asis of Kharga, to which
despatches also could reach, and besides, if they rode too far west
they would lack water after a few days, and death from thirst would
await them.

And the question of food became a vital one. The Bedouins in the course
of the two weeks preceding the abduction of the children had placed in
hiding-places, supplies of durra, biscuits, and dates, but only for a
distance of four days' journey from Medinet. Idris, with fear, thought
that when provisions should be lacking it would be imperatively
necessary to send men to purchase supplies at the villages on the river
banks, and then these men, in view of the aroused vigilance and reward
offered for the capture of the fugitives, might easily fall into the
hands of the local sheiks,--and betray the whole caravan. The situation
was indeed difficult, almost desperate, and Idris each day perceived
more plainly upon what an insane undertaking he had ventured.

"If we could only pass Assuan! If we could only pass Assuan!" he said
to himself with alarm and despair in his soul. He did not indeed
believe Chamis who claimed that the Mahdi's warriors had already
reached Assuan, as Stas denied this.

Idris long since perceived that the white "uled" knew more than all of
them. But he supposed that beyond the first cataract, where the people
were wilder and less susceptible to the influences of Englishmen and
the Egyptian Government, he would find more adherents of the prophet,
who in a case of emergency would give them succor, and would furnish
food and camels. But it was, as the Bedouins reckoned, about five days'
journey to Assuan over a road which became more and more desolate, and
every stop visibly diminished their supplies for man and beast.

Fortunately they could urge the camels and drive with the greatest
speed, for the heat did not exhaust their strength. During daytime, at
the noon hour, the sun, indeed, scorched strongly but the air was
continually invigorating and the nights so cool that Stas, with the
consent of Idris, changed his seat to Nell's camel, desiring to watch
over her and protect her from catching cold.

But his fears were vain, as Dinah, whose eyes, or rather, eye, improved
considerably, watched with great solicitude over her little lady. The
boy was even surprised that the little one's health thus far did not
suffer any impairment and that she bore the journey, with
everdecreasing stops, as well as himself. Grief, fear, and the tear