their jackets, and the bands
around their caps, were all discernible. It was the costume of the sea,
not of the Saaera. The Arab wreckers knew it at a glance; and, without
waiting to give a second, every man of the camp sallied off in
pursuit,--each, as he started, giving utterance to an ejaculation of
surprise or pleasure.

Some hurried forward afoot, just as they had been going out to hunt the
hyena; others climbed upon their swift camels; while a few, who owned
horses, thinking they might do better with them, quickly caparisoned
them, and came galloping on after the rest; all three sorts of
pursuers,--foot-men, horsemen, and maherrymen,--seemingly as intent upon
a contest of screaming, as upon a trial of speed!

It is needless to say that the three midshipmen were, by this time,
fully apprised of the "hue and cry" raised after them. It reached their
ears just as they arrived upon the summit of the sand-ridge; and any
doubt they might have had as to its meaning, was at once determined,
when they saw the Arabs brandishing their arms, and rushing out like so
many madmen from among the tents.

They stayed to see no more. To keep their ground could only end in their
being captured and carried prisoners to the encampment; and after the
spectacle they had just witnessed, in which the old man-o'-war's-man had
played such a melancholy part, any fate appeared preferable to that.

With some such fear all three were affected; and simultaneously yielding
to it, they turned their backs upon the pursuit, and rushed headlong
down the ravine, up which they had so imprudently ascended.

CHAPTER XXIX.

A SUBAQUEOUS ASYLUM.

As the gorge was of no great length, and the downward incline in their
favor, they were not long in getting to its lower end, and out to the
level plain that formed the sea-beach.

In their hurried traverse thither, it had not occurred to them to
inquire for what purpose they were running towards the sea? There could
be no chance of their escaping in that direction; nor did there appear
to be much in any other, afoot as they were, and pursued by mounted men.
The night was too clear to offer any opportunity of hiding themselves,
especially in a country where there was neither "brake, brush, nor
scaur" to conceal them. Go which way they would, or crouch wherever they
might, they would be almost certain of being discovered by their
lynx-eyed enemies.

There was but one way in which they _might_ have