I could see about three yards, except when the lightning flashed; and then I could see only stricken plain, with dead animals lying about, and fallen tents lumpy with the men who huddled underneath, and here and there a live animal with his rump to the hail and head between his forelegs.
When the storm ceased, suddenly, as all such mountain hail-storms do, I ordered my trooper in front of me and went limping through the darkness shouting for Ranjoor Singh, and I found him at last, sitting on the rump of a dead donkey with the ten boxes of gold coin beside him--quite little boxes, yet only two to a donkey load.
"I have the gold," he said.

"What have you ?" "A stab," said I, "and the fool who gave it me!" And I showed my leg, with the blood trickling down.

"I had killed a Turk," said I, "and this muddlehead with no discernment had the impudence to try to finish the job.

Behold the result!" He was one great bruise from head to foot from hailstones, yet with all he had to think about and all his aches, he had understanding enough to spare for my little problem.

He saw at once that he must punish the man in order to convince him his account with me was settled.
"Be driver of asses," he ordered, "until we reach Persia! There were five asses.