Page:Harris Dickson--Old Reliable in Africa.djvu/163

 camels, armed with the same vicious-looking spears.

"Yonder's Zack!" the Colonel pointed. "See his gray hat?"

In an open space Zack walked alone. At even distances, on each side, almost as if they marched in a hollow square, rode files of men on donkeys; and across their rear came other donkeys with children, tents, plunder, dogs, goats—and women on foot.

When Zack saw the Colonel, he took two or three nervous steps, then slowed down again. He couldn't get out of that square, except by mixing up with those camels. The Colonel saw the whites of his eyes, and knew that Zack was scared. At a sign from Cameron, Kali rode out, dignified and deliberate, to greet the coming Nigerines: "May Allah give thee greatness upon thy greatness."

The sheikh halted. Every man, woman, child and animal stopped. Tabira lifted his hand, giving the desert sign of peace; and Kali responded likewise. What they said no one could hear, but they talked for so long a time that Lyttleton began to show his impatience. Then Kali came riding back, perplexed by the words of Tabira the Nigerine. In quick Arabic he delivered his message, and transferred the bewilderment to Cameron.