122 
SOMETHING BREWING . 
[chap. III. 
no matter who the man might be, the boy would 
challenge him, regardless of all consequences. 
We were very fond of this boy; he was thoroughly 
good ; and in that land of iniquity, thousands of miles 
away from all except what was evil, there was a com¬ 
fort in having some one innocent and faithful, in whom 
to trust. 
We were to start upon the following Monday. 
Mahommed had paid me a visit, assuring me of his 
devotion, and begging me to have my baggage in 
marching order, as he would send me fifty porters 
on the Monday, and we would move off in company. 
At the very moment that he thus professed, he was 
coolly deceiving me. He had arranged to start with¬ 
out me on the Saturday, while he was proposing to 
march together on the Monday. This I did not know 
at the time. 
One morning I had returned to the tent after 
having, as usual, inspected the transport animals, 
when I observed Mrs. Baker looking extraordinarily 
pale, and immediately upon my arrival she gave 
orders for the presence of the vakeel (headman). 
There was something in her manner, so different to 
her usual calm, that I was utterly bewildered when 
I heard her question the vakeel, “ Whether the men 
were willing to march ? ” Perfectly ready was the 
