water might be found; so calling to Halliday and Ben,
they joined me. I looked round to make the sign agreed on to Boxall,
when, to our dismay, we saw an Arab on a camel rapidly approaching him!
We had been partly concealed by a sand-hill, and so the Arab had not,
apparently, observed us. It was evident, however, that Boxall had not a
chance of escape. He must have thought so himself, as he stood calmly
awaiting the arrival of the Arab, who pulled up his camel as he got
close to him. We stood for a minute irresolute, not knowing what to do;
but as the Arab did not raise his weapon, we believed he had no hostile
intentions, and was not likely to injure our friend. Boxall had now
thrown down his wooden sword, and was holding out his hand as if to
greet the Arab in a friendly way. The latter also stretched out his
hand, and we hoped that the interview would pass off peaceably, when, to
our astonishment, we saw the Arab lean over from his saddle, and by a
sudden jerk seize Boxall by the arm and place him by his side; then
giving the animal a blow with his spear or goad, it set off at a gallop
across the desert.

We now rushed forward, Halliday and I shouting to the Arab to stop,
while Ben with loud cries advised Boxall to give the black rascal a
thundering clout on the head, and that we would quickly come to his
assistance; but I am inclined to think that neither the one nor the
other heard us. Boxall did endeavour to release himself, but the Arab
held him fast. Indeed, at the rate the camel was going, he could not
otherwise have stuck on.

Fast as the wind, the fleet creature, regardless of the weight of the
two men struggling on its back, moved across the desert, its broad feet
scarcely making an impression on the sand. We ran and shouted in vain:
the camel rapidly distanced us, and making towards the south-east,
disappeared at length among the sand-hills; while we, almost exhausted,
sank down on the ground.

All our previous misfortunes had not weighed so heavily on me as this.
As far as we could tell, our friend might be carried into helpless
captivity far away in the interior of Africa. Poor fellow! my heart
bled for him. He had fully expected to obtain his promotion on
returning home, and to be married to a very charming girl, of whom he
had often spoken to me; for he had an independent property, though,
having no interest, he had long remained a mate.

We felt ourselves still at liberty, and did not co