at was the question; as I can assure the reader, one that
we found very urgent and interesting.

Three hours had gone by. Now we were opposite to the lights of Harmac,
also to other lights that shone up a valley in the mountain to our
right. As yet everything was well; for this we knew by the words
whispered up and down the line.

Then of a sudden, in front of us a light flashed, although as yet it
was a long way off. Next came another whispered message of "Halt!" So we
halted, and presently one of the front guides crept back, informing us
that a body of Fung cavalry had appeared upon the road ahead. We took
counsel. Shadrach arrived from the rear, and said that if we waited
awhile they might go away, as he thought that their presence must be
accidental and connected with the great festival. He implored us to be
quite silent. Accordingly, not knowing what to do, we waited.

Now I think I have forgotten to say that the dog Pharaoh, to prevent
accidents, occupied a big basket; this basket, in which he often rode
when tired, being fixed upon one side of Orme's camel. Here he lay
peaceably enough until, in an unlucky moment, Shadrach left me to go
forward to talk to the Captain, whereon, smelling his enemy, Pharaoh
burst out into furious baying. After that everything was confusion.
Shadrach darted back toward the rear. The light ahead began to move
quickly, advancing toward us. The front camels left the road, as I
presume, following their leader according to the custom of these beasts
when marching in line.

Presently, I know not how, Orme, Quick, and myself found ourselves
together in the darkness; at the time we thought Higgs was with us also,
but in this we were mistaken. We heard shoutings and strange voices
speaking a language that we could not understand. By the sudden glare of
a flash of lightning, for the thunderstorm was now travelling over
us, we saw several things. One of these was the Professor's
riding-dromedary, which could not be mistaken because of its pure white
colour and queer method of holding its head to one side, passing within
ten yards, between us and the road, having a man upon its back who
evidently was not the Professor. Then it was that we discovered his
absence and feared the worst.

"A Fung has got his camel," I said.

"No," answered Quick; "Shadrach has got it. I saw his ugly mug against
the light."

Another vision was that of what appeared to be our baggage camels moving
swiftly away