end, sent off one
of his followers to meet his father, and to inform him of what had taken
place. Four days later the man returned; he had met the chief and his
party just as they had reached the river. The latter had resolved at
once to rejoin the desert tribesmen, and to escort the caravan back to
their oasis; his wife, the women, and the animals were to remain there.
The party now at the encampment with Sidi were to join him at once.

"The sheik bids me say," the messenger went on to Sidi, "that he would
that you should not wait until the others are ready to start, but, if he
is willing, should at once ride with your white friend to Cairo, if he
is disposed to go with you; there, from his knowledge of the language of
the Franks, he would be able to gain much information as to their
designs.

"He bids you regard him as your leader, and to act as he may advise. Two
of us are to go with you to look after your horses. He begs that one of
you will come to the base of the Great Pyramid on the twelfth day after
I left him, that is in ten days from now, to tell him what news you
have gathered and to consult with him. He is convinced that the news you
sent him will call all the Arabs to arms again."

"That is just what I should wish," Edgar said. "I have been thinking for
the last four days that I should like to be at Cairo. That is the place
of interest now."

He and his friend talked the matter over. "It will be better," Edgar
said, "that we should go as simple Arabs, and that we should take two
horses of less value than those which we now ride. You could send them
up by the party that will rejoin your father. As two young Arabs on
ordinary horses, we should attract no attention. We could encamp with
our two men just outside the town, and go in and out as we pleased; no
one would be likely to notice or question us. Or we might even wear the
dress of the fellaheen, which would be safer still, for if the Arabs
begin to make attacks upon French parties, as they are likely to do, any
of them wandering in the streets of Cairo might be regarded with
suspicion by the soldiers."

"I will do just as you advise, Edgar. I suppose that we had better start
at once."

"Certainly, as soon as we have eaten a meal. Will the man who brought
the news in be fresh enough to start again at once?"

"Certainly he would," Sidi said in a tone of surprise; "an Arab never
feels fatigue on horseback. Of course he must have a fresh horse. I wil