In the Mahdi's Grasp Part 20

Frank laughed pleasantly.

"That feeling troubling you again?" he said. "How absurd! Are you going to cheat the poor creatures you attend with sham medicines?"

"Am I going to do what?" said the doctor indignantly.

"And play tricks with the wounds they are suffering from?"

"My dear Frank!"

"And make believe to extract bullets and sew up wounds, or set broken bones?"

"My good lad, are you talking in your sleep? Did I ever do anything but my very best for the poor creatures to whom my poor skill was necessary--did I ever give less attention to the humblest patient than I do to the wealthiest or highest in position?"

"Never," said Frank warmly. "That big, generous disposition of yours would never have allowed it."

"Then why did you talk in so absurd a strain?" Frank laughed merrily, and for the time being he was the schoolboy again.

"Please, sir," he said mockingly, "it wasn't me. Answer me first," he cried. "Why do you talk about feeling like an impostor? Why,"

continued the young man warmly, "I feel as if through my plan I am going to heap blessings upon mine enemy's head. I am taking you through this country, amongst these cruelly savage people, to do nothing but good.

Wherever you go your name will be blessed; they will think of the Great Hakim as long as they live."

"Look here, young man," said the doctor playfully, "I've made a mistake to-night. You began to play your part very nicely, and you were as quiet as a dumb waiter--that old black mahogany one in the dining-room at home. Then for company's sake I stopped you, and here is the consequence. You took advantage of the liberty given you, and at once developed into a base flatterer, putting your adulation into all the flowery language you could muster. Now, no more of it, if you please.

There, to speak soberly and well: Frank, lad, I am not the great, learned Hakim of your young imagination, but the hard-working student who tries his best to acquire more and more knowledge of our fallen human nature so as to fight against death like an earnest man. I know something of my profession, and I work hard, and always shall, to know more, so as to apply my skill in the best way. Please G.o.d, I hope to do a great deal of good during this our journey, and I promise you that I will think only of this application of my knowledge. Yes, I feel now that I can go on and face all that I have to do, for I shall not be such a sorry impostor, after all."

"Isn't it my turn now for a chat?" said the professor. "You two seem to be having a most interesting discussion, and it's very dull back here.

The Sheikh is fast asleep on his camel, and poor Sam has become speechless with misery, in spite of all I could say to him about mastering the art of camel-riding. He says he can't get over the feeling that he is at sea. How are you two getting on?"

"Better, I suppose," said the doctor, "for I have not thought so much of the motion lately. I suppose I'm getting used to it."

"And you, Frank?"

"I had forgotten it too till you spoke. But I am utterly tired out.

How long will it be before we get to the tents?"

"Oh, hours yet," said the professor cheerfully.

"What!" cried the doctor and Frank in a breath.

"Not till well on in the morning," said the professor; and then, as his companions turned to gaze at one another in dismay, "but we're going to halt soon, to rest the camels and--ourselves."

CHAPTER NINE.

THE HAKIM BEGINS.

The professor had hardly finished speaking when something dark loomed up through the silvery gloom, and the camels began making a peculiar, complaining sound, while they slightly increased their pace and soon after stopped short, craning their necks and muttering and grumbling peevishly.

A water-hole had been reached, where the beasts were refreshed, after they had been relieved of their living burdens--those which were loaded with the travellers' baggage having to be content with a good drink and then folding their legs to crouch in the sand and rest.

"Yes, it's all very well, Mr Frank," said Sam, "but I don't believe that thing which carries me is half so tired as I am. Oh my!

See-sawing as I've been backwards and forwards all these hours, till my spinal just across the loins feels as if it had got a big hinge made in it and it wanted oiling."

"Lie flat down upon your back and rest it."

"But won't the gra.s.s be damp, sir?"

"Gra.s.s?" said Frank, smiling. "Where are you going to find it?"

"I forgot, sir," said the man wearily. "No gra.s.s; all sand. That comes of being used to riding in a Christian country."

"That's right," said the professor, joining them, for Frank had set Sam the example and was lying flat on the soft sand. "I've just been telling the Hakim to do so. Don't sit down to rest out here; lie flat whenever you get a chance. It does wonders. Are you thirsty, Frank?"

"Oh no," was the reply.

"That comes of travelling by night. If we had come this distance under the burning sun we should have been parched."

"Better move, hadn't we?" said Frank, a minute or two later, as he glanced significantly towards Sam.

"I think we had," replied the professor, laughing. "I thought it was one of the camels."

The sound that came regularly was not unlike that uttered by one of the grumbling creatures, but it was due to their man's ways of breathing in his sleep, for not many seconds had elapsed before he had forgotten all his weariness, and the troubles of the first lesson in camel-riding, in a deep slumber which lasted through the two hours' halt, during which the Sheikh and his men had sat together and smoked in silence, while Frank and his companions had lain chatting in a low tone about the beauty of the moon-silvered rocks and the soft, transparent light which spread around.

At last the Sheikh rose and stalked softly towards them in his long white garments, looking thoroughly in keeping with the scene, and made his customary obeisance.

"Are their Excellencies rested?" he asked gravely.

"Oh, yes; let us get on," said the professor, looking at his watch.

"Four o'clock. I did not know it was so late. How are you, Frank?

Stiff?"

"Terribly."

"Yes," said the doctor, stretching himself. "We have been giving some idle muscles work to do that they had never had before."

"Their Excellencies will soon be as much used to it as their friend,"

said the Sheikh; and he led the way towards where the camels crouched, some moving their under jaws, chewing after their fashion, others with their long necks stretched straight out and their heads nestling in the sand.

"Here, Sam," cried the professor, breaking the silence that reigned around, and his words were echoed from the rocks on the far side of the water-holes.

But the man's reply was only a gurgling, camel-like snore.

"Sound enough," said the professor; and he was stepping towards him, but Frank interposed.

"I'll wake him," he said. "The poor fellow feels f.a.gged and low-spirited. We must not be hard upon him. He hasn't our motive to spur him on."

"No," said the professor, "but he must try and brace himself up a bit."

"Give him time," replied Frank, and he bent down on one knee--pretty stiffly too--and laid his hand upon the sleeper's breast.