CHAPTER VIII.
AN EGYPTIAN TOMB.
While the Arabs were preparing breakfast, Edgar searched for a spotwhere the sheik could lie in shelter during the mid-day heat; for, hotas it was on the desert sands, the heat was fully as great on the barerocks of the hills. After some search he found a spot where two ledgesof rock ran parallel to each other, with a passage of some six feetbetween them, on each side of which they rose perpendicularly sometwelve feet in height. The fissures ran nearly north and south, andtherefore, except for an hour at noon, the bottom was entirely in shade.
It was within half a mile of the spot where they encamped for the night;and returning, the sheik was carried there at once, and was laid on theblanket. The spears were found to be long enough to reach across at thetop. The blanket that had formed the hammock being unrolled, it formed asort of awning that could, when the sun was high, be moved a little oneway or the other, so as to keep him in the shade. Learning from thesheik in which direction the tombs that he had spoken of were situated,Edgar started with Hassan, and after half an hour's walking came uponthem. They were, for the most part, square-cut holes in the face of theperpendicular rock. Some of them were only flanked by pilasters cut inthe stone; others had more ornate designs. All had originally beenclosed by great stone slabs. These had long since been moved or brokenup by treasure-seekers. The plan of most of them was similar--a shortpassage, terminated by a chamber of from ten to twenty feet square.Vestiges of the paintings that originally covered the walls could stillbe seen. Choosing one of the larger tombs, Edgar aided Hassan to removefragments of stones that projected above the dust and sand, which laysix inches deep over the floor. Well satisfied, he returned to thesheik.
"We have found a good place," he said. "The air was quite cool in there,and the sand will make a much more comfortable bed than this bare rock."
The sheik made no reply, but lay looking at him with an expression thatpuzzled him, and he was about to turn to Sidi to ask whether his fatherwas worse, when the latter said, "While you have been away my son hasbeen telling me all that you have done for him, and that it was you whosaved his life as well as mine. I am weak now, I cannot say what is inmy heart, it is too full for words."
"Don't say any thing about it, sheik," Edgar said earnestly. "Did younot adopt me into your tribe? Does not Sidi call me brother? Have younot sheltered me in your tents when I had nowhere else to go? Is it notnatural then that I should do all in my power to repay these benefits,and to rescue you and my brother Sidi from the hands of your enemies? Ideem myself most fortunate that I have been enabled to do so, and,indeed, ran but little risk in either case. It was a small thing tosearch for you among the dead, and to have you carried off; while,having found the disguise of a European, there was no risk of my beingrecognized as having fought against the French when I went to testify infavour of Sidi. Save as to my own name I had need to go but littlebeyond the truth. I had won Sidi's gratitude by aiding him against tworuffians. He had slain a man who was about to attack me, though that didnot take place, as they supposed, at the time of the massacre of theEuropean shopkeepers, but the main facts were true, and there was nofear that in the telling of them I should get myself into trouble."
The sheik shook his head. "'Tis well to say so, my friend, and I supposethat it is the way with your people to make but little of their goodactions. It was not the risk you may have run. Many men are brave, andwe who charged that column of Franks, after those in front of us hadbeen swept away by their cannon, have a right to say that we are notcowards; but you see the difference: Sidi and I thought you dead, butbeyond resolving to avenge you, we did nothing. The idea that we mightdisguise ourselves, and, after the Franks had advanced, gone andsearched the streets and found whether you were still living, neveroccurred to us, and I think that no Arab would have thought of it.
"But you had scarcely passed through the first danger of beingdiscovered than you began to think of us. You learnt that many Arabs hadbeen killed when we poured out of the city, and that others had beentaken prisoners. Wounded yourself, you lose no moment in finding my twofollowers. All night you search among the dead for me, and carry me offto a place of safety. Then, without rest, without pause, you return tothe city and begin to take measures to rescue Sidi. He was in thecitadel, strongly guarded by French troops. There was but one way ofsucceeding. You thought of that way. You planned it all out. Youinvented a likely story, which was yet very close to the truth. You wentinto the midst of the men that you have been fighting against, and youso sustained the character that you had chosen, that none of the Frenchofficers suspected for a moment that you were aught but what you seemed,and so, listening to your pleading on his behalf, let him go free. Welldid I say, the other day, that though we might be beaten, I believedthat you and my son would escape, for that Allah had clearly sent you tosave him from danger, and that he would therefore assuredly preserve youboth."
ALI AND AYALA APPEARED
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"It is Allah, who is our God as well as yours, who is to be thanked,sheik, that all our lives have been preserved," Edgar said reverently,"and that we are again united when so many have perished."
In spite of the shade of the blanket overhead, Edgar found ittremendously hot in the middle of the day, but as soon as the sun hadpassed west, he was able to get some hours' comfortable sleep. A shorttime before sunset they started again and carried the sheik to the cave.The two Arabs did this while Edgar and Sidi loitered behind pulling upthe parched-up bushes that grew here and there among the rocks, andmaking them into faggots. As soon, therefore, as the sheik was laid downthe fire was lighted, giving a cheerful air to the dark chamber. Ali andHassan went down again and brought up the provisions, water, andbundles. The air was cool and pleasant in the tomb, and a hearty mealwas made by all but the sheik, who, however, not only drank a cup ofbroth, but ate some dates with something like an appetite.
"Now, sheik," Edgar said, after he had put some more sticks upon thefire, "we can chat about our future plans. I have been talking withSidi. It must be a fortnight or three weeks before you are fit to sit ahorse again. It is very fortunate, by the way, that you sent yourfavourite horse, as well as Sidi's and mine, back by two of yourfollowers from the Pyramids when you decided to enter the town; and thatwe rode other horses in that charge in Cairo. It would have been a loss,indeed, if those noble steeds of ours had been all killed."
"That was one of my first thoughts when I was able to think," the sheiksaid. "Next to my wife, my son, and you, I love Zeila, and it would havesorely spoiled my joy that we are reunited, had she fallen in thebattle. It was your advice that saved her life also."
"My idea is," Edgar went on, "that either Hassan or Ali shall go back tothe town, get one of their horses, and ride to the oasis, where all yourspare horses and some of your followers are."
"I have thirty men there," the sheik said. "I thought it as well not tobring all, for had misfortune happened, the women and children wouldhave been left without protectors; but there is surely no occasion forHassan to go yet. In three days he might be there, and be back inanother three, and though I hope to mend quickly, surely I could notmount a horse in a week's time."
"That I quite see, sheik, but as your wife and the women are there also,I thought it well that he should start at once. Two or three of your menmay have escaped from that fight. They would be sure to make for theoasis, and will doubtless report that all, save themselves, have beenkilled. Your wife will be mourning for you and Sidi as dead, and it isfor that reason that I would send one of the men at once with the goodnews."
"How thoughtful you are, lad! No gray-beard could think of things morethan you do. I had not once thought that the news might reach her; but,as you say, it may well be that two or three at least of my men may haveescaped. Ali shall start to-morrow at daybreak, but when he has givenhis message to my wife, what next is he to do?"
"I should say, sheik, that he should bid your men be at the GreatPyramid in twenty-one days from thi
s, and that on the following morningyou will join them there at daybreak."
"I may be well enough before that," the sheik said.
"That we cannot say for certain," Edgar said; "'tis best that we shouldname a date when we may hope that you will be fit to ride long and faragain if need be. We know not what are the plans of the French, but 'tislike enough that though they may have granted pardon to the people ofthe city, Bonaparte will endeavour to strike some heavy blows at theArabs. He knows how terribly they harassed him on his march here, andthat wheresoever his troops may move, they will again swarm round him.He has overawed Cairo, and can safely leave a small garrison there if hemarches away. And he may well seek to overawe the Arabs by makingexpeditions against their oases, which he can now easily do, as hiscavalry are all mounted on Egyptian horses, capable of supporting thirstand making long journeys, and he may think that by striking at yourcamping-places, cutting down your palm-trees, and filling up your wells,he may compel you to promise to cease from all attacks upon his troops."
"He might certainly damage us greatly in that way," the sheik agreed;"but few of his horses are equal to ours. You may be sure that thetribes near Alexandria, who basely sold him horses, did not part withtheir best, while those the Franks took at Cairo are not accustomed tothe desert, save, indeed, those of the Mamelukes, of whom there werefew, for most of their horses were killed with their masters. But werethey even as well mounted as we are, they might indeed reach our oasesand do terrible damage, as for ourselves, we could laugh at them, forthey would have to carry far heavier weights. It is not that the Frenchsoldiers are heavier than we are, but with their riding-boots, theiraccoutrements, their valises, and other matters, they would ride fromforty to fifty pounds heavier than we should, and their horses,unaccustomed to such burdens, would soon tire. Would it not be well tobid, say, four men, to come straight hither to act as a guard?"
"I think not, sheik; the fewer of us there are about here the better,and were we discovered, four men or forty would be useless. We mightdefend the mouth of the tomb for a short time, but even were we to beatoff every attack, it would be but a matter of hours before we wereforced to surrender for want of water. Hassan can start with Alito-morrow morning, and bring the second horse back here; it will be veryuseful for bringing up water and provisions. And now that Hassan has hispeasant dress on, he would attract little attention were he noticedriding among the hills. I will tell him to buy two more skins, largerthan those we have. The four will then bring up sufficient water to lastus and the horse for three days at least, so that he will only have tomake an occasional journey down to the village. Indeed, there areseveral villages within a short distance of each other on the riverbank, and by going sometimes to one and sometimes to another for foodand water, he will not attract attention at all."
"So be it," the sheik said. His voice now had weakened, and, afterdrinking some more broth, he composed himself for sleep--an examplewhich was speedily imitated by the others. Sidi gave Ali and Hassan thenecessary instructions, and before they started, Edgar took the formerapart and had a private conversation with him.
"It is possible, Ali, that the sheik's wife will, when you arrive there,want to start at once to attend him. If she does, do not try to dissuadeher, it will be a great comfort to him to have her with him, and willaid his recovery. I know that she is skilful in the dressing of wounds,and will be able to cook things such as he would like, far better thanwe could. No one can guide her here but yourself. Of course, when youare once fairly across the river, you will take off that long blue gown,and ride in your Arab dress, and she will ride with you in her owndress, until you get within a short distance of the river; beyond that,of course, you will again put the peasant's dress on; and before youstart to-day get such a dress also for her, and let her slip it on overher own.
"It were best that you did not approach the ferry until it is gettingdark. You would do well to bring a comrade to take the two horses back;Ayala could not use them. One frequently sees women riding on donkeys,but for a peasant woman to be mounted on a horse would be unusual.Besides, we should not know what to do with them here, and they wouldhave to go down every day for water. If you start at noon to-day fromCairo, you will be there on the afternoon of the third day, and if youstart again next morning will be here on the sixth day. I will light afire a short distance from the front of the cave so as to act as a guideto you when you get into the rough ground. If you are not here thatnight I shall know that she is not coming. I shall say nothing about itto the sheik or Sidi; it is better that they should not be lookingforward to it. If she did not come they might be fearing that somemisadventure had happened on the journey. In any case, you understandthat you are not to propose it to her, but are to remain altogethersilent on the subject unless she herself insists on coming."
Hassan returned with the horse carrying the four water-skins and someprovisions, including a supply of coffee, just as darkness set in; hereported that Ali had started before noon. The next six days passedquietly. Hassan went down twice with the horse for water, fresh meat,fowls, and other provisions, and a supply of grain for the horse, whichwas stabled in the next tomb to that they occupied. The sheik gainedstrength, slowly indeed but steadily. At each meal he took a basin ofbroth prepared either from fresh meat or chicken, and to Edgar'ssatisfaction his hands remained cool, and there were no signs of fever.On the sixth day he was able to sit up, leaning against the wall of thechamber.
At dusk that evening Edgar strolled out, as he usually did, to enjoy thecool evening air. He told Hassan to accompany him, and they soon pluckedup some withered and dead bushes among those growing between the rocks.These were piled some twenty yards on one side of the entrance to thetomb. Then Hassan went into the chamber, picked up a piece of glowingcharcoal out of the fire with which to light his pipe, placed it on thebowl, and after taking two or three draws, went out into the air. Thepiece of charcoal was placed among some dried leaves and twigs and blownuntil a flame shot up. Then some dried sticks, which had been collectedfor the purpose, were placed carefully on this, and the fire soon burnedup.
"That will do, Hassan," Edgar said. "I don't want a big blaze that canbe seen a long distance away. You sit here and feed it carefully, so asto keep up the flame not more than a foot or two in height."
Hassan obeyed the orders. Ali had told him on leaving that he mightpossibly return with the sheik's wife, but that he was not to mention itto Sidi or the sheik himself. Edgar walked up and down near the fire. Anhour later he heard voices below, and gave an exclamation of pleasure,and two or three minutes later Ali and Ayala appeared within the circleof light, the former leading the horse on which she was sitting.
"How is he?" she exclaimed, as she slipped from the saddle, and hurriedforward to meet Edgar.
"He is getting on very well; he is gaining strength, and has had nofever. I will lead you to him. Hassan, you can put out that fire now,but bring some of the brands into the tomb; they will make a cheerfulblaze. Perhaps you had better do that before we go in. If the sheik askswhy you do it, say it is by my orders, and that I thought it would bemore cheerful than the glow of the charcoal.
"He will not be a minute, Ayala, and were you to go in now you wouldscarce see him or he you."
With the patient obedience of Arab women she stopped at once.
"Ali has told me," she said, turning to him, "how much you have done forus, and how you saved the lives of both my husband and son."
"I was fortunate in being able to do so," he replied, "and that withoutthe slightest risk to myself." Then changing the subject, he went on, "Ithought that you would wish to come."
"Certainly I should," she said. "My place is by his side. And is Sidiwell also? And you--Ali said that you also were wounded?"
"Mine was a trifling business," he said, "and Sidi's not much worse. Weboth suffered from loss of blood, which perhaps is a good thing, as wehave had no fever, and though our wounds are somewhat sore, we havealmost ceased to think of them. There, I can see by the
light that thefire is burning up inside. Now we will go in. Keep a little way behindme; it would startle him were you to go in suddenly."
He walked into the tomb.
"Sheik," he said, "here is a friend come to see you."
"A friend!" the sheik repeated in surprise. "Who is it?"
"She has ridden all the way from the oasis, sheik. I was sure she wouldcome. She is your wife!" and Ayala ran forward and threw herself uponher knees by the side of the sheik. Edgar went out with Hassan, and leftthem and Sidi together.
Ayala now took the entire charge of the sheik. Edgar went downfrequently to one or other of the villages on the river bank, partly forchange and exercise, partly to learn what he was doing at Cairo. Heheard that, under the direction of French engineers, the greater portionof the population of Cairo were employed in building forts on elevatedpositions round the town, where the guns would completely dominate thecity, that it was said that the Sultan had declared war with France, andthat an army from Syria had advanced and had established itself at afort in the desert half-way between the frontier of Syria and Egypt.
"I made sure," he said, after talking the news over with the shiek andSidi, "that the Sultan would be driven to declare war against theFrench. It would have been impossible for him to have allowed the Frenchpermanently to establish themselves as masters of his province of Egypt.Even if he himself had been willing to suffer it, the whole Moslempopulation would have risen against him. No doubt the news of thedestruction of the French fleet decided him to take this step. Now thatno more reinforcements can reach them here, he may well consider thathis army is capable of annihilating them. The Turks are goodsoldiers--that is to say, they have always shown themselves capable offighting desperately when well led.
"Unfortunately, that is not likely to be the case. The pashas have noexperience in war, while the French have the best generals in Europe.The Turks are badly disciplined, while the French are veteran soldierswith perfect confidence in themselves and in their leaders. Still, inany case, this will greatly increase Napoleon's difficulties; he willhave to send the greater portion of his army to meet the Turks, at thesame time will have to keep Egypt in subjection. The British governmentwill be blind if they do not see that the opportunity is a grand one forstriking a blow at the French, and I should think that they would erelong send an army out here, though they may not do so unless they seethat the Turks alone can do nothing against them."
Later Edgar heard that columns of French cavalry had gone out into thedesert and had driven away the bodies of Arabs that had assembled againa few miles off the Nile. They had, however, been unable to gain anyadvantages over them, as the Arabs had always fallen back upon theirapproach, and the French, finding pursuit useless, had returned to thecity. Once or twice a few Arabs had been killed when the cavalry hadbeen so closely followed by a battery of artillery that the Arabs wereunaware that the French had guns with them, and had therefore contentedthemselves with keeping beyond carbine shot, their first intimation oftheir presence having been when the cavalry rode rapidly to the rightand left, leaving the guns exposed.
Even then their loss had been slight, for the slight undulations of thedesert afforded shelter, and riding at full speed along some hollow theywere almost out of range before the artillery could limber up after thefirst discharge of their guns and advance to a position whence theycould see their flying foes.
By the end of the three weeks the sheik was strong enough to walk up anddown for some time in front of the tomb, and he declared himself quiteable to make the journey. Edgar had some doubt on the subject, but heknew that the Arabs were so thoroughly at home on their horses that theyscarcely felt the slightest inconvenience after the longest day'sjourney, and Zeila's pace was so easy and smooth that he hoped the chiefmight not suffer from it.
At two o'clock on the morning of the day when the band would be awaitingthem at the Pyramids the party started. All, save the sheik, were intheir peasant disguises. He was in his Arab dress, disdaining, howevergreat the occasion, to put on the dress of a peasant. He wore, however,a dark burnoose which completely covered his figure. Edgar and Sidi had,the day before, carefully examined the face of the hill, and had found atrack by which peasants drove up their goats to pasture among the hillsat the time when the shrubs were sufficiently fresh and green for themto browse. The chief mounted the horse with an exclamation of pleasureat finding himself again in the saddle. The two lads led the way a paceor two in front of the horse. Ayala walked by the side of her husband.Hassan and Ali followed behind with the second horse.
The descent required great care. Although Sidi carried a torch, it tookthem upwards of an hour to get to the foot of the hills. When on thelevel ground Ayala was assisted to mount Ali's horse, and they went morebriskly along. There was, however, no occasion for haste, for the ferrywas but four miles away, and the boat would not cross until dawn. Ali,however, had gone down on the previous day and had bargained with theferryman to be ready, as soon as it was light, to take over a party whohad a long journey to make. Dawn was just breaking as they reached thebanks of the river. A few moments later the ferryman arrived. He lookedsurprised at seeing an Arab with four peasants, but made no remark; hewas to be well paid for getting up two hours earlier than usual, and itwas no business of his whether an Arab crossed or not. The sheik, hiswife, and the two lads first got on board, then Ali and Hassan led thehorses and stood by their side as the boat pushed out from the shore. Inten minutes they were across. As soon as they landed, the sheik andAyala mounted and set off at an amble--a pace between a walk and a trot,the two legs on each side moving together. This pace is in general useamong horses in Egypt and Turkey, and is as comfortable and easy as awalk.
The sun had risen half an hour when they neared the Pyramid. As soon asthey were seen a party of thirty horsemen dashed out and rode towardsthem at full gallop, brandishing their spears or guns over their heads,and as they approached uttering shouts of welcome. Sidi and the twoArabs had, like Ayala, taken off their peasant smocks and caps, and hadwound their turbans round their heads as soon as they had landed. Tothem the disguise was very repugnant, for the Arabs looked down withsupreme contempt upon the fellah population of Egypt. Edgar had followedtheir example, not from any dislike to the dress, but because he thoughtthat the sheik would prefer rejoining his followers, with the wholeparty dressed in Arab costume.
There was no doubting the genuineness of the welcome that the Beni Ouafygave their chief. Until Ali had arrived with news of their escape, they,like his wife, had deemed that he and his son had fallen, and there wasdeep emotion in their faces as they circled round and round the littleparty, discharging their guns, tossing their spears in the air, catchingthem as they fell, and shouting their welcome. The sheik and those withhim fired off their guns as the party came up, and the sheik, in spiteof his efforts to maintain the impassive expression of his face, wasevidently much moved. As soon as the demonstration ceased he startedagain without a word. The others followed his example, and they rode ina body until they reached the Pyramids, when he dismounted. In aninstant all were off their horses and gathered round him.
"My brothers," he said, "I thank you for my welcome. It gladdens myheart to be among you again, but I cannot forget that many saddles havebeen emptied, that many of our women are widows and their childrenfatherless. I rode away with fifty men. I hear that but ten, and theyall wounded, returned to your tents. Two, Ali and Hassan, remained withthe horses; the rest met their death with their face to the foe, dyingas a Moslem should do in defence of his faith and his country. But theloss to us is a grievous one; half of our fighting strength is gone. Youhave heard from Ali that had it not been for this brave young friend,whom you regard as one of yourselves, since he is my son's adoptedbrother, both I and my son would have died. Later I will tell you how hesought for and carried me senseless from among the dead upon the fieldof battle, and how he ventured into the council of the Franks and bystratagem persuaded them to free my son, who was one of the Arabprisoners. br />
"It will be a tale to tell your children how this English lad, himselfwounded, saved the lives of the sheik of your tribe and his son. Butthis is no time for telling it to you in full now. See, there is a greatdust rising by the river; it is probably the cavalry of the Franks, withperhaps some guns. They are far away yet, but it will not be long beforethey are here. I have resolved to journey quietly back to our home. Ifeel that it will be some time ere I shall be fit to ride fast and far.My wife will, of course, accompany me. I will take Ali and Hassan andtwo others. We shall travel quietly and slowly, and shall keep well outfrom the river, so as to run no risk of falling in with any fresh party.The rest of you will ride back to fetch the women and children, with thecamels and other animals, and to warn my brother that bodies of Frenchcavalry are moving about, devastating the oases, cutting downpalm-trees, and filling up wells. I should advise him, for the sake ofthe tribe, to hasten to make his submission, which, as he did not takepart in the rising in Cairo, he may well be able to do, though they willperhaps send him into that town, and hold him as a hostage for hispeople. Now bring out the horses."
Zeila was first brought up, and her delight was as great as that of thesheik at the meeting, but there was no time for prolonged endearments.After a few loving words to the horse the sheik mounted. Ayala, who wasto ride behind him, was lifted to her seat, Ali and Hassan, with two menthe sheik picked out, sprang into their saddles, and the party startednorth. Then Sidi and Edgar mounted their own steeds and set out with therest towards the south-west. By this time the French were within a mileof them, and it could be made out that they were a body of some fifteenhundred cavalry, who were, as far as could be seen, unaccompanied byguns.
"'Tis probable that they are going a long distance," Edgar said, "andthat the guns would much delay them, for it is hard work indeed draggingthem over the sands."
The French had already experienced that they had no chance of overtakingthe Arabs, and the cavalry accordingly paid no attention to so small aparty, but continued their journey at a trot. After riding for four orfive miles they were left far behind by the tribesmen, but thedust-cloud showed their position.
"They are coming exactly the way that we are," Sidi said, looking back;"it may be that they are bound for my uncle's oasis."
"It would be as well to find that out, Sidi. Do you give me two of yourbest mounted men and then ride straight on with the others. We willremain here till they approach, and then ride on for another eight orten miles, still keeping them in sight. They will assuredly camp at thewells of Orab if they are making for the oasis. These are about twentymiles from the Nile, and they will go no further to-day, for it is asmuch again before they come to another well. When we have with certaintymade out that they are making for the wells of Orab, we will follow youat full speed, but do not wait for us, and, save to give your horses adrink, do not draw rein till you reach your people and deliver yourfather's message. I don't suppose that I shall overtake you before youget there, but I shall not be long after you, and my report may decidehim what he had best do."
Sidi at once picked out two men who were, he knew, among the bestmounted of the tribe, and told them to remain with Edgar and act underhis orders. Then at a much more rapid pace than before he pursued hisjourney. Edgar and his men dismounted, sitting down on the sands untilthe French were again within a mile of them, then they cantered onahead. The French had followed so exactly the line along which the partyhad ridden that Edgar felt quite convinced that they were making for thewells. However, he kept at the same distance ahead of them until theArabs told him that they were now within five miles of the water.
"Then we will go on," he said. "It is certain now that they are goingthere, and as you say there are no camping grounds within many miles ofthe wells, I think it is certain that they are bound for the oasis ofthe Beni Ouafy."
They now rode at full speed to the wells. Here for a quarter of an hourthey halted, refilled their water-skins, gave the horses a drink and ahandful of dried dates, eat a few themselves, and then started on theirlong ride. Had not Edgar had perfect confidence in the Arabs' knowledgeof the country he would have felt uneasy, as hour after hour they rodeacross wastes of sand without, so far as he could see, any landmarkwhatever to guide their course. He remarked this to them. Both smiled.
"You Franks can make your way over the sea when there is nothingwhatever to guide you," one of the men said; "it would be strange if wecould not do the same over the land that we have traversed many timesbefore."
"At sea they have a compass with a needle that points always to thenorth, so that they know in what direction they are going."
"We have the sun," one of the Arabs answered; "but even without that wecould find our way, and do so even on the darkest night. The horses knowthe way as well as we do. When they have once journeyed over a trackthey never forget it, and even did they swerve a little it would notmatter, for they can smell water miles away, and would always, ifunguided, make for it."
At ten in the evening Edgar rode into the Bedouins' encampment, havingpassed over eighty miles since leaving the Pyramid. Sidi's party hadarrived there half an hour earlier, and he found that his friend was nowin the tent of the sheik. Edgar went there at once, and Sidi introducedhim to his uncle, who was some years older than his father.
"I am rejoiced to see you," the sheik said gravely. "I heard how you hadbefore befriended Sidi, and the messenger who arrived here told us howyou had saved the lives of my brother and nephew, and I wanted to seeyour face.
"Truly you are young, indeed, to have done such wonderful deeds, and tohave so much wisdom, as well as courage. Sidi tells me that some fifteenhundred of the Frankish cavalry are riding hither."
"I think that there can be no doubt of it," Edgar replied. "Certainlythey have gone to the wells of Orab. We left them but a short distancefrom it. They will camp there to-night. They may, for aught I know,change their direction to-morrow, but in any case it will be three daysbefore they are here. They would not journey more than twenty miles aday."
"They are too strong for us to fight," the sheik said. "I was at thebattle near Cairo, though, as we arrived late, and did not know at whatpoint my brother's men were gathered, I did not join them, but when allwas over rode off with Mourad and his Mamelukes. I can put but sixhundred horsemen in the field at short notice; though, had I a week'stime, I could call up another four hundred, who are encamped at somewells far away to the west. But even were they here I could not ventureto engage in open fight with fifteen hundred Franks.
"I have given orders that at daybreak the tents shall be struck, and allthe women and children, with the baggage and as many bunches of dates asthe camels can carry, shall start at once for the wells of Azim, seventymiles away. It is a long journey, and there is no water by the way, sothere is no fear of the French following. There are already a hundred ofmy tents there, for although this oasis is a large one, being nigh eightmiles long and two wide, it is not large enough for the whole of mypeople. The one at Azim is smaller, but it will support us for a time;and there is an abundance of water for the camels, which number twelvehundred, and the sheep and goats, of which there are about two thousand.A hundred of my men will ride with them as a guard, and to drive theanimals.
"With the others I shall, if the Franks do damage here, harass them ontheir retreat, and by dashing among them at night will do them such harmthat they may regret the day that they came hither. Sidi will start inthe morning with the women and camels of his father's branch of thetribe. I shall send in the morning two horsemen with a white flag tomeet the Franks, and to tell them, in my name, that none of my followershave aught to do with the affair in Cairo, and that I desire to live inpeace with them. Upon their return I shall know what to do."
An Arab woman now brought in refreshments, consisting of a pillau andsherbet, after which coffee was handed round, and Sidi and Edgar threwthemselves down on heaps of blankets for a few hours' sleep. As soon asday broke, the encampment was a scene of bustle and confusio
n. The womenpulled down the tents, rolled up the blankets composing them, andfastened the poles in bundles. Numbers of men scattered to cut bunchesof dates, and of these huge piles were collected. Three hours later thecamels were brought up, and men and women alike employed in loadingthem. This occupied over an hour. As soon as it was completed, the womenand children took their places on the top of the burdens, and the camelsat once filed off, three abreast.
A party with the sheep, goats, and spare horses had started as soon asit was light. The rest of the escort scattered themselves along on eachside of the long column of camels. Sidi's party left at the same hour.The sheik up to that time had been engaged in superintending thearrangements for shifting camp, and asked Sidi and Edgar to stop behindfor an hour or two in order that he might hear a full account of theevents at Cairo. When the story was finished they partook of a meal, andthen, after saying adieu, mounted and rode off, and in an hour's timeovertook the slow-moving cavalcade. Six days' travel took them to theirold camping-ground, where the sheik, with his little party, had arrivedthree days previously.