to the first train. _Verstehen_?"

"Grasped--and forgotten," said his friend laconically. Just for an
instant his sleepy gaze touched Billy's rugged face, then fell
casually away. "I suppose any comments that occur to me are
superfluous?" he pleasantly observed.

"Completely.... And, Lord Harry, but I'm glad to see you!"

"Same here." Burroughs gave Billy's arm a friendly grip and Billy
spun fiercely about on him. "Don't you do that again!" he warned.
"Take the other one. That's got a--a scratch."

"A scratch? One of those fellows wing you out there? Let me have a
look----"

"No, it's all right--it's nothing----"

"Let me see, you old chump----"

"It's all right, I tell you. It's been taken care of--it's just a
relic of Cairo."

"Cairo!" Slowly Burroughs let fall the hand he had laid upon Billy's
arm. "You do seem to be having a lively trip," he commented,
grinning. "Here, hurry up, you rascals, hurry up with that big jug."

Taking the large jar from them, he returned to the tomb, stopping
abruptly at sight of Arlee's weary abandon. She half sat up, a
frail, exhausted little figure, whose grace was strangely appealing
through all her sandy dishevelment.

"Some water--for washing," he stammered.

"You're very thoughtful."

"I'll have to beg your pardon," he blurted, for Burroughs was no
squire of dames. "I thought you were a little girl and spoke to you
as if----"

"It's just the hairpins that make the difference, isn't it?" said
Arlee, with a whimsical smile. "I don't suppose you have any of
those in camp that I could borrow?"

He shook his head regretfully. Then his brain seized upon the
problem. "Bent wires?" he suggested. "I might try----"

"Do," she besought. "I'll be grateful forever."

He withdrew to make the attempt, and in his place came Billy with a
tray of luncheon.

"Just--put it down," Arlee said faintly. "I'll eat--by and by."

Worriedly Billy looked down on the girl. Her eyes closed. Excitement
had ebbed, leaving her like some spent castaway on the shores. He
dropped on his knees beside her, dipping a clean handkerchief in the
jar of cold cream.

"Just let me get this off," he said quietly. "You'll feel better."

Like a child she submitted, lying with closed eyes while with
anxious care he took the sand from her delicate, burning skin. He
did the same for her listless hands; he brushed back her hair and
put water on her temples; he dabbed more cold cream tenderly on the
patheti