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was perfectly willing to trade off everything he had for more。 I believe
he would have parted with his last shirt for bucksheesh if he had had
one。 He was smoking the 〃humbliest〃 pipe I ever sawa dingy； funnel…
shaped； red…clay thing； streaked and grimed with oil and tears of
tobacco； and with all the different kinds of dirt there are； and thirty
per cent。 of them peculiar and indigenous to Endor and perdition。 And
rank？ I never smelt anything like it。 It withered a cactus that stood
lifting its prickly hands aloft beside the trail。 It even woke up my
horse。 I said I would take that。 It cost me a franc； a Russian kopek；
a brass button； and a slate pencil； and my spendthrift lavishness so won
upon the son of the desert that he passed over his pouch of most
unspeakably villainous tobacco to me as a free gift。 What a pipe it was；
to be sure！ It had a rude brass…wire cover to it； and a little coarse
iron chain suspended from the bowl； with an iron splinter attached to
loosen up the tobacco and pick your teeth with。 The stem looked like the
half of a slender walking…stick with the bark on。
I felt that this pipe had belonged to the original Witch of Endor as soon
as I saw it； and as soon as I smelt it； I knew it。 Moreover； I asked the
Arab cub in good English if it was not so； and he answered in good Arabic
that it was。 I woke up my horse and went my way； smoking。 And presently
I said to myself reflectively； 〃If there is anything that could make a
man deliberately assault a dying cripple； I reckon may be an unexpected
whiff from this pipe would do it。〃 I smoked along till I found I was
beginning to lie； and project murder； and steal my own things out of one
pocket and hide them in another； and then I put up my treasure； took off
my spurs and put them under my horse's tail； and shortly came tearing
through our caravan like a hurricane。
From that time forward； going to Jerusalem； the Dead Sea； and the Jordan；
Bethany； Bethlehem； and everywhere； I loafed contentedly in the rear and
enjoyed my infamous pipe and revelled in imaginary villany。 But at the
end of two weeks we turned our faces toward the sea and journeyed over
the Judean hills； and through rocky defiles； and among the scenes that
Samson knew in his youth； and by and by we touched level ground just at
night； and trotted off cheerily over the plain of Sharon。 It was
perfectly jolly for three hours； and we whites crowded along together；
close after the chief Arab muleteer （all the pack…animals and the other
Arabs were miles in the rear）； and we laughed； and chatted； and argued
hotly about Samson； and whether suicide was a sin or not； since Paul
speaks of Samson distinctly as being saved and in heaven。 But by and by
the night air； and the duskiness； and the weariness of eight hours in the
saddle； began to tell； and conversation flagged and finally died out
utterly。 The squeak…squeaking of the saddles grew very distinct；
occasionally somebody sighed； or started to hum a tune and gave it up；
now and then a horse sneezed。 These things only emphasised the solemnity
and the stillness。 Everybody got so listless that for once I and my
dreamer found ourselves in the lead。 It was a glad； new sensation； and
I longed to keep the place forevermore。 Every little stir in the dingy
cavalcade behind made me nervous。 Davis and I were riding side by side；
right after the Arab。 About 11 o'clock it had become really chilly； and
the dozing boys roused up and began to inquire how far it was to Ramlah
yet； and to demand that the Arab hurry along faster。 I gave it up then；
and my heart sank within me； because of course they would come up to
scold the Arab。 I knew I had to take the rear again。 In my sorrow I
unconsciously took to my pipe； my only comfort。 As I touched the match
to it the whole company came lumbering up and crowding my horse's rump
and flanks。 A whiff of smoke drifted back over my shoulder； and
〃The suffering Moses！〃
〃Whew！〃
〃By George； who opened that graveyard？〃
〃Boys； that Arab's been swallowing something dead！〃
Right away there was a gap behind us。 Whiff after whiff sailed airily
back； and each one widened the breach。 Within fifteen seconds the
barking； and gasping； and sneezing； and coughing of the boys； and their
angry abuse of the Arab guide； had dwindled to a murmur； and Davis and I
were alone with the leader。 Davis did not know what the matter was； and
don't to this day。 Occasionally he caught a faint film of the smoke and
fell to scolding at the Arab and wondering how long he had been decaying
in that way。 Our boys kept on dropping back further and further； till at
last they were only in hearing； not in sight。 And every time they
started gingerly forward to reconnoitre or shoot the Arab； as they
proposed to doI let them get within good fair range of my relic （she
would carry seventy yards with wonderful precision）； and then wafted a
whiff among them that sent them gasping and strangling to the rear again。
I kept my gun well charged and ready； and twice within the hour I decoyed
the boys right up to my horse's tail； and then with one malarious blast
emptied the saddles； almost。 I never heard an Arab abused so in my life。
He really owed his preservation to me； because for one entire hour I
stood between him and certain death。 The boys would have killed him if
they could have got by me。
By and by； when the company were far in the rear； I put away my pipe
I was getting fearfully dry and crisp about the gills and rather blown
with good diligent workand spurred my animated trance up alongside the
Arab and stopped him and asked for water。 He unslung his little gourd…
shaped earthenware jug； and I put it under my moustache and took a long；
glorious； satisfying draught。 I was going to scour the mouth of the jug
a little； but I saw that I had brought the whole train together once more
by my delay； and that they were all anxious to drink too…and would have
been long ago if the Arab had not pretended that he was out of water。
So I hastened to pass the vessel to Davis。 He took a mouthful； and never
said a word； but climbed off his horse and lay down calmly in the road。
I felt sorry for Davis。 It was too late now； though； and Dan was
drinking。 Dan got down too； and hunted for a soft place。 I thought I
heard Dan say； 〃That Arab's friends ought to keep him in alcohol or else
take him out and bury him somewhere。〃 All the boys took a drink and
climbed down。 It is not well to go into further particulars。 Let us
draw the curtain upon this act。
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
Well； now； to think that after three changing years I should hear from
that curious old relic again； and see Dan advertising it for sale for the
benefit of a benevolent object。 Dan is not treating that present right。
I gave that pipe to him for a keepsake。 However； he probably finds that
it keeps away custom and interferes with business。 It is the most
convincing inanimate object in all this part of the world； perhaps。 Dan
and I were roommates in all that long 〃Quaker City〃 voyage； and whenever
I desired to have a little season of privacy I used