t be something inside therefore, but he was positive there was
no ball. He next examined the pan, and found the priming all right.

"I see 'ow 'tis," muttered he, "the old sheik only wants me to make a
row with it, in case I sees anything as is suspicious. He was afeard to
put a ball in it lest I should be killin' one of themselves. That's his
confidence. He on'y wants me to bark without being able to bite. But
this don't suit me at all, at all. Faix, I'll find a bit of a stone and
ram it into the barrel."

Saying this he groped about the ground in search of a pebble of the
proper size; but for some time could find none to his liking. He could
lay his hand on nothing but the finest sand.

While engaged in this search he fancied he heard some one approaching
from the side opposite to that in which he was expecting to hear the
word "_Akka_."

He looked in that direction, but could see nothing save the gray surface
of the sea-beach.

Since being on the desert Bill had several times observed the Arabs lay
themselves along the earth to listen for the sound of footsteps. This
plan he now tried himself.

With his eyes close to the ground, the old sailor fancied he was able to
see to a greater distance than when standing upright. There seemed to be
more light on the surface of the earth than at four or five feet above
it; and objects in the distance were placed more directly between his
eyes and the horizon.

While thus lying extended along the sand, he heard footsteps approaching
from the shore; but, believing they were those of the sentinel, he paid
no attention to them. He only listened for a repetition of those sounds
he fancied to have come from the opposite direction.

But nothing was now heard to the eastward; and he came to the conclusion
that he had been deceived by an excited fancy.

Of one thing, however, he soon became certain. It was, that the
footsteps which he supposed to be those of the Arab who kept, what Bill
called, the "larboard watch," were drawing nearer than usual, and that
the word "_Akka_" was not pronounced as before.

The old sailor slewed himself around, and directed his gaze towards the
shore.

The sound of footsteps was no longer heard, but the figure of a man was
perceived at no great distance from the spot.

He was not advancing nearer, but standing erect, and apparently gazing
sharply about him.

Could this man be the Arab sentinel?

The latter was known to be short and of slig