set off at
a smooth, steady swing in the direction in which his head was
turned--that from which they had that day arrived.

Once fairly away from the camping-ground, Cuthbert, with blows of his
stick, increased the speed of the camel to a long shuffling trot, and
the fire in the distance soon faded out into the darkness.

Cuthbert trusted to the stars as guides. He was not unarmed, for as he
crawled away from his resting-place he had picked up one of the Arabs'
spears and bow and arrows, and a large bag of dates from the spot where
they had been placed when their owner dismounted. He was already clad in
Eastern garb, and was so sunburnt and tanned that he had no fear
whatever of any one at a distance detecting that he was a white man.

Steering his course by the stars, he rode all night without stopping. He
doubted not that he would have at least three hours' start, for the
Arabs were sure to have sat that time round the fires before going out
to bring in their camels. Even then they would suppose for some time
that the animal upon which he was seated had strayed, and no pursuit
would be attempted until it was discovered that he himself had made his
escape, which might not be for a long time, as the Arabs would not think
of looking under the cloth to see if he were there. He hoped, therefore,
that he would reach the cultivated land long before he was overtaken. He
had little fear but that he should then be able to journey onward
without attracting attention.

A solitary Arab when traveling rides straight, and his communications to
those whom he meets are confined to the set form of two or three words,
"May Allah protect you!" the regular greeting of Moslems when they meet.

When morning broke Cuthbert, even when ascending to the top of a
somewhat lofty mound, could see no signs of pursuers in the vast stretch
of desert behind him. In front the ground was already becoming dotted
here and there with vegetation, and he doubted not that after a few
hours' ride he should be fairly in the confines of cultivated country.
He gave his camel a meal of dates, and having eaten some himself, again
set the creature in motion. These camels, especially those of good
breed, will go on for three or four days with scarcely a halt; and there
was no fear of that on which he rode breaking down from fatigue, for the
journeys hitherto had been comparatively short.

By midday Cuthbert had reached the cultivated lands of Palestine. Here