rolled a good deal of muslin in the form of a
turban or puggree--kept walking up and down on the edge of the ridge,
and pointing out to Mr Burne the beauty of the prospect, with the
distant ranges of snow-topped mountains, and the old lawyer kept on
nodding his satisfaction.

"Yes. Very fine--very fine," he said; "but I want my breakfast."

"There!" exclaimed Mr Preston suddenly. "I saw it yonder."

"The flash of light, effendi?" said Yussuf quietly.

"Yes. And there again."

"I saw it then," said Lawrence quickly; and no one doubted now that
their guide was right.

After staying there for about a quarter of an hour Yussuf suggested that
as the horses were ready, breakfast should be hastily eaten and they
should start. Consequently all went down, a hearty meal was made,
Yussuf taking his walking to and from the ridge to guard against
surprise, and then he approached Mr Burne to request him to give up his
straw hat.

"My straw hat!" exclaimed the old gentleman in astonishment.

"Yes, effendi," replied Yussuf. "I propose to fasten it, after wearing
it for a few minutes and walking up and down, on one of the little
bushes at the top of the ridge, and to stick this little pole out by its
side."

"What! to look like a man on guard?" cried Lawrence eagerly.

"Yes," replied Yussuf. "It will keep the enemy where they are watching
it for half the day, even if it does not keep them till evening before
they find out their mistake."

"Then, stick your turban there," said Mr Burne shortly.

"I would, effendi, if it would do as well, but it would not be so
striking, nor so likely to keep them away. They might suspect it to be
a trick; but they would never think that an English effendi would leave
his hat in a place like that."

"And quite right, too," said the old lawyer with a snort. "No; I shall
not expose my brains to the risk of sunstroke, sir. Bah! Pish! Pooh!
Absurd!"

There was a shiver among the horses, and a disposition to start off
again, for Mr Burne blew another of his sonorous blasts; but the moment
he whisked out his yellow silk flag, the others, as if by instinct,
seized the horses' bridles and checked them in time.

"Pah! Bless my heart!" ejaculated the old gentleman, as soon as he saw
what he had done. "Here, Lawrence, you will have to take all my
pocket-handkerchiefs away till we get back to a civilised land."

"If the effendi would let me have his handkerchiefs I could make him a
t