ng her back."

He was beside himself with fury. "Tahara, O Mighty King, use all your
magic to save the girl I love."

Dick grasped his hand and promised: "I will help you!"

"Now, let us start now."

"We will all go!" cried Dan Carter.

"Yes! All, all!" echoed the warriors. Tahara and Gorols alike were
excited by the news. The capture of Cimbula and his followers was not
so bad, for everybody dreaded the witch-doctor and his disciples were
hated.

But Veena was a favorite of all.

"We will take the captured horses!" urged Raal, "and overtake the
raiders."

"Those are bold words," said Dick, "but they are not the words of
wisdom. Stop and think. Ten men at the most against a hundred! What
chance would you have?"

"We will risk it," Raal stormed.

"And lose all chance of rescuing Veena? No. We must prepare for a
long journey first--and at the end a hard battle."

"How long must we wait?"

"Until our warriors have tamed wild horses and learned to ride them.
Also we must carry food and water bags for a long trail across the
desert."

Raal was in despair.

"And until then, we will know nothing of the maiden. I would rather
set out alone than that."

At his words, all fell silent, thinking gloomy thoughts. Finally Dick
said:

"Here is a way out. Kulki can ride better than any of the tribesmen,
and has ventured farther on the desert than the rest."

"That is true!" cried Kulki. "Let me go out and rescue the maiden."

"Not so fast. Take three of your men who can stay on horseback. Carry
water and food and follow the trail of the raiders. Can you try?"

"We will do that, O Master!"

"Do not try to fight the Arabs, that would only put them on their
guard. But find out where they are taking the captives and bring us
word. Will you?"

"Gladly, O Master."

"By the time you return," added Dick Oakwood, "I will have our warriors
trained to ride the wild horses and to shoot arrows while they ride,
yes and to throw spears from the saddle."

"Tahara, hal!"

"Then we will set out and punish the raiders!"

"Tahara Rax! The axe! The axe!"

With shouts of vengeance, the tribesmen accepted Dick's plan. Even
Raal, anxious as he was to set out at once, saw the wisdom of the plan.

"But _I_ would go with Kulki. Now!" he begged.

"If you did, what would happen? You would try to fight the Arabs then
and there. All would be lost."

Raal agreed.

"Let me work day and night getting re