First one man and then another stood up and boasted of having made all things ready; how this one had supervised the hiding of sharp swords; how another had kept men at work collecting cartridges on battlefields; how this and that one had continued spreading talk against the Jews, so that they swore that at least ten thousand Moslems in Jerusalem are fretting to begin a massacre.

'Let Feisul only strike the first blow from Damascus,' said they, 'and Palestine will run blood instantly!'" "And we sit here drinking tea," exclaimed Mabel, "while up at headquarters they're dancing and playing bridge! I call this awful! We all ought to be..." Grim smiled and shook his head for silence.
"We've known all this for some time," he said.

"Don't worry.

There'll be no massacre; the troops are sleeping by their arms, and every possible contingency has been provided for.

Go on, Narayan Singh." "Well, sahib; when they had done babbling and boasting this Yussuf Dakmar got back on his stool and spoke sternly, as one who gives final judgment and intends to be obeyed.