How does the dervish in "The Story of Baba Abdalla" respond when Baba Abdalla asks him to put the ointment on his right eye?

London includes a quote about john thornton as he is observing hal attempt to motivate the exhausted dogs "it was idle, he knew, to get between a fool and his folly". if the word "idle" is defined as "of no real worth, importance, or significance", what does this statement mean with regard to hal? who is the fool? what is hal's folly? why would john thornton think it of no real worth or useless to intervene?

1. the group spurned the newcomer and accepted him gladly.

Which details from the excerpt best indicate that the tomb is a frightening place ?