of rock, that Chumley and Lawrence both hesitated,
till the latter saw Yussuf's calm smile, full of encouragement, when the
lad stepped out firmly, and seeing that his wife followed, the little
man drew a long breath and walked on.

Now they came to mountain torrents that had to be crossed; now they had
to go to the bottom of some deep gorge; now to ascend; but their course
was always downwards in the aggregate, and at nightfall, when Yussuf
selected another pine-wood for their resting-place, the air was
perceptibly warmer.

The next morning they continued along the faintly marked track, which
was kept plain by the passage of wild animals; but it disappeared after
descending to a stream in a defile; and this seemed to be its limit, for
no trace of it was seen again.

For six days longer the little party wandered in the mazes of these
mountains, their guide owning that he was completely at fault, but
urging, as he always led them down into valleys leading to the south and
west, that they must be getting farther away from danger.

It was this thought which buoyed them up during that nightmare-like
walk, during which they seemed to be staggering on in their sleep and
getting no farther.

It seemed wonderful that they should journey so far, through a country
that grew more and more fertile as they descended from the mountains,
without coming upon a village or town; but, though they passed the
remains of three ancient places, which the professor was too weary to
examine, it was not until the seventh day that they reached a
goodly-sized village, whose head-man proved to be hospitable, and, on
finding the state to which the travellers had been reduced and the
perils through which they had passed, he made no difficulty about
sending a mounted messenger to Ansina, ninety miles away, with letters
asking for help.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

HOMEWARD BOUND.

Exhausted as the travellers were, sleep, good food, and the soft sweet
air soon restored them, and they were ready to continue their journey
long before their messenger returned, to bring faithfully the means for
a fresh start, with fresh ponies, and the necessaries they required,
though these were hard to obtain in so out-of-the-way a place.

The weather was threatening as they started at last for Ansina, the
Chumleys electing to accompany them. In fact, on parting, their host,
who had been amply recompensed for his kindness, warned them to hasten
on to the port,