The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-26

1t was the first time he had set foot
there. So great was his luck al the
time that he had not been forced 10 go
ashore in the usual way, drumming up
cargo The shippers had come off beg
cling him to become their carrier. and he
had mulcted them in heavy freights ac-
cordingly. So he stepped into the town
with many of the feelings of a conquerer
aud demanded to be led to the office of
a man with whom he had done profitable
business that very morning.
OF course, "office" in the Western mean
ing of the term there was none. The
worthy Rad ell Moussa transacted affairs
on the floor of his general sitting room,
and stored his merchandise in the bed
chambers or wherever it would be out of
reach of pilfering fingers. But he re-
ceived the little sailor with fine protesta-
tons of regard and (after some giggles
and shutting as the women Withdrew in
Quoted him into the dark interior of his
house and set before him delicious cof-
fee and some doubtful sweetmeats.
Kettle knew enough about Oriental ell
ouette not to introduce the matter on
which he had come at the outset of the
converse ton He passed and received the
necessary compliments first, endured
discussion of local trade prospects and
then by an easy graduation, led up to the
powers OF the local HdOy. ne uiu not
speak Arabic himself and Rad el Moussa
had no English. But they had both served
a life's apprenticeship to sea trading, and
the curse of the tower of Babel had very
little power over them. In the memories
of each there were garnered scraps from
a score of spoken languages and when
these failed they could always draw
the unlimited vocabulary of the gestures
and the eyes. And for points that were
III. lTs.Es.
understanding, there always remained the
charcoal stick and the explanatory draw
ing on the face of a whitewashed wall.
When the conversation had lasted some
half an hour by the clock, and slave
brought in a second relay of sweetmeats
and thick coffee, the sailor mentioned, as
it were incidentally, that one of his Off
GERS had got into trouble in the town. It's
quite a small thing" he said, lightly, 'but
/ want him back as soon as possible, be-
cause there's work for him to do on the
steamer. See what mean?"
Rad el Moussa nodded gravely. "Savey
plenty" said he.
Now, Kettle knew that the machinery
of the law in these small Arabian coast
towns was concentrated in the person of
the kady, who for practical purposes must
be made to move by that lubricant known
as palm-oil; and so he produced some
coins from his pocket and lifted his eye
brows inquirngly.
Rad ell Moussa nodded again. and made
careful inspection of the coins, turning
them one by one with his long brown
fingers, and biting those he fancied most as
a test of their quality. Finally he select
ed a gold 2O-franc piece and two sover-
eigns, balanced and chincked them care
fully in his hand, and then slipped them
into some private receptacle in his wear
ing apparel.
Il say" remarked Kettle, that's not
for you personally, old tintacks. That's
for the kady."
Rad pointed majestically to his own
breast. Eel kady," he said.
30 you are his worship. are your" said
Kettle. "Why didn't you say so before
don't think it was quite straight of you,
tintacks; but perhaps that's your gentle
Arab way. But, l say, whiskers, don't
you try being too foxy with me. or you'll
get hurt I'm not the most patient man in
the world with inferior nations. Come,
now, where's the mate2''
Rad spread his hands helplessly
See here, it's no use you trying that
game. You know that 1 want Murray
my mater"
''Savvy plenty"