"The siege is raised," exclaimed Guy, breathing a low sigh of relief.

"Hush," replied Canaris, "not a sound, not a whisper for your lives.
Down, down, crouch low; throw yourselves flat!"

His voice was tremulous with sudden fear, and his hand shook as he
pointed one nerveless finger in the direction taken by the lions.

"Look, look!" he muttered with chattering teeth. "One sound and we are
doomed."

CHAPTER XVII.

A CLOSE SHAVE.

The Greek's extreme terror sprang from no insignificant cause. Over the
crest of a ridge some thirty yards distant came a large body of men. It
was very evident that they would pass close to the rock, and the three
fugitives, crouching on its flat surface in the gloom, may well be
pardoned for believing that the enemy were on their track.

As the advance guard drew still closer, Canaris thrust his face against
the stone. Melton did the same; but Guy, whose curiosity fairly mastered
his fear, ventured to raise his head slightly, and a single glance
showed him that the strange foe had no intention of halting.

They passed within ten yards of the rock, it is true, but not a man
looked to right or left, and they moved at a rapid and steady pace.

Guy's amazement grew deeper as the long procession went by in constantly
increasing numbers, for even to his unskilled eyes it was plain that
these men were neither Arabs nor Somalis.

The dim light revealed their powerful stature, the dark faces crowned
with turbans, the linen cloaks that were flung carelessly on their
shoulders, and the various arms, comprising shields, swords, spears, and
even guns.

At intervals the stalwart figure of a man towered above the rest,
mounted high on a camel or an elephant.

Melton and Canaris ventured to raise their heads in response to a nudge
from Guy, and all three witnessed the passing of this strange
procession, which comprised nearly a hundred men.

As the rear guard vanished over a ridge to the south, Canaris, without a
word, swung himself nimbly to the ground and picked up some glittering
object that lay in the path.

"Look," he exclaimed in a tone of wonder, as Guy and Melton followed him
down, "do you recognize this workmanship? But no, how could you?" he
resumed, without waiting for an answer. "This weapon is of Abyssinian
make, and those men were Abyssinians."

"But what are they doing here, so far from their own country?" demanded
Guy.

"It is a war party," said Canaris, "and we