dly in
close order. On they came,--the ground shaking beneath their tread,--
surrounded by clouds of dust stirred up by their feet.

The two sheikhs now marshalled their men, and calling on them to fight
bravely and merit paradise, led them forward to meet the foe. We
watched them with painful interest, for our lives depended on the
result. Whether the strangers had come for the purpose of rescuing us,
we could not tell; but should they be defeated, there could be little
doubt that our present masters would carry out their intention of
putting us to death. If, on the contrary, the strangers gained the day,
we had good hopes that we should be rescued, though we might still be
kept in slavery.

Sheikh Hamed and the black chief fought bravely; but they and their
followers were but ill-armed, and greatly outnumbered. Back and back
they were driven, and many soon lay stretched on the ground. Still
others, who had remained as a reserve, advanced, rushing with their
muskets and swords right up to the camels; but they too were driven
back, while many of them took to flight. I prayed that the tide of
battle would not sweep our way, lest we might be trampled to death.
Several of the blacks, however, passed us, but these were in too great a
hurry to escape to knock us on the head.

Ben, meantime, had been working away desperately to get his hands free.
"Hurrah! I have done it," he shouted, and instantly came and released
Halliday and me. We then hurried to the assistance of Boxall and Selim,
and with one of the spades which had been left behind we quickly dug
them out. It was fortunate that we were not delayed, for they were
already beginning to feel the weight of the sand pressing round them,
though they might possibly have lived for many hours in that position.

We had been so eager in extricating them, that we had not observed how
the battle went, till, looking round, we saw the new-comers in full
pursuit of our late owners, many of whom had been cut down. No
prisoners had been taken, however; for it being known that the blacks
were followers of the Prophet, it was not considered worth while to
capture them, as they could not be held in slavery.

Boxall, on catching sight of the victorious party, at once recognised
them as his friends; and as they now halted and drew together, he led us
towards them. Their leader at once knew him, and gave him a cordial
welcome, expressing his satisfaction at having rescued him