o the novice than
riding camel-back, and when at last a halt was made at sunset every man
was aching from head to foot.

The heat, too, had been fearful, though the Arabs had provided them with
big sun helmets before starting. No intercourse was permitted. The
captives were kept rigorously apart. But little sleep was allowed. The
caravan started again before dawn, and, as before, traveled rapidly and
steadily until sundown.

At the end of the second day they had become in a measure accustomed to
the motion of the camels, and no longer suffered so much. Yet in all
this time no words had been exchanged. Each man was kept apart. The Arab
with whom Guy rode could speak some English, and from him he learned
that the chief object of the caravan was to carry to Rao Khan the news
of the capture of Zaila. Further information the Arab refused to give.

The caravan comprised a dozen Arabs and thirty or forty Somalis of the
Galla country. It was to these crafty savages that the captives
belonged. The Somalis had assisted Makar in the revolt, and these slaves
were their reward. Their chief, who accompanied the caravan, was none
other than Guy's vindictive enemy, Oko Sam.

Late in the afternoon of the fifth day the caravan came to a sudden
halt. In the distance were visible green hills and rolling plains
covered with verdure. The desert seemed to have ended. It was evident
that something of importance was about to happen.

All dismounted, and while the Arabs and Somalis entered into an excited
conversation, the captives were for the first time allowed to converse.

Their hopeless situation was too well understood for discussion. Strange
to say, Sir Arthur was the only one who had not abandoned hope.

"The government will save us," he repeated gloomily. "They will send an
army into the interior."

No one ventured to dispute this assertion. They talked in low tones of
their probable destination, and regarded with some uneasiness the
conference going on among the Arabs, which had now assumed a more
excitable phase.

"They are quarreling over something," said Guy. "Why do you suppose they
have stopped here?"

"I don't know," replied Melton, "unless they intend to separate, the
Arabs going on to Harar, the Somalis to their own country, which lies to
the south of Harar."

Melton's theory was very plausible, but before anyone could reply the
conference terminated suddenly, and the Arabs, drawing apart, came
quickly up to the c