n into the
current, and he himself, in trying to save it, had been knocked over.
His forehead had struck a rock. He had cried out. After that he
remembered nothing more.

"What is your name?" I asked.

"Eg-Anteouen."

"What tribe do you belong to?"

"The tribe of Kel-Tahat."

"The Kel-Tahats are the serfs of the tribe of Kel-Rhela, the great
nobles of Hoggar?"

"Yes," he answered, casting a side glance in my direction. It seemed
that such precise questions on the affairs of Ahygar were not to his
liking.

"The Kel-Tahats, if I am not mistaken, are established on the
southwest flank of Atakor.[5] What were you doing, so far from your
home territory when we saved your life?"

[Footnote 5: Another name, in the Temahaq language, for Ahaggar. (Note
by M. Leroux.)]

"I was going, by way of Tit, to In-Salah," he said.

"What were you going to do at In-Salah?"

He was about to reply. But suddenly we saw him tremble. His eyes were
fixed on a point of the cavern. We looked to see what it was. He had
just seen the rock inscription which had so delighted Morhange an hour
before.

"Do you know that?" Morhange asked him with keen curiosity.

The Targa did not speak a word but his eyes had a strange light.

"Do you know that?" insisted Morhange.

And he added:

"Antinea?"

"Antinea," repeated the man.

And he was silent.

"Why don't you answer the Captain?" I called out, with a strange
feeling of rage sweeping over me.

The Targui looked at me. I thought that he was going to speak. But his
eyes became suddenly hard. Under the lustrous veil I saw his features
stiffening.

Morhange and I turned around.

On the threshold of the cavern, breathless, discomfited, harassed by
an hour of vain pursuit, Bou-Djema had returned to us.

VI

THE DISASTER OF THE LETTUCE

As Eg-Anteouen and Bou-Djema came face to face, I fancied that both
the Targa and the Chaamba gave a sudden start which each immediately
repressed. It was nothing more than a fleeting impression.
Nevertheless, it was enough to make me resolve that as soon as I was
alone with our guide, I would question him closely concerning our new
companion.

The beginning of the day had been wearisome enough. We decided,
therefore, to spend the rest of it there, and even to pass the night
in the cave, waiting till the flood had completely subsided.

In the morning, when I was marking our day's march upon the map,
Morhange came toward me. I noticed