e group by the hot spring suspiciously.

"A false alarm, Yussuf," said the professor smiling.

"No, effendi," he replied; "these are evil men. Let us get on and not
stop at this village, but make our way to the next by another track
which I know, so as to reach the old ruined city, and they may not
follow. If they do, I think they will not suspect the way we have
gone."

There seemed to be reasons for Yussuf's suspicions, the men having a
peculiarly evil aspect. A perfectly honest man sometimes belies his
looks, but when a dozen or so of individuals mounted upon shabby Turkish
ponies, all well-armed, and wearing an eager sinister look upon their
countenances, are seen together, if they are suspected of being a
dishonest lot, there is every excuse for those who suspect them.

"'Pon my word, Preston," said Mr Burne, "I think we had better get off
as soon as possible."

"Oh, I don't know," replied the professor; "the men cannot help their
looks. We must not think everyone we see is a brigand."

"You may think that those are, effendi," said Yussuf in his quiet way.
"Let us get on. You go to the front and follow the track beyond the
village--you can make no mistake, and I will hang back and try and find
out whether we are followed."

"Do you think there is danger, then?" whispered the professor.

"I cannot say, effendi; it may be so. If you hear me fire, be on your
guard, and if I do not return to you, hasten on to the next village, and
stay till you have sent messengers to find an escort to take you back."

"Yussuf! is it so serious as that?"

"I don't know, effendi. I hope not, but we must be prepared."

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

A STARTLING CHECK.

Yussuf's suspicions seemed to be without reason, for the rest of that
day's journey was finished without adventure, and the party reached a
village and found good quarters for the night.

So comfortable were they that the scare was laughed at, and it seemed to
all three that Yussuf was rather ashamed of his timidity.

Contrary to their experience of many nights past they found the head-man
of the village civil and even bumble; but it did not excite the
suspicion of the travellers, who congratulated themselves upon their
good fortune.

The only drawback to their comfort was the fact that Lawrence was
suffering somewhat from the shock of his descent from the rocky shelf.

At first he had merely felt a little stiff, the excitement of the whole
adventure