"They think that we are to be released from slavery by the money of your relative," said Jim, "and you must do nothing to undeceive them. Not to humour them might awaken their suspicions. Besides, as you are the responsible person of the party, the one whose throat is to be cut if the money is not found, you are entitled to a little distinction, as compensation for extra anxiety." The Krooman, who had joined the slaves in cutting the grain, was in the field at work when the merchants moved off; and was not present to bid farewell to his more fortunate countryman. After travelling about twelve miles through a fertile country, much of which was in cultivation, the Arab merchants arrived at a large reservoir of water, where they encamped for the night. The water was in a stone tank, placed so as to catch all the rain that fell in a long narrow valley, gradually descending from some hills to the northward. Jim had visited the place before; and told his companions that the tank had been constructed by a man whose memory was much respected, and who died nearly a hundred years ago. During the night, the Krooman, who had been left behind, entered the encampment, confident in the belief that he had escaped from his taskmasters. At sunset he had contrived to conceal himself among the barley sheaves, until his masters were out of sight, when he had started off on the track taken by the Arab merchants. He was not allowed long indulgence in his dream of liberty. On the following morning, as the kafila was about to continue its journey, three men were seen approaching on swift camels; and shortly after Rias Abdallah Yezzed and two of his followers rode up. They were in pursuit of the runaway Krooman, and in great rage at the trouble which he had caused them. So anxious were the boy slaves that the poor fellow should continue along with them, that, for their sake, the Arab merchants made a strenuous effort to purchase him; but Rias Abdallah obstinately refused to sell him at anything like a reasonable price. The Krooman had given proof that he could be very useful in the harvest field; and a sum much greater than had been paid for any of the others was demanded for him. He was worth more to his present owners than what the Arab merchants could afford to give; and was therefore dragged back to the servitude from which he had hoped to escape. "You can see now that I was right," said Jim. "Had we consented to cut their harvest, we should never have had an opportunity of regaining our liberty. Our labour for a single year would have been worth as much to them as the price they received for us, and we should have been held in perpetual bondage." Jim's companions could perceive the truth of this observation; but not without being conscious that their good fortune was, on their part, wholly undeserved, and that had it not been for him, they would have yielded to the wishes of their late masters.