"Well, you seem to have satisfied yourself now on those important points. I might add, however, for your further information, that I think I shall not go to Bund-i-Kir, which looks too peaceful to disturb at this matinal hour, but there--on the western shore of the Ab-i-Shuteit. And that reminds me. I still have to pay you the rest of my ticket."
He reached forward and laid a little pile of gold on Gaston's seat. Gaston, watching out of the corner of his eye as he poured gasolene, saw that there were more than five napoleons in that pile. There were at least ten.
"What would you say, Monsieur," he asked slowly, emptying his tin, "if I were to take you instead to Sheleilieh--where there are still a few of the English?"
"I would say, my good Gaston, that you had more courage than I thought. By the way," he went on casually, "what is this?"
He reached forward again toward Gaston's seat, where lay the Bakhtiari's present. Gaston dropped his tin and made a snatch at it. But Magin was too quick for him. He retreated to his place at the stern of the boat, where he drew the knife out of its sheath.
"Sharp, too!" he commented, with a smile at Gaston. "And my revolver is gone!"
"That, Monsieur, was given me by my Bakhtiari brother-in-law--to take to the war. When he found I had not the courage to go, he ran away from me."
"But you thought there might be more than one way to make war, eh? Well, I at least am not an Apache. Perhaps the sharks will know what to do with it." The blade glittered in the brightening air and splashed out of sight. And Magin, folding his arms, smiled again at Gaston. "Another object of virtue for the safe custody of the Karun!"
"But not all!" cried Gaston thickly, seizing the little pile of gold beside him and flinging it after the knife.
"Have you not forgotten something, Gaston?"
"But certainly not, Monsieur," he replied, putting his hand into his pocket. The next moment a second shower of gold caught the light. And where the little circles of ripples widened in the river, a sharp fin suddenly cut the muddy water.
"Oho! Mr. Shark loses no time!" cried Magin. He stopped smiling, and turned back to Gaston. "But we do. Allow me to say, my friend, that you show yourself really too romantic. This is no doubt an excellent comedy which we are playing for the benefit of that gentleman on the bluff. But even he begins to get tired of it. See? He starts to say his morning prayer. So be so good as to show a little of the reason which you know how to show, and start for shore. But first you might do well to screw on the cap of your tank--if you do not mind a little friendly advice."