Page:Taylor - In the Dwellings of the Wilderness.djvu/84

 shall question the men, examine the ground to see if it has been buried, look through all the camp. Until it is found, your wages are cut off. Also you get no backsheesh, and no gift when we return."

Ibraheem, prepared for anything save a loss of gold, became pitiable. His grief was childish; he wept, he implored forgiveness.

"I will find it, saar, mos' vurry damn queek. It is the men did got it, and from them I take it fierce. But give me gifts, or I die me dead of hongry. I am mos' poor men, vurry poor—I respectfully need gifts, saars!"

"Oh, stop your drooling and get to work!" Merritt growled, and turned his back on him. Ibraheem crept away, to