'I hear and obey the judgment of the Imam，'answered the Bedouin'and am content to submit me to the requirement of the law of Islam；but I have a young brotherwhose old fatherbefore his deathappointed to him great store of wealth and much gold and committed his affair to mesaying，'I give this into thy hand for thy brother；keep it for him with thy might.'So I took the money and buried it；nor doth any know of it but I. Nowif thou adjudge me to die forthright，the money will be lost and thou wilt be the cause of its loss；wherefore the little one will sue thee for his due on the day when God shall judge His creatures. Butif thou wilt grant me three days'delayI will appoint one to undertake the boy's affairin my steadand return to answer my debt；and I have one who will be my surety for this my word.'
The Khalif bowed his head awhilethen raised it and looking round upon those presentsaid'Who will be surety to me for his return？'The Bedouin looked at the faces of those who were in company and pointing to Abou Dherrsaid'This man will answer for me and be my surety.'O Abou Dherr，'said Omar，'dost thou hear what this youth says and wilt thou be surety to me for his return？'YesO Commander of the Faithful，'answered Abou Dherr'I will be surety for him three days.'
So the Khalif accepted his guarantee and let the young man go.
Nowat the appointed timewhen the days of grace were nearly or quite at end and still the Bedouin came notthe Khalif sat in his councilwith the Companions surrounding him，like the stars about the moonAbou Dherr and the plaintiffs being also present；and the latter said'O Abou Dherrwhere is the defendant and how shall he returnhaving once escaped？