ents, be worse off than
we now are."

"That's just what I have been thinking about, sir," observed Ben. "But
then, do you see, we should not have fresh water, and we should have
nothing to eat; and besides, I don't know whether there is enough of the
raft remaining to make it fit for use--though, to be sure, we might pick
up some more pieces along the beach."

"We need not give the matter much thought," said Boxall. "We are
several hundred miles from the nearest settlement, and the want of fresh
water alone would make the voyage impossible, even should we succeed in
putting our raft to rights. All we can do is to push boldly on to the
southward; and if we can obtain oysters or anything else for food, and
retain our health, we may hope, with God's mercy, to succeed."

We were, it must be understood, seated on a sandy mound facing the sea,
the light air coming from which enabled us to bear the heat of the sun.
As we were about to get up and proceed on our journey, I caught sight of
some objects moving among the sand-hills in the far distance. I told my
companions, who threw themselves down on the ground; while, unslinging
my telescope, I turned it towards the moving objects, which I at once
made out to be two camels with riders on their backs.

The strangers drew nearer, and stopping, looked about them. "I am
afraid their quick eyes have caught sight of the gold on our caps or the
brass on my spy-glass," I observed. "What are we to do?"

"Remain perfectly quiet," answered Boxall. "We might possibly improve
our condition by joining them, but it might become very much worse. We
can now calculate pretty well what we shall have to go through; but if
we place ourselves in their power, we may be ill-treated, or compelled
to labour for them, if we are not murdered."

"Well, by all means let us keep out of their power. I for one have no
wish to be reduced to slavery," said Halliday.

"And I am sure _I_ don't want to work for these blackamoors," observed
Ben.

The general feeling, therefore, being against putting ourselves in the
power of the Arabs, and thinking we could hold out, we remained
perfectly still, completely concealed by the side of the bank. The
strangers continued to approach, and it appeared very probable that we
should be discovered. We lay quiet, however, and watched them; and at
length, satisfied that they were mistaken, they continued their route to
the southward, along the line of sand-hills