for to-night," said the doctor pettishly. "I
haven't cut your tongue out yet, so just talk like a Christian. This
vast open place seems to sit upon my spirits, especially now that we're
making this night journey instead of lying comfortably in our beds.
Talk to me. You've done acting enough for the present."

"Very well," said Frank quietly; "but Landon thinks with me, that the
sooner I begin to play my part the sooner I shall make myself perfect."

"Well, yes, of course," grunted the doctor; "but leave it till we put on
our costumes. I say, I think this Sheikh is all right."

"Yes; I have perfect faith in him now."

"So have I. He's a fine old fellow; there is no doubt about that. But
Frank, my lad, I don't think I could have kept this up much longer if
you had gone on with that dumb-motion business. It only wanted that to
give me the horrors, for this night ride seems to be about the most
mysteriously weird business possible to conceive. Just look at the
ghostly appearance of the camels and their leaders, the long, strongly
marked shadows, and the mysterious light! I can't get away from the
idea that it is all a dream."

"That is how it has been impressing us," replied Frank.

"And no wonder. Everything is terribly unreal, and between ourselves I
am beginning to lose heart."

"You?" said Frank reproachfully. "You, the calm, grave surgeon,
accustomed to terrible scenes, to awful emergencies where men's lives
depend upon your coolness and that calm, firm manner in which you face
all difficulties!"

"Yes, at home and in my proper place. But here I seem to be
masquerading--playing, as it were."

"Playing!" said Frank reproachfully.

"Well, I hardly mean that, my dear boy," said the doctor softly; "but
all this is so strange and--well, yes--risky."

"Yes, it is risky," said Frank sadly, "but--"

"Yes, I know," said the doctor, interrupting; "I do think of why we are
doing it, and I can't help shrinking a bit and doubting my nerve to
carry it all through. If I break down in any way I shall sacrifice the
liberty if not the lives of you all. It is this that makes me feel
doubts about my nerve."

"I have none whatever," said Frank quietly. "You know how often you
have talked to me about the operations you have performed."

"Well, yes, I have talked to you a good deal both before and after some
of them. Harry and I always opened out our hearts to one another, and
when he went away he asked me t