Page:Harris Dickson--Old Reliable in Africa.djvu/222

 Together they lifted their prospective purchaser to the ground; both men heard the jingle of money when Zack stamped his feet, and stood critically observing the donkey.

"Him ten pounds," Said repeated. "Huh! is dat all he weigh? Reckin he mus' be some kin' of a holler donkey. Drif' weighed a heap more'n dat, an' Drif warn't nothin' but a dog."

"Ten pounds; Ingleezi money; price," Said maintained. "Oh! I 'lowed you was argufyin' 'bout how much did he weigh. Ten pounds o' money? Fer dat donkey? Nigger, does you take me fer a plum fool? Why don't you jes specify a bale o' money an' be done wid it?"

"Ten pounds—it is nothing, Excellency."

"Y'all niggers talks so foolish. What you mean by ten pounds o' money?" Zack drew out a handful of coins, twenty pieces of gold and some trivial silver, while Hamuda grappled Said by the arm and whispered hoarsely, "Fool. Thou shouldst have named twenty pounds. It is little."

The two of them—Said and Hamuda—put their heads close together above the Black Effendi's palm where the money glistened; but every time Hamuda reached forward old Zack clomped his fist.

"I show, I show"—Said spoke so pitifully that