Chapter 20

'Tis of more worth than kingdoms! far more precious
'Than all the crimson treasures of life's fountain!
Oh let it not elude thy grasp!

COTTON

Things were in this state, the sheik and his guests communicating by
signs, in such a way as completely to mystify each other; Mr. Monday
drinking, Mr. Dodge conjecturing, and parties quitting the camp and
arriving every ten minutes, when an Arab pointed eagerly with his finger
in the direction of the wreck. The head of the foremast was slowly rising,
and the look-out in the top was clinging to the spar, which began to cant,
in order to keep himself from falling. The sheik affected to smile; but he
was evidently disturbed, and two or three messengers were sent out into
the camp. In the meanwhile, the spar began to lower, and was soon entirely
concealed beneath the bank.

It was now apparent that the Arabs thought the moment had arrived when it
was their policy to interfere. The sheik, therefore, left his guests to be
entertained by two or three others who had joined in the potations, and
making the best assurances he could by means of signs, of his continued
amity, he left the tent. Laying aside all his arms, attended by two or
three old men like himself, he went boldly to the plank, and descended
quietly to the sands, where he found Captain Truck busied in endeavouring
to get the spar into the water. The top was already afloat, and the stick
itself was cut round in the right position for rolling, when the foul but
grave-looking barbarians appeared among the workmen. As the latter had
been apprised of their approach, and of the fact of their being unarmed,
no one left his employment to receive them, with the exception of Captain
Truck himself.

"Bear a hand with the spar, Mr. Leach," he said, "while I entertain these
gentlemen. It is a good sign that they come to us without arms, and it
shall never be said that we are behind them in civility. Half an hour will
settle our affairs, when these gentry are welcome to what will be left of
the Dane.--Your servant, gentlemen; I'm glad to see you, and beg the
honour to shake hands with all of you, from the oldest to the youngest."

Although the Arabs understood nothing that was said, they permitted
Captain Truck to give each of them a hearty shake of the hand, smiling and
muttering their own compliments with as much apparent good will as was
manifested by the old seaman himself.

"God help the Danes, if they have fallen into servitude among these
blackguards!" said the captain, aloud, while he was shaking the sheik a
second time most cordially by the hand, "for a fouler set of thieves I
never laid eyes on, Leach. Mr. Monday has tried the virtue of the
_schnaps_ on