The HiUen Treasure
moon went into eclipse, and a beating of tins from every
roof, a wailing of women and frenzy of dogs, and occasional
high yelp of jackal made chaos of die night. I sat up at last
and tried to explain the solar system to Shah Riza, who was
smoking meditatively, squatting on his hams.
" They say/' said I non-committally, as befitted so unlikely
a theory, " that it is the shadow of our world which hides
the moon."
Even the Philosopher's mild abstraction was roused.
" That," said he, " is quite impossible. Anyone can see from
here that it is an insect which eats the moon. It is alive. It
has a spirit. It means war and trouble coining. But it is
only a sign, and Allah will not allow it to go too far."
As if in answer to his words, the moon, a red and sullen
ember, began to reappear: the blackness of sky dissolved
again slowly into luminous spaces: the rattle of tins subsided:
and, leaving the matter of the solar system unsettled, we
were able to sleep.
The fruit of the night's plotting showed itself in time by
the arrival of a young smuggler from over the border. He
wore woollen givas, a white woollen tunic to the knees, and
a round felt cap on his head. He carried a stout stick with
iron-shod knob in his hand, and he treated the question of
policemen along the frontier as a matter of indifference.
" But if you would rather have a passport," said he, " I
have a friend who can easily buy one. It makes an easier
journey for the lady, if one is not afraid of the police."
This seemed a reasonable suggestion, and cheap at the price.
" Let us by all means buy a passport," said I. " And let
us be ready to start to-morrow morning."
The getting of the mules, and finding of a second man
called Alidad, a sinister-looking villain who kept his left eye
closed, and remarked that " to the British, money is like
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