to me freely.
They must have guessed, when they saw me speaking to you, that I
was warning you; but I don't think things are right. The children
are all in the houses, instead of playing about in the street. A
few of the women are standing at their doors, but most of them are
inside, too."

"But if the men are thinking of attacking us why shouldn't they do
so, at once?"

"There are not above twenty or thirty men here, sahib. They may not
think they are strong enough. Perhaps they have sent to some of the
villages, for help."

"Likely enough, Yossouf; I did not think of that. Do you go up
above the village, and have a good look round. I will try and
persuade my friends to be moving."

Yossouf moved off at once; and Will stood for a minute or two,
thinking what was the best to do. The position was not pleasant.
Yossouf's suspicions might be altogether unfounded; but Will had
found him to be so uniformly right, on former occasions, that he
did not like to neglect his advice, now. After a little further
thought, he joined his companions.

"Come," he said, "we had really better be moving. I believe we are
in real danger."

The earnestness with which he spoke roused the others, who were all
lying at full length on the ground.

"But as we said before, Gale," Fortescue urged, "why shouldn't they
now attack us, if they wanted to? We have been here more than an
hour."

"Perhaps they may think we shall all take a nap, after our tiffin,"
Will replied; "perhaps--as Yossouf thinks--they have sent off to
some other villages, for assistance. He has gone up the hillside to
look out. Anyhow, I can assure you, I think we had better be
moving."

"It is beastly hot," Hammond said, getting up and stretching
himself; "but as you are so earnest about it, Gale, perhaps we had
better make a move. As you say, you know no end more of these
fellows than we do; and you certainly ain't a fellow to get into a
funk about nothing.

"Come on, boys, we had better do as Gale tells us."

"That's right," Will said, cheerfully. "And look here, if we get
away from here without any disturbance, and find it all right, we
can halt again, at the first shady place we come to; and stop there
for two or three hours, till it gets cool."

"Wait a moment," he went on, as Hammond was about to order the
ponies to be saddled. "Just let us settle what we had best do,
should they attack us; which, if they mean it, they will do when
they see we are moving