had rashly undertaken to keep the first
watch.

"Awake me soon, and I will relieve you," said Boxall. "I am afraid you
will not be able to keep your eyes open long."

"No fear," I answered. "I will do my best, depend on it; for I have no
wish to be earned off by a hyena, or any other wild beast which may
chance to visit us."

Boxall and Halliday sat with their heads between their knees, and very
quickly dropped off. As long as I was able to remain on my legs and
walk about, I proved a faithful sentinel; but feeling very weary, I at
last sat down, and the natural consequences followed--I fell fast
asleep. The howling of the wind among the sand-hills and the ceaseless
roar of the surf rather tended to lull my senses than to arouse me from
my slumber. I dreamed of the events which had occurred, and fancied
that I knew exactly where I was and what was happening. Now I was
looking towards the foaming sea, when I observed in the offing a vessel
under all sail approaching the coast. Gradually she faded from my view.
And now, turning my head, I saw to my dismay a pack of hyenas stealing
silently along towards us. I started up, and was thankful to find that
the hyenas had disappeared; but, near the spot where I had seen them, my
waking sight fell on a strange-looking animal with a long neck, a
pointed head, and huge hump on its back, which I at once recognised as a
camel. It advanced at a slow pace, not regarding us, and making its way
directly to the beach. Though unwilling to wake my companions, I could
not help crying out, when Boxall and Halliday started up, though poor
Ben remained as fast asleep as ever.

"What can that strange monster be?" exclaimed Halliday.

At which Boxall, though certainly not in a merry mood, could not help
laughing loudly.

"Why, a camel, to be sure; coming down to the beach to get a lick of
salt, of which most beasts are very fond," he answered.

"I wonder if it's a wild one, then," said Halliday; "if it is, we may
hamstring it, or kill it in some other way, and it will give us an ample
supply of food."

"There are no wild camels, that I ever heard of," answered Boxall; "and
if we were to kill it, depend on it its owners would make us repent
having done so. I suspect they are not far off."

The appearance of the camel, as may be supposed, completely aroused us,
and we watched it as it stalked down to the sands.

"I propose that we catch it, and make it carry us somewhere or