ity turned
upward. Through the centre of this saddle of sand, and transversely,
the camel had carried Bill; and over the same track the three midshipmen
had gone in search of him.

They had seen the Arab tents from the summit of the pass; and had it
been daylight, need have gone no nearer to note what was being there
done. Even by the moonlight they had been able to make out the forms of
the horses, camels, men, and women; but not with sufficient distinctness
to satisfy them as to what was going on.

For this reason had they descended into the valley, creeping cautiously
down the slope of the sand-wreath, and with equal caution advancing from
boulder to bush, and bush to boulder.

On taking the back track to regain the beach, they still observed
caution, though perhaps not to such a degree as when approaching the
camp. Their desire to put space between themselves and the barbarous
denizens of the desert, of whose barbarity they had now obtained both
ocular and auricular proof, had very naturally deprived them of that
prudent coolness which the occasion required. For all that, they did
not retreat with reckless rashness; and all three arrived at the bottom
of the sloping sand-ridge without having any reason to think they had
been observed.

But the most perilous point was yet to be passed. Against the face of
the acclivity, there was not much danger of their being seen. The moon
was shining on the other side. That which they had to ascend was in
shadow, dark enough to obscure the outlines of their bodies to an eye
looking in that direction, from such a distance as the camp. It was not
while toiling up the slope that the dreaded detection, but at the moment
when they must cross the saddle-shaped summit of the pass. Then, the
moon being low down in the sky, directly in front of their faces, while
the camp, still lower, was right behind their backs, it was not
difficult to tell that their bodies would be exactly aligned between the
luminary of night and the sparkling eyes of the Arabs, and that their
figures would be exhibited in conspicuous outline.

It had been much the same way on their entrance to the oasis; but then
they were not so well posted up in the peril of their position. They
now wondered at their not having been observed while advancing; but that
could be rationally accounted for on the supposition that the Bedouins
had been at the time too busy over Old Bill to take heed of anything
beyond the