It was a safe bet that if he had called on them to attack that minute they would have declined.
So he gave the dignified Arab salute, which Grim deigned to acknowledge with the slightest possible inclination of the head, and led his men away.
"What would you have done if he had called your bluff ?" I asked Grim, as soon as they were all out of earshot.
"Dunno," he said, smiling.

"I've learned never to try a bluff unless I'm pretty sure of my man.

That guy doesn't own many chips.

As a last resort I'd have to admit I'm a government officer--if they hadn't killed us all first!" We sat our camels there for about three quarters of an hour before half a dozen of Mahommed Abbas' men appeared with Rafiki's messenger riding the Bishareen between them.

His face when they handed him over was the color of raw liver, and if ever a man was too scared to try to escape it was he.