r, rather, I have paid. Come, let us have some dinner,
for we don't know when we shall get another meal."

We listened to this speech in silence, only I saw Roderick turn aside to
hide a smile and wondered why he smiled.

Scarcely had we finished eating, or pretending to eat, when an officer
entered the room and informed us roughly that it was time for us to
be going. As he did so some attendants who had followed him threw us
bundles of clothes, and with them four very beautiful camel-hair cloaks
to protect us from the cold. With some of these garments we replaced our
rags, for they were little more, tying them and the rest of the outfit
up into bundles.

Then, clothed as Abati of the upper class, we were taken to the gates
of the barrack, where we found a long train of riding camels waiting for
us. The moment that I saw these beasts I knew that they were the best
in the whole land, and of very great value. Indeed, that to which Oliver
was conducted was Maqueda's own favourite dromedary, which upon state
occasions she sometimes rode instead of a horse. He recognized it at
once, poor fellow, and coloured to the eyes at this unexpected mark of
kindness, the only one she had vouchsafed to him.

"Come, Gentiles," said the officer, "and take count of your goods, that
you may not say that we have stolen anything from you. Here are your
firearms and all the ammunition that is left. These will be given to you
at the foot of the pass, but not before, lest you should do more murder
on the road. On those camels are fastened the boxes in which you brought
up the magic fire. We found them in your quarters in the cave city,
ready packed, but what they contain we neither know nor care. Full or
empty, take them, they are yours. Those," and he pointed to two other
beasts, "are laden with your pay, which the Child of Kings sends to you,
requesting that you will not count it till you reach Egypt or your own
land, since she wishes no quarrelling with you as to the amount. The
rest carry food for you to eat; also, there are two spare beasts. Now,
mount and begone."

So we climbed into the embroidered saddles of the kneeling dromedaries,
and a few minutes later were riding through Mur toward the pass,
accompanied by our guard and hooting mobs that once or twice became
threatening, but were driven off by the soldiers.

"I say, Doctor," said Higgs to me excitedly, "do you know that we
have got all the best of the treasure of the Tomb of