gone over
so many miles of ground at such a rate.

Almost before I thought it possible that we could have got so far,
Selim, who led the way, pointing to a wood, cried out, "There's the
place where we can hide ourselves!" We immediately darted into it, he
leading us amid the trees to the ruins he had described, and up which we
quickly scrambled. Now and again turning our heads where the ground was
more open, and where no trees or other objects impeded the view, we
caught glimpses of the shadowy forms of our pursuers against the dark
sky; but the sight only nerved us to fresh exertions. Mounting up steps
formed by the fallen walls, we gained the top ledge, which had
apparently once supported a floor; and creeping along it, and through a
narrow doorway, we found ourselves in a small chamber some twenty feet
or so above the ground. Numbers of loose stones lay about, with which
we instantly set to work to block up the entrance, making as little
noise in the operation as we could. A small fracture in the wall would
serve as a window, too, on the side which commanded the road, and enable
us to look out. By piling up a few stones, I found I was able to reach
it; so I took post there to watch our pursuers, while the rest were
working as I have described.

Scarcely had I begun to look out when I saw five men on camels, the moon
shining on their arms, pushing along as fast as they could go to the
northward, evidently supposing that we were before them. I had little
fear of their overtaking Ben; indeed, they themselves could scarcely
have expected to do so. Had we, however, continued on, they would
certainly have come up with us.

Though I would gladly have thrown myself on the ground to rest, I
continued looking out from my watchtower. But no other Arabs followed.
Probably it was thought that the five armed men could easily master us.
My fear was that, when they could not find us, they might suspect where
we were hidden, and should come and search the ruins. No one appeared,
however; and I had waited for upwards of an hour when I saw the five
camels returning at a leisurely pace, the riders looking about them on
every side. The trees in front of the building at length hid them from
sight. Would they now venture to stop and search for us? As the Arabs
have a notion that such places are inhabited by Jins or evil spirits, I
was in hopes that they would, at all events, not attempt to explore it
till daylight; but eve