e Baggara chief has not returned, Ibrahim?" said the
doctor gravely.

"Who can say, Excellency?" replied the old Sheikh, with a shrug of the
shoulders. "He took his young men on what you English people call a
raid--to kill and plunder, and perhaps, as his son did, he has met with
a stronger force. Instead of sweeping away he has perhaps been with his
people swept from the face of the earth. He may have been only driven
aside from his path, but there must have been some serious encounter, or
he would have returned, for he showed us that he loved his son."

"Going?" said the professor, for the Sheikh drew back.

"Yes, Excellency; I must see that our preparations are made. My young
men must be ready. You will give orders for your baggage to be packed,
and before the time for starting my people shall bring up the camels and
load them. The tent can stand till an hour before the time, and you
will all doubtless lie down and rest."

"No," said the professor; "it would be driving things too close. Send
your young men to strike the tent, and we will have everything ready for
the camels. We should none of us sleep, and if we have any time to
spare it will be pleasant enough to lie down on the sand. One minute:
have you any idea which way we shall go?"

"I do not quite know," said the old Arab. "I asked the men, but they
shook their heads. It will not be by the regular caravan track."

"How do you know that?" asked the doctor.

"Because, Excellency, there is water nearly as good as this at the end
of the day's journey."

"Well? What of that?"

"These men must know the tracks as well as I do, Excellencies--perhaps
better. If they were going by the regular road they would know that we
should reach the wells."

"I see," said the professor, nodding his head; "and they are filling
water-skins?"

"Yes, Excellency, and I am told to do the same."

"Then we are going to strike right out into the desert, of course."

"Yes, Excellency, to take the shortest ways; and it looks like flight."

That evening the Hakim visited his one patient, and found him making
excellent progress; but the young chief made no attempt to communicate
the change that was to take place, contenting himself with bowing his
head slowly by way of thanks, and then closing his eyes and turning away
his head. He made signs to Frank, though, soon after, to bring him
water, and the latter noted at once that the young man's eyes looked
pained and