in short, an oasis.

After their first surprise had partially subsided, they took counsel as
to their course. Should they stay where they were, and wait for Bill's
return? Or should they follow, in the hope of overtaking him?

Perhaps he might not return? If carried into a camp of barbarous
savages it was not likely that he would. He would be seized and held
captive to a dead certainty. But surely he would not be such a
simpleton as to allow the maherry to transport him into the midst of his
enemies?

Again sprang up their surprise at his not having made an effort to
dismount.

For some ten or fifteen minutes the midshipmen stood hesitating, their
eyes all the while bent on the moonlit opening through which the maherry
had disappeared. There were no signs of anything in the pass, at least
anything like either a camel or a sailor. Only the bright beams of the
moon glittering upon crystals of purest sand.

They thought they heard sounds, the cries of quadrupeds mingling with
the voices of men. There were voices, too, of shriller intonation, that
might have proceeded from the throats of women.

Colin was confident he heard such. He was not contradicted by his
companions, who simply said they could not be sure they heard anything.

But for the constant roaring of the breakers, rolling up almost to the
spot upon which they stood, they would have declared themselves
differently; for at that moment there was a chorus being carried on at
no great distance, in a variety of most unmusical sounds, comprising the
bark of the dog, the neigh of the horse, the snorting scream of the
dromedary, the bleat of the sheep, and the sharper cry of its near
kindred the goat, along with the equally wild and scarce more articulate
utterances of savage men, women, and children.

Colin was convinced that he heard all these sounds, and declared that
they could only proceed from some encampment. His companions, knowing
that the young Scotsman was sharp-eared, made no attempt to question his
belief; but, on the contrary, gave ready credence to it.

Under any circumstances it seemed of no use to remain where they were.
If Bill did not return, they were bound in honour to go after him, and,
if possible, find out what had become of him. If, on the other hand, he
should be coming back, they must meet him somewhere in the pass through
which the camel had carried him off, since there was no other by which
he might conveniently get bac