oor,
catching light to the pieces of worn-out mats scattered about, and
in less time than it takes to write, the rotten boards flared up.
Helmar, seeing what had happened, backed himself to the wall,
dragging his companion with him.

His movements had been so rapid that even Arden's usual presence of
mind had failed him; but, as he saw the flame burst from the
flooring, he shouted to the Arabs to seize their prisoners.

He had, however, calculated without his host. The house was so
rotten and dry that the flames spread with great rapidity, and the
Arabs, in terror of their lives, made for the door. Seeing this,
almost blinded by the smoke, Helmar and Osterberg dashed to the
window, and, tearing away the two supports, sprang on to the sill.
The supports gone, the weight of their bodies finished the work that
time had begun, and with a terrible crash the wall gave way, and the
companions fell with it. Springing to their feet, quite unhurt, they
found themselves out in the open, and ran off at top speed in the
direction of the town.

They were not a moment too soon, for Arden, at the head of the Arabs
who had escaped by the door, came round the corner and followed in
hot pursuit.

It was almost dark, but George remembered the direction from which
they had approached the desolate house, and with unerring judgment
led the way as fast as his legs could carry him.

Osterberg followed his fleet-footed friend, keeping pace with
difficulty, and they soon reached the boundary of the gardens.

"Which way now?" panted Osterberg, as the dim outline of trees
loomed through the darkness.

"Follow me," cried George in answer, as without a moment's
hesitation he turned a sharp corner.

Each felt rather than knew that the swift-footed Arabs were coming
ever nearer, and that their only means of salvation lay in strategy.
For this reason George preferred the gardens to the open roads.
Since Arabi's rising, Europeans had taken to staying in their houses
at night, rather than run any risk of a stab in the dark, so that
there was little hope of meeting any one who could help them in the
open thoroughfare. The gardens appealed to Helmar on account of
their dense foliage and excellent cover. In case the worst should
come to the worst, they would at least afford them shelter, and he
hoped against hope that by this means he could give their enemies
the slip.

The patter of feet behind them had now grown louder and perfectly
distinct,