oxall, though he appeared to us to
have taken a much more southerly route. I watched the light carefully,
till I was convinced that I was right, and that it came from an Arab
camp; then I at once aroused my companions.

"Now is the time to get near them, then," exclaimed Ben. "We shall be
able to see them though they cannot see us, and we shall thus have a
better chance of finding out whether Mr Boxall is among them."

We at once got up; and, guided by the light, we made our way without
difficulty. It evidently proceeded from a large encampment, as the
fires covered a considerable extent of ground,--which showed us that
there must be a number of bushes or trees in the neighbourhood, to
supply fuel. On we went, the light still increasing, till we found
ourselves on somewhat rougher ground, slanting upwards, behind which we
had no doubt the camp would be found. After going on for some time
longer, we could clearly distinguish the forms of a number of horses
standing up, and of camels lying down, with their drivers among them--
the light of the fires on the further side throwing them into bold
relief. As we walked side by side, with our eyes turned up at them, we
were all three nearly falling down together head foremost into a deep
hole, to the edge of which we had suddenly come. Ben, who was the first
to see it, caught hold of me, and I held back Halliday.

"What can it be?" he asked, kneeling down and peering into the hole.

"A well," I answered, "at which probably the animals from yonder
encampment have been watered."

"I only hope, then, that they have left us enough to quench our thirst,"
said Halliday.

Ben offered to go down and explore the hole, for in the darkness we
could not see how deep it was; and we knelt down, grasping him by the
hand while he descended.

"It's all right," he said in a low voice. "I can touch the bottom--or a
ledge, at all events; I will feel my way, and take care not to slip down
into a bottomless pit."

It was too dark to see him as he moved about, but presently a slight
splash of water sounded in our ears; after which we could hear it, as it
seemed, gurgling down his throat.

In less than a minute he came close under us. "Put down your hands," he
said; "here is something you will be thankful for."

We did as desired, and drew up a large wooden bowl attached to the end
of a rope. I gave it to Halliday first, who I knew was suffering most;
and between us we emptied the