o the spot.

A moment of silence followed, after which Idris' loud voice resounded:

"To the road! To the road!"

XI

A day passed, a night, and yet another day and they drove constantly
southward, halting only for a brief time in the khors in order not to
fatigue the camels too much, to water and feed them, and also to divide
their provisions and water. From fear of the pursuit they turned yet
farther to the west, for they did not have to concern themselves about
water for some time. The downpour had lasted indeed not more than seven
hours, but it was as tremendous as if a cloud-burst had occurred on the
desert. Idris and Gebhr as well as the Bedouins knew that on the beds
of the khors and in those places where the rocks formed natural
cavities and wells they would, for a few days, find enough water to
suffice not only for their and the camels' immediate wants but even for
replenishing their supplies. After the great rain, as usual, splendid
weather followed. The sky was cloudless, and the air so transparent
that the view reached over an immeasurable distance. At night the
heaven, studded with stars, twinkled and sparkled as if with thousands
of diamonds. From the desert sands came a refreshing coolness.

The camel-humps already grew smaller but the animals, being well-fed,
were, according to the Arabian expression, "harde," that is, they were
unimpaired in strength and ran so willingly that the caravan advanced
but little slower than on the first day after their departure from
Gharak el-Sultani. Stas with astonishment observed that in some of the
khors, in rocky fissures protected from rain, were supplies of durra
and dates. He inferred from this that, before their abduction, certain
preparations were made and everything was pre-arranged between Fatma,
Idris, and Gebhr on one side and the Bedouins on the other. It was also
easy to surmise that both the Bedouins were Mahdist adherents and
believers, who wanted to join their leader, and for that reason were
easily drawn into the plot by the Sudanese. In the neighborhood of
Fayum and ground Gharak el-Sultani there were quite a number of
Bedouins who with their children and camels led a migratory life on the
desert and came to Medinet and the railway stations for gain.

Stas, however, had never seen these two before, and they also could not
have been in Medinet, for it appeared they did not know Saba.

The idea of attempting to bribe them occurred to the boy, b