THE ARAB'S PRECEPT 187 



of snow-white," he murmured as in a dreamy reverie he 

 subdued the light of his great black eyes. 



" But you never saw snow. How can you talk about a 

 snow-white pearl ? " 



" Mister, I bin steward boy on beeg steamer. I been 

 eberywhere. I bin in London, I bin in Antwerp. I bin 

 see snow all over. That how I talk about my snow pearl. 

 I tell you my yarn." 



Hassan smoothed down his white jacket, lit a lean 

 cigarette, rolled the incense — thrifty smoker that he was — 

 as a sweet morsel under the tongue, permitted it to drift 

 lazily from his lips, and gave his story. 



" I bin deck hand on pearling lugger. To be spell 

 about with wind pump. Sometimes I work on dinghy. 

 Two or three times I dibe — not much dibe. I cam stand 

 that work. Not strong for that so heavy work. One 

 morning Boss he set me on to clean out dinghy. Too 

 much rotten fish. You see, when diber bring shell up. 

 Boss he open ebery one — chuck meat along dinghy. That 

 dinghy, I tell you my yarn proper — close up half full stinking 

 meat. I chuck that stinking meat ober-board along my 

 hand. Close up I bin finish I catchem stinking meat like 

 this. Hello ! I feel 'em something ! My heart he stand — 

 he earn go. He stop altogether. I earn look ! feel 'em 

 beeg. I look ! Ha ! Beeg, beeg pearl ! Round like any- 

 thing. White like snow. Pretty — lobley. My heart inside 

 go ponch, quick like that, I hear 'em jump along my shirt. 

 No one look out. My pearl ! I whistle for nothing ; put 

 my pearl easy like I find nothing in my pucket. Go on 

 my work, steady. Heart jump about all the time. Chuck 

 'em out those stinking meat. Ha ! First time I feel 

 something — one pearl ! Beeg, but no all the same like 

 nother one, One more time chuck stinking meat. Ha ! 

 one more pearl ! White, long like small finger here. My 

 heart easy now. I think my good luck come. I say my 

 prayer to Allah ! I work hard. I finish that boat. Chuck 

 'em out stinking meat, wash her down. My three pearls 

 inside my pucket. 



