grief, _great sorrow; distress_.
draughts (drafts), _quantities of water taken at one time_.
quenched, _satisfied; put out_.
re' cently, _newly; lately_.
flick'er ing, _fluttering; keeping in motion_.
greed'ily, _very eagerly_
pre'cious, _of great price; costly_.
wea'ry, _very tired_.
refresh'ing, _cooling; reviving_.
* * * * *
ALI, THE BOY CAMEL-DRIVER.
PART II.
Poor Ali suffered like the rest from terrible thirst. He drank the last
drop of water from his water-bottle, and thought of the morrow with
fear.
He was so tired when night came, he was glad to lie down by the side of
Meek-eye and go to sleep. Ali slept, but before morning, was awakened by
the sound of voices.
He listened, and heard the chief driver tell one of the merchants that,
if they did not find water very soon, the next day a camel must be
killed, in order to get the water contained in its stomach.
This is often done in cases of great need in the desert, the stomach of
the camel being so formed as to hold a great quantity of water.
Ali was not surprised to hear such a thing spoken of; but what was his
distress and alarm, when he heard the merchant propose that it should be
"the boy's camel" that should be killed!
The merchant said the other camels were of too good a kind, and of too
much value; while, as to this young boy, what business had he to have a
camel of his own?
It would be better far, they said, for him to lose his camel than for
him to die, like the rest, of thirst.
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