upon all his believers that Gebhr drooped his head at once and began to repeat as if with fear:
"Allah akbar! Allah akbar!"* [* This cry means, "God is great"; but Arabs utter it in moments of fear, summoning aid.] Stas rose, panting and whipped, but felt that if his father could have seen and heard him at that moment he would have been proud of him, for he had not only leaped to save Nell, without thinking, but now, though the blows of the courbash burnt him like fire, he did not think of his own pain but instead began to console and ask the little girl whether the blow had injured her.
And afterwards he said:
"Whatever I got, I got, but he will never attack you. Oh, if I only had some weapon!"
The little woman entwined his neck with her arms and dampening his cheeks with tears began to assure him that it did not pain her very much and that she was crying not from pain but from sorrow for him. At this Stas put his lips to her ear and whispered:
"Nell, I swear that, not because he whipped me, but because he struck you, I shall not forgive him." With that the incident closed.
After a certain time Gebhr and Idris, becoming reconciled, spread out their cloaks upon the ground and lay upon them, and Chamis soon followed their example. The Bedouins poured out durra for the camels, after which, having mounted two unengaged camels, they rode in the direction of the Nile. Nell, supporting her head on old Dinah's knee, fell asleep. The fire was dying out and soon could be heard only the grinding of the durra in the camels' teeth. On high rolled small clouds which at times veiled the moon, but the night was clear. Beyond the rocks resounded the mournful whining of jackals.
After two hours the Bedouins returned with the camels bearing leather bags filled with water. Having fed the fire, they sat on the sand and commenced to eat. Their arrival awoke Stas, who previously had been dozing, as well as Chamis, son of Chadigi, and the two Sudânese. Then at the camp-fire began the following conversation:
"Can we start?" Idris asked.
"No, because we must rest; – we and our camels."
"Did any one see you?"
"Nobody. We reached the river between two villages. In the distance dogs barked."
"It will be necessary always to go for water at midnight and draw it at deserted places. Only let us get past the first 'challa' (cataract); beyond that the villages are farther apart and they are more friendly to the prophet. A pursuing party will undoubtedly follow us."
At this Chamis turned over, with his back up, and resting his face on his hands said:
"The Mehendes will first wait for the children in El-Fachn during the whole night and until the following train; later they will go to Fayûm and from there to Gharak. Only there will they understand what has happened and then they will have to return to Medinet to send words flying over the copper wire to cities on the Nile and to the camel-corps which will pursue us. All that will take at least three days. Therefore we do not need to tire our camels and can peacefully 'drink smoke' from pipe-stems."
Saying this, he pulled out a sprig of a rose of Jericho and lit his pipe with it, while Idris began, according to the Arabian habit, to smack his lips with satisfaction.
"You arranged it well, son of Chadigi," he said, "but it is necessary for us to take advantage of the time and to drive during those three days and nights as far as possible southward. I shall breathe freely only when we shall cross the desert between the Nile and Kharga (a great oasis west of the Nile). God grant that the camels hold out."
"They will hold out," declared one of the Bedouins.
"People also say," interposed Chamis, "that the army of the Mahdi – may God prolong his life – has already reached Assuan."
Here Stas, who did not lose a word of this conversation and remembered also what Idris had said to Gebhr, rose and said:
"The army of the Mahdi is below Khartûm."
"La! La! (no! no!)" Chamis contradicted.
"Don't pay any attention to his words," Stas replied, "for he not only has a dark skin but also a dark brain. Although you bought fresh camels every three days and rushed as you have done this day, you would not reach Khartûm for a month. And perhaps you do not know that an English, not an Egyptian, army bars the road to you."
These words created a certain impression and Stas, observing this, continued:
"Before you find yourselves between the Nile and the great oasis all the roads on the desert will be picketed by a line of army sentinels. Words over the copper wire speed quicker than camels. How will you be able to slip through?"
"The desert is wide," answered one of the Bedouins.
"But you must keep close to the Nile."
"We can cross over, and when they seek us on this side we shall be on the other."
"Words speeding over the copper wire will reach cities and villages on both banks of the river."
"The Mahdi will send us an angel, who will place a finger on the eyes of the Englishmen and the Turks (Egyptians) and will screen us with his wings."
"Idris," said Stas, "I do not address Chamis whose head is like an empty gourd, nor Gebhr who is a vile jackal, but you. I already know that you want to carry us to the Mahdi and deliver us to Smain. But if you are doing this for money, then know that the father of this little 'bint' (girl) is richer than all the Sudânese put together."
"And what of it?" interrupted Idris.
"What of it? Return voluntarily and the great Mehendi will not spare money for you, nor will my father either."
"But they will give us up to the Government, which will order us to be hung."
"No, Idris. You undoubtedly will hang, but only in case they capture you in the flight; and that surely will happen. But if you return, no punishment will be meted out to you, and besides you will be wealthy to the end of your life. You know that the white people of Europe always keep their word. Now I give you the word for both Mehendes that it will be as I say."
And Stas in reality was confident that his father and Mr. Rawlinson would prefer to fulfil the promise made by him than expose both of them, and especially Nell, to the terrible journey and yet more terrible life among the savage and maddened hordes of the Mahdi.
So with palpitating heart, he waited for the reply of Idris who was plunged in silence and only after a long interval said:
"You say that the father of the little 'bint' and yours will give us a great deal of money?"
"Yes."
"But can all their money open for us the gates of paradise which only the blessing of the Mahdi can do?"
"Bismillah!" shouted both Bedouins together with Chamis and Gebhr.
Stas at once lost all hope, for he knew that howsoever much the people in the East are greedy and venal, nevertheless when a true Mohammedan views any matter from the standpoint of faith, there are not any treasures in the world with which he can be tempted.
Idris, encouraged by the shouts, continued, and evidently not for the purpose of replying to Stas, but with a view of gaining greater esteem and praise from his companions.
"We have the good fortune not only to belong to that
