camel.
Keep well hidden up there, Guru!"

With this parting admonition he departed. As they walked slowly back
toward the camp, Charlie saw Schoverling pause amid the bushes, fling
out his arm as if talking to some one, and point toward the shore. At
one place he called Bakari and two of the warriors, whose appearance and
disappearance caused a flutter in the group of Arabs.

Selim, meanwhile, had mounted a camel and was approaching the shore. It
was only three in the afternoon, and the stately Arab, clad in pure
white from head to foot, gleamed in the sunshine, to the admiration of
the boys. He drove his ungainly steed into the water and they splashed
across. Schoverling, returning, met them at the shore of the island, and
led the camel forward to the camp.

Selim cast quick glances to right and left, but the gate-post hole and
the treasure were hid beneath canvas and behind the grazing horses--a
touch of Jack's. The camel knelt, and the Arab slipped off, Charlie
dividing his attention between the man and the ugly, thick-lipped camel.

They all shook hands with smiling courtesy, as if rifles had not been
leveled five minutes before, and squatted on blankets around the folding
canvas table. Gholab was just making ready tea and a slice of game for
the Arab.

"So," smiled Selim, though his black eyes narrowed, "you found the
wonderful lake of Quilqua, after all! Did you have any guides?"

"We had Mowbray for a guide," retorted Schoverling dryly. A look of
astonishment went over the dark face as the explorer handed him his own
map. Then, in a few words, the General related how they had found
Mowbray and produced the letter in proof. As he finished, Gholab came up
with the tea, the plate of impalla for Selim, and one or two biscuits.
The Arab glanced at the game hesitatingly.

"All right, Selim," declared the explorer. "There is no salt on it. Take
away the biscuits, Gholab."

Charlie and Jack interchanged a meaning glance. The Arab would eat no
salt with them, which was not a good sign. But he fell to on the
venison with gusto, and for half an hour the talk was merely of the
country, the game, and their trip. Selim stated that the Arabs who
deserted Mowbray had all perished crossing the desert except one, who
had remained to guide him with a rescue party. He congratulated them
warmly over their first elephant hunt, and also on their battle with the
buffalo. But at last Schoverling became exasperated.

"Look her