noon
As these unfortunates had , however , supped heartily , they did not mind that . So much could not have been said for the slaves . They had received their last meal of uncooked rice and water , a very insufficient one , about thirty-six hours before , and as they watched the traders at breakfast , their glaring eyes told eloquently of their sufferings . Had these been Yoosoof 's valuable stock , his undamaged goods , he would have given them a sufficiency of food to have kept them up to condition as long as he possessed them ; but being what they were , a very little drop of water and a few grains of raw rice at noon was deemed sufficient to prevent absolute starvation . `` How can you have the heart , '' said Harold at last turning to Yoosoof , `` to treat these poor creatures so cruelly ? '' Yoosoof shrugged his shoulders . `` My fader treat them so ; I follow my fader 's footsteps . ''