among them.

Their thin figures, covered with a fine growth of dark hair, made them
resemble something more than beast and less than man. Like goats they
found a footing on the steep sides. Their bodies were stringy and
tough-muscled; light in weight, they were far stronger than the average
civilized man, and more agile even than the Taharans.

As warriors they were formidable, and Kulki, their leader, was fearless
and a tricky fighter.

Raal, too, was brave in battle and the Taharans were superb warriors.
With their throwing sticks they could hurl a lance with such force that
it would go right through a man's body, and as archers they could bring
down a bird in flight with their flint-tipped arrows.

"There's trouble coming, sure!" exclaimed Dan Carter. "Jiminy, I'd
hate to be an Arab and get crowned with Raal's flint hatchet."

But the Arabs were not fighting with such Stone-Age weapons. They
carried long-barreled guns, that could pick off a bowman far beyond
arrow range, and their swift horses and camels could keep them safe
from attack.

"Dan, you keep close to me!" exclaimed Dick. "I'll need you to act as
my lieutenant. This is going to be a real scrap!"

Dick saw at a glance that the battle would have to be carried on from
the cliffs. There the Taharans and Gorols would have the advantage of
cover and the Arab horses would be useless in fighting.

Yet he knew that a sharp resistance would weaken the Arab force and
lessen their confidence. The first line of battle he entrusted to Raal
and a force of picked Taharan archers.

"Post your men between the desert sands and the Sacred Spring," Dick
ordered. "Let each man find shelter behind a rock and see to it that
he can retreat to the cliffs at top speed. Then as soon as the enemy
comes within bow-shot let drive at him with arrows and retreat, still
shooting. Post a second line closer to the spring. And a third beside
the water."

"I hear, O Master. I obey!"

Without losing a moment Raal ordered his archers to find an ambush
shutting off the invaders from the spring. Dick knew well that the
cool water would be the first thing these raiders would want after the
long trip across the blistering hot sands. No matter how full their
water bags had been at the start, they would be empty now.

The spring would be the first point of attack.

Dan studied the Arabs through the binoculars. "There are hundreds of
them," he cried, "on horses and camel