He was still hoping that
daylight would reveal the encampment of the Guides.

Very soon afterwards the sky lightened, and he saw nothing but the long
dusty road and the wide plain on either side. It would clearly be unsafe
to continue the journey now that they could be seen, so a hiding-place
must be found where they might lie up in comparative comfort during the
day. The men were so exhausted that he ventured now for the first time
to leave them, to search for a hiding-place himself. At a little
distance from the road he discovered a nullah, and, scrambling up the
bed of the watercourse, now nearly dry, he came upon a spot overgrown
with thorn and brambles, which would shelter the whole party, save,
perhaps, the horse. He retraced his steps, explained to the girl what he
proposed to do, and led the horse in advance of the party to the place
of concealment. When they were settled there, he found, a little higher
up, a tall bush standing almost as high as the horse's head, and there
he left the animal, speaking to him, and knowing that the faithful beast
would not move from the spot until his master called him.

The bed of the watercourse was fairly steep. Two or three tall trees
overhung it. Ahmed thought by climbing one of these he might get a view
of the surrounding country. He managed to make the girl understand that
he wished her to watch the bearers, and use the knife upon any of them
who should attempt to escape or call out. Even if she had not the nerve
for such action, he thought that the men, having heard what he said,
might shrink from putting the matter to the test.

Then he scrambled up the side of the nullah and nimbly climbed the
tallest tree. What he saw from his perch was not reassuring. A little to
the right of the road, perhaps a koss distant, a troop of horsemen,
dismounted, were resting at the edge of a small plantation, which
concealed them from any one passing along the highway. Beyond them the
ground rose slightly, scarcely enough to be called a hill, and yet
sufficiently to cut off any more extended view southward. Far away on
all sides stretched open country, with little vegetation except patches
of scrub. Many miles to the left he fancied he descried the white roofs
of a village, but in front the road ran between almost bare plains.

Ahmed guessed that the plantation at which the men were resting
surrounded a tank where they had watered their horses. He had no doubt
that they were those who