

You would have thought that settled it, especially as Ali Baba
had already stated that he and his gang were prepared for the
journey. But the East, that is swift to wrath, is very slow over
a bargain, and it is a point of doctrine besides, all the way
from Gibraltar to Japan, to keep an American waiting if you hope
to get the better of him. Ali Baba settled down for a nice long
talk; and you would have thought, to judge by Grim's expression,
that he could ask for nothing better.

The old rogue wanted to know among other things who would have
the task of cleaning rifles on the journey. It seemed that he was
long on sanctity, and not allowed by his religion to touch grease
in any shape or form. Grim satisfied him on that point. Narayan
Singh should clean the rifles.

But that started him off on a new trail. He tried to see how much
more he could impose on the Sikh, and suggested such matters as
pitching tents, cooking, gathering firewood, cleaning pots and
pans, leading the pack