"
With a roar and a grunt the Biharin rose to his feet and plunged forward
toward the desert, his driver following with shouts and lamentation.
With a roar and a grunt the Biharin rose to his feet and plunged forward
toward the desert, his driver following with shouts and lamentation.
Kipling - Poems
I am
going to slip him. "
"Not so swiftly. George, hold the camel's head a moment. I want to feel
his cheek. " The hands wandered over the hide till they found the
branded half-circle that is the mark of the Biharin, the light-built
riding-camel.
"That is well. Cut this one loose. Remember no blessing of God comes on
those who try to cheat the blind. "
The men chuckled by the fires at the camel-driver's discomfiture. He had
intended to substitute a slow, saddle-galled baggage-colt.
"Stand back! " one shouted, lashing the Biharin under the belly with a
quirt. Dick obeyed as soon as he felt the nose-string tighten in his
hand,--and a cry went up, "Illaha! Aho! He is loose.
"
With a roar and a grunt the Biharin rose to his feet and plunged forward
toward the desert, his driver following with shouts and lamentation.
George caught Dick's arm and hurried him stumbling and tripping past a
disgusted sentry who was used to stampeding camels.
"What's the row now? " he cried.
"Every stitch of my kit on that blasted dromedary," Dick answered, after
the manner of a common soldier.
"Go on, and take care your throat's not cut outside--you and your
dromedary's. "
The outcries ceased when the camel had disappeared behind a hillock, and
his driver had called him back and made him kneel down.
"Mount first," said Dick. Then climbing into the second seat and gently
screwing the pistol muzzle into the small of his companion's back, "Go
on in God's name, and swiftly. Goodbye, George. Remember me to Madame,
and have a good time with your girl. Get forward, child of the Pit! "
A few minutes later he was shut up in a great silence, hardly broken by
the creaking of the saddle and the soft pad of the tireless feet. Dick
adjusted himself comfortably to the rock and pitch of the pace, girthed
his belt tighter, and felt the darkness slide past. For an hour he was
conscious only of the sense of rapid progress.
"A good camel," he said at last.
going to slip him. "
"Not so swiftly. George, hold the camel's head a moment. I want to feel
his cheek. " The hands wandered over the hide till they found the
branded half-circle that is the mark of the Biharin, the light-built
riding-camel.
"That is well. Cut this one loose. Remember no blessing of God comes on
those who try to cheat the blind. "
The men chuckled by the fires at the camel-driver's discomfiture. He had
intended to substitute a slow, saddle-galled baggage-colt.
"Stand back! " one shouted, lashing the Biharin under the belly with a
quirt. Dick obeyed as soon as he felt the nose-string tighten in his
hand,--and a cry went up, "Illaha! Aho! He is loose.
"
With a roar and a grunt the Biharin rose to his feet and plunged forward
toward the desert, his driver following with shouts and lamentation.
George caught Dick's arm and hurried him stumbling and tripping past a
disgusted sentry who was used to stampeding camels.
"What's the row now? " he cried.
"Every stitch of my kit on that blasted dromedary," Dick answered, after
the manner of a common soldier.
"Go on, and take care your throat's not cut outside--you and your
dromedary's. "
The outcries ceased when the camel had disappeared behind a hillock, and
his driver had called him back and made him kneel down.
"Mount first," said Dick. Then climbing into the second seat and gently
screwing the pistol muzzle into the small of his companion's back, "Go
on in God's name, and swiftly. Goodbye, George. Remember me to Madame,
and have a good time with your girl. Get forward, child of the Pit! "
A few minutes later he was shut up in a great silence, hardly broken by
the creaking of the saddle and the soft pad of the tireless feet. Dick
adjusted himself comfortably to the rock and pitch of the pace, girthed
his belt tighter, and felt the darkness slide past. For an hour he was
conscious only of the sense of rapid progress.
"A good camel," he said at last.
