182 - ‘Abdullāh narrated to us, saying: My father narrated to me: Wakī‘ narrated to us, from Nāfi‘ ibn ‘Umar, from Ibn Abī Mulaykah, who said:

When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, emigrated, Abū Bakr set out with him. They took the road to Thawr, and Abū Bakr kept walking sometimes behind him and sometimes ahead of him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, asked him, “What is the matter?”

He replied, “O Messenger of Allah, I fear that you may be attacked from behind, so I fall back; and I fear that you may be attacked from ahead, so I go in front.”

When he reached the cave, Abū Bakr said, “Stay where you are until I sweep it out.”

Nāfi‘ said: A man narrated to me, from Ibn Abī Mulaykah, that Abū Bakr saw a hole and plugged it with his foot, saying, “O Messenger of Allah, if there is a sting or a bite, it will be me who suffers it.”