of
its wealth for their support, yet we, who suffer from them, cannot but
feel proud of them. Are they not followers of the Prophet? They are men
like those whom the great Sultan Saladin led against the Christian hosts
who strove to capture Syria. We have tales how brave these were, and how
they rode, clad in steel from head to foot; and yet their bones whitened
the sands, and the true believers remained in possession of their lands.
The Mamelukes are men such as those were, and until I see the contrary I
shall not believe that they can be defeated by these Franks."

"I hope that it may be so, sheik, and I doubt in no way their valour;
but it is the guns and the discipline of the French that will, I fear,
decide the conflict."

CHAPTER IV.

THE BATTLE OF THE PYRAMIDS.

The little party had ridden but a few miles when they saw a party of
five or six hundred Arab horse approaching. The sheik rode to meet them,
and after a short conversation with their leaders, returned.

"We need go no farther for orders," he said. "Mourad Bey, with 3000
Mamelukes and as many Janizaries, is within a few miles. Orders have
been sent to all the Arab tribes to hasten to oppose the march of the
enemy, and from all parts they are riding hither. Doubtless my brother,
who is the great sheik of the tribe of which we are a branch, is already
on his way to join him. We will at once ride and bring back all our
fighting men. The caravan can proceed without guard. Even a hostile
tribe would respect it at the present time, when all are engaged with
the enemy. We shall speedily overtake them. They would not have started
for an hour after we mounted, and cannot have gone many miles before we
come up with them."

Riding at full gallop, they soon overtook the caravan. The Arabs
received with shouts of satisfaction the orders their leader gave them
to retrace their steps. The old men, who were to proceed with the
caravan, were told that in the event of meeting with any parties
hastening towards Ramanieh, to tell them that the orders were to harass
the French as they advanced, and to say that all the sheik's fighting
men were already engaged in the work. Then, after a brief adieu to the
women, the Arabs rode at full gallop towards the river.

It was on the morning of the 29th of June that the French had taken
Alexandria, and on the 6th of July that they commenced their march.
General Dugua, with Kleber's division, had been taken by water to