van of the traders
by the well, where they were intending to remain for some time longer.

Shortly after leaving the well, the old sheik ordered a halt by the
seashore, where he stopped long enough for his slaves to gather some
shell-fish, enough to satisfy the hunger of all his followers.

A majority of the Arabs were under the belief that the black sheik had
started at last for his own country, satisfied with the revenge he had
already taken. They seemed to think that keeping watch over the camp
would no longer be necessary.

With this opinion their Krooman captive did not agree; and, fearing to
fall again into the possession of Golah, he laboured to convince his new
master that they were as likely that night to receive a visit from the
black sheik as they had ever been before.

He argued that, if Golah had entertained a hope of defeating his foes,
eleven in number, when alone, and armed only with a scimitar, he
certainly would not be likely to relinquish that hope after having
succeeded in killing nearly half of them, and being strengthened by a
couple of able assistants.

The Krooman believed that Golah's going south, as reported by the party
met at the well, was proof that he really intended proceeding north; and
he urged the Arab sheik to set a good guard over the _douar_ through the
night.

"Tell him," said Harry, "if they are not inclined to keep guard for
themselves, that we will stand it, if they will only allow us to have
weapons of some kind or other."

The Krooman made this communication to the Arab sheik, who smiled only
in reply.

The idea of allowing slaves to guard an Arab _douar_, especially to
furnish them with fire-arms, was very amusing to the old chieftain of
the Saara.

Harry understood the meaning of his smile. It meant refusal; but the
young Englishman had also become impressed with the danger suggested by
Terence: that Golah would yet kill all the Arabs and take the boy slaves
back to Timbuctoo.

"Tell the sheik that he is an old fool," said he to the interpreter;
"tell him that we have a greater objection to falling into the hands of
Golah than he has of losing either us or his own life. Tell him that we
wish to go north, where we can be redeemed; and that for this reason
alone we should be far more careful in guarding the camp against
surprise than any of his own people."

When this communication was made to the old sheik it seemed to strike
him as having some reason in it;