’I，’saidavoice’Iwillgo——butthereisnogoingfromthecamp。’
’Fool！Iknowthatacamelcanbreakhisknee-halter，andthesentriesdonotfireifonegoesinchaseTwenty-fivepoundsandanothertwenty-fivepoundsButthebeastmustbeagoodBisharin；Iwilltakenobaggage-camel。’
Thenthebargainingbegan，andattheendofhalfanhourthefirstdepositwaspaidovertothesheik，whotalkedinlowtonestothedriver。
Dickheardthelattersay：’AlittlewayoutonlyAnybaggage-beastwillserveAmIafooltowastemycattleforablindman？’
’AndthoughIcannotsee’——Dickliftedhisvoicealittle——’yetIcarrythatwhichhassixeyes，andthedriverwillsitbeforemeIfwedonotreachtheEnglishtroopsinthedawnhewillbedead。’
’Butwhere，inGod’sname，arethetroops？’
’UnlessthouknowestletanothermanrideDostthouknow？
Rememberitwillbelifeordeathtothee。’
’Iknow，’saidthedriver，sullenly’StandbackfrommybeastIamgoingtosliphim。’
’NotsoswiftlyGeorge，holdthecamel’sheadamomentIwanttofeelhischeek。’Thehandswanderedoverthehidetilltheyfoundthebrandedhalf-circlethatisthemarkoftheBiharin，thelight-builtriding-camel。
’ThatiswellCutthisonelooseRemembernoblessingofGodcomesonthosewhotrytocheattheblind。’
Themenchuckledbythefiresatthecamel-driver’sdiscomfiture。
Hehadintendedtosubstituteaslow，saddle-galledbaggage-colt。
’Standback！’oneshouted，lashingtheBiharinunderthebellywithaquirtDickobeyedassoonashefeltthenose-stringtighteninhishand，——andacrywentup，’Illaha！Aho！Heisloose。’
WitharoarandagrunttheBiharinrosetohisfeetandplungedforwardtowardthedesert，hisdriverfollowingwithshoutsandlamentation。
GeorgecaughtDick’sarmandhurriedhimstumblingandtrippingpastadisgustedsentrywhowasusedtostampedingcamels。
’What’stherownow？’hecried。
’Everystitchofmykitonthatblasteddromedary，’Dickanswered，afterthemannerofacommonsoldier。
’Goon，andtakecareyourthroat’snotcutoutside——youandyourdromedary’s。’
Theoutcriesceasedwhenthecamelhaddisappearedbehindahillock，andhisdriverhadcalledhimbackandmadehimkneeldown。
’Mountfirst，’saidDickThenclimbingintothesecondseatandgentlyscrewingthepistolmuzzleintothesmallofhiscompanion’sback，’GooninGod’sname，andswiftlyGood-bye，GeorgeRemembermetoMadame，andhaveagoodtimewithyourgirlGetforward，childofthePit！’
Afewminuteslaterhewasshutupinagreatsilence，hardlybrokenbythecreakingofthesaddleandthesoftpadofthetirelessfeetDickadjustedhimselfcomfortablytotherockandpitchofthepace，girthedhisbelttighter，andfeltthedarknessslidepastForanhourhewasconsciousonlyofthesenseofrapidprogress。
’Agoodcamel，’hesaidatlast。
’HewasneverunderfedHeismyownandcleanbred，’thedriverreplied。
’Goon。’
Hisheaddroppedonhischestandhetriedtothink，butthetenorofhisthoughtswasbrokenbecausehewasverysleepyInthehalfdozeinseemedthathewaslearningapunishmenthymnatMrsJennett’s。
HehadcommittedsomecrimeasbadasSabbath-breaking，andshehadlockedhimupinhisbedroomButhecouldneverrepeatmorethanthefirsttwolinesofthehymn——
WhenIsraeloftheLordbelievedOutofthelandofbondagecame。
HesaidthemoverandoverthousandsoftimesThedriverturnedinthesaddletoseeiftherewereanychanceofcapturingtherevolverandendingtherideDickroused，struckhimovertheheadwiththebutt，andstormedhimselfwideawakeSomebodyhiddeninaclumpofcamel-thornshoutedasthecameltoileduprisinggroundAshotwasfired，andthesilenceshutdownagain，bringingthedesiretosleep。
DickcouldthinknolongerHewastootiredandstiffan...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：