ere involved, for she could not endure all this, and
certainly would die either on the road or among the wild and brutalized
hordes of dervishes. What meant the blood of such wretches beside the
life of Nell, and could any one in such a situation hesitate?

"For Nell! For Nell!"

But suddenly a thought flew like a whirlwind through Stas' mind and
caused the hair to rise on his head. What would happen if any one of
the outlaws placed a knife at Nell's breast, and announced that he
would murder her if he--Stas--did not surrender and return the rifle to
them.

"Then," answered the boy to himself, "I should surrender at once."

And with a realization of his helplessness he again flung himself
impotently upon the saddle-cloth.

The moon now peered obliquely through the opening of the cave and it
became less dark. The Arabs snored continually. Some time passed and a
new idea began to dawn in Stas' head.

If, slipping out with the weapon and hiding among the rocks, he should
kill not the men but shoot the camels? It would be too bad and a sad
ending for the innocent animals;--that is true, but what was to be
done? Why, people kill animals not only to save life but for broth and
roast meat. Now it was a certainty that if he succeeded in killing
four, and better still five camels, further travel would be impossible.
No one in the caravan would dare to go to the villages near the banks
to purchase new camels. And in such a case Stas, in the name of his
father, would promise the men immunity from punishment and even a
pecuniary reward and--nothing else would remain to do but to return.

Yes, but if they should not give him time to make such a promise and
should kill him in the first transports of rage?

They must give him time and hear him for he would hold the rifle in his
hand; he would be able to hold them at bay until he stated everything.
When he had done, they would understand that their only salvation would
be to surrender. Then he would be in command of the caravan and lead it
directly to Bahr Yusuf and the Nile. To be sure, at present they are
quite a distance from it, perhaps one or two days' journey, as the
Arabs through caution had turned considerably into the interior of the
desert. But that did not matter; there would remain, of course, a few
camels and on one of them Nell would ride.

Stas began to gaze attentively at the Arabs. They slept soundly, as
people exceedingly tired do, but as the night was wanin