nothing, but
that, as you had seen the white hakim do wonderful things, you might be
able to do something.'

"'My lord,' I said, 'it is one thing to watch an operation, but quite
another to perform it yourself. I think, as the doctors have told you,
your son's life is in great danger; and I do believe that, if there
were white doctors here to take off his arm, he might be saved. But I
could not undertake it. The skill to do so is only acquired by long
years of study. How can I, a poor man, know how to do such things? Were
I to attempt and fail, what would you say?--that I had killed your son;
and that, but for me, he might have recovered.'

"'He will not recover,' the Emir said, moodily.

"'What say you, Abu? You have heard what this man says; what do you
think?'

"'I think, Father, that it were well to try. This man has used his
eyes, so well, that he has taken the white man's instruments, and drawn
out bullets from wounds. I feel as if this wound will kill me;
therefore, if the man fails, I shall be none the worse. Indeed, it
would be better to die at once, than to feel this fire burning, till it
burns me up.'

"'You hear what my son says? I am of the same opinion. Do your best.
Should you fail, I swear, by the head of the Prophet, that no harm
shall come to you.'

"The wounded man was a fine young fellow, of three or four and twenty.

"'If it is my lord's will, I will try,' I said; 'but I pray you to bear
in mind that I do so at your command, and without much hope of
accomplishing it successfully. It would, I think, be advisable that the
limb should be taken off above the elbow, so that it will be above the
spot to which the inflammation has extended.'

"The Emir looked at his son, who said:

"'It matters not, Father. 'Tis but my left arm, and I shall still have
my right, to hurl a spear or wield a sword.'

"I need not tell how I got through the operation. Everything required
for it--the inhaler, sponges, straight and crooked needles, and
thread--was in the chest. The young Arab objected to be sent to sleep.
He said it might be well for cowards, but not for a fighting man. I had
to assure him that it was not for his sake, but for my own, that I
wished him to go to sleep; and that if I knew he was not suffering
pain, I might be able to do the thing without my hand trembling; but
that if I knew he was suffering, I should be flurried.

"I insisted that the hakims should be sent for. When they came I calle