mplished individual," reasoned they, "has been for ten
years a slave in the Saara, unable to escape or reach any place where
his liberty might be restored, what hope is there for us?"

CHAPTER SIXTY SIX.

A LIVING STREAM.

Every hour of the journey presented some additional evidence that the
kafila was leaving the Great Desert behind, and drawing near a land that
might be considered fertile.

On the day after parting from the wreckers, a walled town was reached;
and near it, on the sides of some of the hills, were seen growing a few
patches of barley.

At this place the caravan rested for the remainder of the day. The
camels and horses were furnished with a good supply of food and water
drawn from deep wells. It was the best our adventurers had drunk since
being cast away on the African coast.

Next morning the journey was continued.

After they had been on the road about two hours, the old sheik and a
companion, riding in advance of the others, stopped before what seemed
in the distance a broad stream of water.

All hastened forward, and the boy slaves beheld a sight that filled them
with much surprise and considerable alarm. It was a stream, a stream of
living creatures moving over the plain.

It was a migration of insects, the famed locusts of Africa.

They were young ones, not yet able to fly; and for some reason, unknown
perhaps even to themselves, they were taking this grand journey.

Their march seemed conducted in regular order and under strict
discipline.

They formed a living moving belt of considerable breadth, the sides of
which appeared as straight as any line mathematical science could have
drawn.

Not one could be seen straggling from the main body, which was moving
along a track too narrow for their numbers, scarce half of them having
room on the sand, while the other half were crawling along on the backs
of their _compagnons de voyage_.

Even the Arabs appeared interested in this African mystery, and paused
for a few minutes to watch the progress of the glittering stream
presented by these singular insects.

The old sheik dismounted from his camel: and with his scimitar broke the
straight line formed by the border of the moving mass, sweeping them off
to one side.

The space was instantly filled up again by those advancing from behind,
and the straight edge restored, the insects crawling onward without the
slightest deviation.

The sight was not new to Sailor Bill's brother