"I shall get no further," said he, after they had parted with the Jew.
"I shall return to my partners. We shall kill the Christian dog who
wrote the letter and sell his two companions for what we can get for
them."
"That is your best plan," rejoined the grazier. "They do not deserve
freedom; and may Allah forbid that hereafter any true believer should
try to help them to it!"
Early next morning Bo Muzem set out on his return journey, thankful for
the good fortune that had enabled him so early to detect the imposture
that was being practised upon him.
He was accompanied by the grazier, who chanced to be journeying in the
same direction.
"The next Christian slaves I see for sale I intend buying," remarked the
latter, as they journeyed along.
"Bismillah!" exclaimed Bo Muzem; "that is strange. I thought you had
had enough of them?"
"So I have," assented the grazier; "but that's just why I want more of
them. I want revenge on the unbelieving dogs; and will buy them for the
purpose of obtaining it. I will work them until they are too old for
anything, and then let them die in a ditch."
"Then buy the ones we have for sale," proposed Bo Muzem. "We are
willing to sell them cheap, all but one. The man who wrote this letter
I must kill. I have sworn it by the Prophet's beard."
As both parties appeared anxious for a bargain, they soon came to an
understanding as to the terms; and the grazier promised to give ten
dollars in money and four heads of horses for each of the slaves that
was for sale. He also agreed that one of his herdsmen should assist in
driving the cattle to any settlement where a market might be found for
them.
The simple Bo Muzem had now in reality been "sold": for the story he had
been told about the escape for the two slaves, Terence and Jim, was
wholly and entirely false.