They found Nimrud waiting patiently for them outside the hospital.
“Praise be to God!” he exclaimed when he saw them. “I like thee not out of my sight in this town of infidels. Should harm come to thee—”
“Yes, we know,” cut in Worrals. “Your face would be blackened.”
“W’allah! That is the truth,” agreed Nimrud apprehensively.
W’allah!“You’re not really concerned about us, are you?” remarked Frecks tartly. “You just don’t want your face blackened.”
Nimrud shrugged. “What is a girl, more or less?”
“You go on talking in that strain, you honey-coloured hulk, and you’ll get your eye blackened, never mind your face,” rejoined Frecks crisply as they walked on.
Nimrud chuckled. “By the ninety-nine names of Allah! This is strange talk for a bint.”
bint“You’ll hear stranger before I’m throug
