"Oh, he's coming on!" replied Laurence, which in substance was correct, though it might be weeks before he came on; for, as a matter of fact, Hazon had remained behind at a certain point to collect and reduce to cash such gains as were being custodied for him--and the joint undertaking--by sundry of his blood-brethren the Arab chiefs. "Coming on, is he? Well, well! I think we've been libelling the pirate after all, eh Rainsford?" as that worthy just joined them. "Here's Hazon's _trek_ come back without Hazon, instead of the other way about." Laurence thought how nearly it had been a case of the other way about. Had he not offered himself instead of Holmes, it would have been, for he would have remained with the Ba-gcatya, and Hazon would have returned alone. Of the fate of Holmes--well--he knew what that would have been. Holmes, however, did not, for the simple reason that Laurence had refrained from communicating a word relating to that horrible episode to either of his associates--when, shortly after parting with Rahman ben Zuhdi, and the death of Lindela, he had found the two, safe and well, at the principal town of a prominent Arab chief. And Holmes, possibly through ignorance of its nature or magnitude, never did fully appreciate the sacrifice which the other had made for him. "What do you think?" went on Rankin, when the requisite amount of greeting and chaff had been exchanged, "this fellow Rainsford has gone and got married; has started out in the nursery department for all he's worth." Laurence laughed. "Why, Rainsford, you were as stony broke as the rest of us when I left. Things looking up, eh?" "Of course. I told you it was a case of 'down to-day, up to-morrow'--told you at the time. And it's my belief you'd have done better to have remained here." Then lowering his voice; "Where's the pirate?" "Coming on." Rainsford whistled, and looked knowing. "What do you say?" cut in Rankin, "a drop of gin and soda wouldn't hurt us, eh?" Then while they moved round to the Exchange bar, he went on; "I've got a thing that would suit you to a hair, Stanninghame. I'd take it up myself if I could, but I'm only an agent in the matter." "Shares, eh?" "Yes--Skinner and Sacks." "Dead off. See here, Rankin--you must off-load them on somebody else. If I were next door to certain of making half a million out of it, even then I wouldn't touch any sort of investment connected with this place. No, not to save my immortal soul--if I've got one, which at times seems doubtful." And there was something in Laurence's laugh--evoked by old time recollections--which convinced the other that no business was to be done in this quarter at any rate.