ave safe from the entrance of our common enemy?"

"Safe as the top of Caucasus, as far as we are concerned," the chief
answered. "The Turks know not of these vaults, and if they did, would
not venture here to be at our mercy. It was through these vaults that
we intended to enter and take the town by surprise."

"But where does the other end lead to?" asked Harry.

"Into our native desert, where its opening is concealed by a dense
shrubbery," replied Al-Zariel. "We have often found these caves very
useful in our excursions against the Turks. But you and your friends
shall accompany us to our tents, where the Turks will be bold indeed to
seek you."

Harry thanked him for this generous offer.

This arrangement having been made, the party quitted the caves by means
of a narrow path leading between two walls of high rock.

Two of the chief's men, disguised as Turks, were left behind to enter
the town and keep an eye upon the condition of affairs there.

The chief of course took command of the party.

He seemed to make Thyra the especial object of his care.

It was evidently a case of "love at first sight" towards her who had
been, with equal suddenness, smitten with Jack Harkaway.

And both attachments were equally hopeless.

In some parts the path was so narrow that it was with difficulty they
could squeeze through it.

This rugged path proved particularly difficult to Mr. Mole, whose head
was, as usual, not entirely free from the fumes of alcohol, and whose
ungovernable legs still insisted upon going all ways but the right one.

But his Arab friends occasionally assisted his progress by prodding him
in the back with their long spears, a species of incitement he could
well have dispensed with, but which they insisted upon affording.

The poor orphan, too, was, as usual, bowed down with weight of woe.

"Oh, what a cold I am having," he exclaimed, pathetically, feeling for
his pocket handkerchief. "It's tumbling into that fountain that did it.
Oh, dear, what shall I do? It will be my death, I know it will."

Such was the burden of his lament, which greatly amused the others,
especially Bogey and Tinker.

They were now on the edge of the desert some distance outside the walls
of the town.

The Arab tents could be faintly descried in the distance.

They had still some distance to walk in order to reach them.

The road, however, was now plain and easy, consisting of the usual flat
desert sand.

On nearin