which ran parallel with the
coast. We watched them as long as they were in sight, and then
descending to the sea-shore, the tide being out, continued our march
over the hard sand. We had allowed the strangers to get so far ahead
that we were not likely again to fall in with them.

"It strikes me, sir, that while the water is low we ought to be looking
out for some oysters or mussels, or we shall have nothing to eat when
dinner-time comes," observed Ben to Boxall. "I see some rocks on ahead
where we are very likely to find them."

"You are right, Ben," answered Boxall. "I ought to have thought of that
myself, but I was considering how we should meet the Arabs should we
again fall in with them, or what bribe we could offer to induce them to
conduct us either to Magador in Morocco, the nearest place where we
shall find an English consul, or else to Saint Louis, a French
settlement in the south, which is, I conceive, considerably nearer. It
is a pretty long march either way,--half the width of the great Desert
of Sahara, north and south."

"I can, at all events, make myself understood, and I will say whatever
you advise," I observed.

"My opinion is, that on all occasions we should speak the truth,"
observed Boxall. "We must therefore say that we are British officers,
wrecked on the coast, and that, if they will conduct us to any place
from whence we can communicate with our friends, we will reward them
handsomely." To all which, of course, Halliday and I agreed.

We had now reached the rocks where Ben had hoped to find some
shell-fish. Taking off our shoes and socks, and tucking up our
trousers, we commenced our search, armed with our knives and wooden
swords. No oysters were to be found on the rocks, or in the shoal water
in which we waded. However, we obtained as many mussels and some other
shell-fish as we could carry in our pockets; and Ben captured a large
crab, which was a prize, we agreed, worth having. And as by this time
the tide was running in, we were now obliged to return to the shore.

"We must endeavour to light a fire and cook this food," observed Boxall.
"If we attempt to live much longer on raw provisions, we shall be
attacked by scurvy, and shall assuredly be unable to continue our
journey."

"As there are no trees hereabouts, and as we have neither flint nor
tinder, I don't see how we shall get a fire to cook our food," Ben
observed.

"But there are roots on some of the sand-hills;