o make them believe that their enemies were many, and
they had not stopped till they were miles away. As to making a fresh
attack that was the last thing in their thoughts.

The night, then, passed peacefully away, but the amount of rest obtained
was very little indeed.

After lying watching some time, Lawrence had fallen asleep, and had been
awakened before daybreak by the professor, so that Hamed might have some
repose; but, instead of lying down, the driver went off to his horses,
and when Lawrence looked along the valley at sunrise, it was to see that
Yussuf had spread his praying carpet, and was standing motionless with
his hands outspread toward the east.

A hasty meal was eaten, and then a fresh start made, with Yussuf in
front, and the professor and Mr Burne, who looked like some sheik or
grandee in his scarlet and yellow turban, a hundred yards behind, their
guns glistening in the morning sun.

The force was not strong, for, with Yussuf as advance guard, the
professor and Mr Burne as rear, Lawrence had to form himself into the
main body, as well as the baggage guard. But as this was the whole of
their available strength, the most was made of it, and they rode back
along the ravine as fast as they could get the baggage-horses forward,
momentarily expecting attack, and in the hope of seeing some travellers
or people of the country, who would, for payment, give them help; but
when in the afternoon they reached the spot where the old lawyer's
Panama hat, perched on the top of the cypress, still kept guard, they
had not seen a soul.

Mr Burne was for recovering his hat, but yielded to good counsel, which
was in favour of hastening on to the village some few miles below in the
open country, before the enemy appeared.

"Just as you like," he said. "I will not oppose you, for I do not feel
at all in a fighting humour to-day."

The result was that just after sundown they rode into the little
village, where about thirty men stood staring at them in a sour and
evil-looking manner, not one responding to the customary salute given by
Yussuf.

The latter directed himself to one of the best-dressed men, standing by
the door of his house, and asked where they could got barley for the
horses.

The man scowled and said that there was none to be had.

Yussuf rode on to another, who gave the same answer.

He then applied to a third, and asked where a room or rooms and
refreshment could be obtained, but the man tur