o a wine-bottle that Edgar had emptied. As
soon as the moon was fairly up they started, as before, the two Arabs
taking the pole at the sheik's head, Edgar those at his feet, where the
weight was comparatively a light one. Sidi would have divided this with
him, but Edgar laughed at the idea.

"I shall be well pleased, Sidi, if you can do the walk without needing
help; the weight is really nothing. If he had been a big fleshy
Englishman it would be a different thing altogether, but you Arabs are
simply bone and muscle, and divided between three the weight is not
worth talking about."

The blankets had been rolled up and placed across the men's shoulders,
the water-skins hung by their straps on either side, and they carried
the baskets, on which were also placed the bundles of clothes, between
them. No stir or movement showed that the sheik was conscious of being
lifted from the ground. After twenty minutes' walking they got beyond
the area of cultivated ground, and were able to head directly for the
hills, and two hours later they were well up among them, and Edgar and
Sidi agreed that there was small chance indeed of any French parties,
especially of cavalry, searching such broken and rugged ground. A spot
was chosen where the ends of the spears could be laid on two flat stones
high enough to keep the bottom of the hammock from touching the ground
between them.

Sidi bent over his father, and, listening to his breathing, saw that he
was sound asleep. His only share of the burden had been a small, shallow
iron pot, in which a little charcoal fire glowed brightly. A small bag
of this, the most common fuel in Egypt, had been bought in the village.
The broth was poured into a tin, which was hung a short distance above
the fire, so that it would warm slowly. Then Edgar and Sidi, who were
both completely worn out, wrapped themselves, one in his burnoose and
the other in a blanket, and lay down; Hassan and Ali, who had by turns
slept during the day, undertaking to keep watch by the side of the
sheik, and to give him the broth as soon as he woke.

Edgar dropped off to sleep instantly; when he awoke the sun had risen.
He saw that Sidi was still asleep. The hammock had been lowered to the
ground, and Ali was holding the cup to the sheik's lips. Edgar saw at
once that he was better, the drawn expression and the ashen shade round
his lips had greatly abated, and his eyes were brighter. Living so
frugal and active a life, the Ar