nd where it seemed to be vain to look around for
help. No one moved or spoke, but all were animated by the same intense
longing, and that was for the light of day.
Morning seemed as if it would never come. Right in front there was a
great black cloud touching the sea and rising high; but though the wind
set towards the cloud, which grew higher and broader, they knew that at
any time the breeze might change to a furious squall, coming from where
that cloud was gathering; and when it came it would be to find them
numbed and cold, and unable to resist its violence and the beating
waves.
The helpless drowsy sensation was attacking Lawrence again, and he would
have slipped back into the sea but for the strong arm about him. The
dimly-seen figures grew unreal and as if part of a dream, and he was
falling more and more into a state of unconsciousness, when, as if by
magic, there was a patch of light in the sky before them, to right of
the great cloud; there was a dull murmur ahead; then more light, and, as
if by some rapid scenic effect, the stars paled, the sky grew grey, then
pink, red, glowing orange, and it was morning.
Yussuf uttered a low cry of joy, for the dark cloud ahead of them was a
high mountainous land, whose topmost points were beginning to blush with
the first touches of the sun that was rising directly behind.
"We are safe, excellencies!" cried the guide. "In an hour this wind
will carry us to the shore."
"The boy!" cried the professor in a low voice that told of exhaustion.
"He is here and safe," was the reply. "It is day once more, and we can
perhaps better our position."
The words were hopeful and had a stimulating effect, but nothing could
be done. The Greeks could not be trusted, even under the influence of
threats, to go to the help of the professor; and Yussuf dared not quit
his own charge, for Lawrence was too much exhausted to be left alone; so
there was but the one hope--to wait and remain clinging to the side of
the boat until the breeze carried them ashore.
As the sun rose warm and bright it brought with it hope and sent a glow
through the chilled forms of all, but the morning light made nothing
else clear. They were just as they had made themselves out to be in the
darkness.
The sail had been filled now till it was of a goodly size, and they were
borne more swiftly still towards what seemed to be a barren rocky coast;
but the same dread was in the heart of each of the tra
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