ever Ali Baba charged the enemy drew off,
while the rest came closer until they were charged in turn.

"It's obvious we're intended to be made prisoners," Grim said to
me at last. "But I think it's obvious we're not going to be."

Nevertheless, I understood nothing of his plan, except that our
little group kept drawing closer to the three, one of whom seemed
in command of the other side. At the moment I suspected that Grim
was one of those officers who are splendid at intelligence work
and at playing a lone hand, but less than ordinary in the field;
Ali Baba looked like the man of action.

Why, with all that brave old man's ability to swing and spur his
gang in absolute control, had not the lot of us burst through the
circling enemy and made a bolt for it? That was what I should
have done.

But suddenly Grim turned and pushed the muzzle of his pistol into
Ayisha's face as she leaned out of the _shibrayah_ to watch. It
caught her under the jawbone, so that she could not see what his
finger was doing, and did not dare try to move away.

"Now shout!" he ordered her. "Tell 'em your name _Wallahi!_ Yell,
or I'll kill you."

She let out a bleat like a frightened goat, that might have been
audible thirty yards away if there were no other noise.

"Louder! I'll blow your brains out if you disobey!"

So she screamed at the top of her lungs, making her voice carry
as all desert people can. And after she had called three times
she was answered by a clear, contralto woman's voice.

"Ay-ish-a! O Ay-ish-a!"

"Jael! Jael!" she called back; and at that the rider of the
middle camel waved the cloth again.

As fast as they caught sight of it--in tens and twenties--the
oncoming riders halted.

But Ali Baba did not stand still. Neither did we. The three lone
individuals in front of us began to approach.

"Come on!" said Grim. "Now's our chance!"

And at last I saw his idea. I did not know which to admire more,
the man who had thought of it in that sudden crisis, or Ali Baba
who had understood so swiftly and carried out his part so well.
But there was no time for admiration then.

All together--Ali Baba and his men along one side of a
right-angle and we from the other--we swooped on the three. And
there were nine or ten shots fired before we closed on them,
though none by our side.

My camel went down under me twenty yards before we reached them.
Two other camels were killed, and one of Ali Baba's sons was
grazed. But