So let's be
prepared."

Their baggage was so light and so well arranged that there was little to
do beyond strapping up a few cases, and at the end of a busy hour they
were quite prepared, while they had hardly finished before the officer
came in, cast an eye over the leathern cases lying ready, and then gave
a nod of satisfaction.

"Tell the Hakim," he said, turning to Harry and speaking sharply, "that
there are no tidings of his Arab servant and guide. He must have been
cut down by some robber for the sake of his camel. Tell him, too, that
he has done wisely in being prepared. I cannot say how soon we start;
it may be in an hour, it may be after sunrise, or not at all. But when
I give the order, what he wishes to take must be placed upon the camels
directly. You will stay here."

"No," said Harry coldly; "the Hakim has not done with me yet."

"Well," said the guard, with a grim laugh, "it will be better for you
than staying here. Your white skin may be an invitation to the sword if
the Khalifa does not win the day."

The man turned sharply and left the room without another word.

"Poor old Ibrahim!" said the professor sadly. "I'd give something to
see him walk in safe and sound."

"And I,"--"And I," said Frank and the doctor.

"And I say the same. Heaven help him!" said Harry, "for I owe it to him
that I am with you, and I would say let us hold out here if I thought it
was of any use. But it would be utter folly to resist, and I should not
like to fight against a man who is doing his duty and has proved himself
our friend."

Frank rose and went into the next room, where Sam had been in pretty
good spirits so long as the packing up took his attention, for he was
eager to get away; but now everything was done and he was left alone,
waiting and watchful, his spirits had sunk below zero.

He jumped up from where he was seated upon a portmanteau as Frank
entered.

"Orders to start, sir?" he said eagerly.

"No, Sam, not yet. We must wait."

"Oh dear!" groaned the man. "I did think we were going at last, sir.
Got Mr Harry, the camels all waiting, and the town empty of fighting
men. I say, sir, hadn't we better start, and chance it? Mr Abrams has
got a camel, and he'll find out which way we're gone. This waiting is
the worst of all."

Frank explained to him the position, and the man shook his head
dismally.

"Then we're only going to chop one prison for another, Ben Eddin? But
you surely