determined when
they saw the Arabs brandishing their arms and rushing out like so many
madmen from among the tents. They stayed to see no more. To keep their
ground could only end in their being captured, and carried prisoners to
the encampment; and after the spectacle they had just witnessed, in
which the old man-o'-war's-man had played such a melancholy part, any
fate appeared preferable to that.

With some such fear all three were affected; and simultaneously yielding
to it, they turned their backs upon the pursuit, and rushed headlong
down the ravine, up which they had so imprudently ascended.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

A SUBAQUEOUS ASYLUM.

As the gorge was of no great length, and the downward incline in their
favour, they were not long in getting to its lower end, and out to the
level plain that formed the sea-beach.

In their hurried traverse thither, it had not occurred to them to
inquire for what purpose they were running towards the sea. There could
be no chance of their escaping in that direction. Nor did there appear
to be much in any other, afoot, as they were, and pursued by mounted
men. The night was too clear to offer any opportunity of hiding
themselves, especially in a country where there was neither brake, bush,
nor scaur to conceal them. Go which way they would, or crouch wherever
they might, they would be almost certain of being discovered by their
lynx-eyed enemies.

There was but one way in which they might have stood a chance of getting
clear, at least for a time. This was to have turned aside among the
sand-ridges, and by keeping along some of the lateral hollows, double
back upon their pursuers. There were several such side hollows; for on
going up the main ravine, they had observed them, and also in going
down; but in their hurry to put space between themselves and their
pursuers, they had overlooked this chance of concealment.

At best it was but slim, though it was the only one that offered. It
only presented itself when it was too late for them to take advantage of
it, only after they had got clear out of the gully and stood upon the
open level of the sea-beach, within less than two hundred yards of the
sea itself. There they halted, partly to recover breath and partly to
hold counsel as to their further course.

There was not much time for either; and as the three stood in a triangle
with their faces turned towards each other, the moonlight shone upon
lips and cheeks