The Boy Slaves Part 34

The tracks had been made by some person hurriedly leaving the spot.

"Dis be de track ob Golah," said the Krooman to Harry, after he had examined it. "He make um when runnin' 'way after he fire da musket."

"Very likely," said Harry; "but how do you know it is Golah's track?"

"'Cause Golah hab largess feet in all de world, and no feet but his make dat mark."

"I tell you again," said Terence, who overheard the Krooman's remark, "we shall have to go with Golah to Timbuctoo. We belong to him. These Arabs are only keeping us a few days, but they will be killed yet, and we shall have to follow the black sheik in the opposite direction."

Harry made no reply to this prophetic speech. Certainly there was a prospect of its proving true.

Four Arabs out of the eleven, of which their party was originally composed, were already dead, while still another was dying!

Sailor Bill p.r.o.nounced Golah, with his son and brother-in-law, quite a match for the six who were left. The black sheik, he thought, was equal to any four of their present masters in strength, cunning, and determination.

"But the Arabs have us to help them," remarked Colin. "We should count for something."

"So we do, as merchandise," replied Harry; "we have hitherto been helpless as children in protecting ourselves. What can we do? The boasted superiority of our race or country cannot be true here in the desert. We are out of our element."

"Yes, that's sartin!" exclaimed Bill; "but we're not far from it.

Shiver my timbers, if I don't smell salt water! Be jabers! if we go on towards the west we shall see the say afore night."

During this dialogue the Arabs were holding a consultation as to what they should do.

To divide the camp, and send some after their enemies, was p.r.o.nounced impolitic; the party sent in pursuit, and that left to guard the caravan, either would be too weak if attacked by their truculent enemy.

In union alone was strength, and they resolved to remain together, believing that they should have a visit from Golah again, while better prepared to receive him.

The footprints leading out from the two ravines were traced for about a mile in the direction they wished to follow.

The tracks of camels and horses were there found; and they could tell by the signs that their enemies had mounted and ridden off towards the west.

They possibly might have avoided meeting Golah again by going eastward; but, from their knowledge of the desert, no water was to be found in that direction in less than five days' journey.

Moreover, they did not yet wish to avoid him. They thirsted for revenge, and were impatient to move on; for a journey of two days was still before them before they could hope to arrive at the nearest water.

When every preparation had been made to resume their route, there was one obstacle in the way of their taking an immediate departure.

Their wounded companion was not yet defunct. They saw it would be impossible for him to live much longer; for the lower part of his body, all below the shattered portion of the spine, appeared already without life. A few hours at most would terminate his sufferings; but for the expiration of those few hours, or minutes, as fate should decide, his companions seemed unwilling to wait.

They dug a hole in the sand near where the wounded man was lying. This was but the work of a few minutes. As soon as the grave was completed, the eyes of all were once more turned upon the wretched sufferer.

He was still alive, and by piteous moans expressing the agony he was enduring.

"Bismillah!" exclaimed the old sheik, "why do you not die, my friend?

We are waiting for the fulfilment of your destiny."

"I am dead," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the sufferer, speaking in a faint voice, and apparently with great difficulty.

Having said this, he relapsed into silence and remained motionless as a corpse.

The sheik then placed one hand upon his temples. "Yes!" he exclaimed, "the words of our friend are those of truth and wisdom. He is dead."

The wounded man was then rolled into the cavity which had been scooped out, and they hastily proceeded to cover him with sand.

As they did so, his hands were repeatedly uplifted, while a low moaning came from his lips; but his movements were apparently unseen, and his cries of agony unnoticed.

His companions remained both deaf and blind to any evidence that might refute his own a.s.sertion that he was dead.

The sand was at length heaped up so as to completely cover his body, when by an order from the old sheik his followers turned away from the spot and the kafila moved on.

CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT.

ONCE MORE BY THE SEA.

Sailor Bill's conjecture that they were not far from the sea proved correct.

On the evening of that same day they saw the sun sink down into a shining horizon, which they knew was not that of the burning sand-plain over which they had been so long moving.

That faint and distant view of his favourite element was a joyful moment for the old sailor.

"We are in sight of home!" he exclaimed. "Shiver my timbers if I ever lose sight of it again! I shan't be buried in the sand. If I must go under alive, it shall be under water, like a Christyun. If I could swim, I'd start right off for Hold Hingland as soon as we get to yonder sh.o.r.e."

The boy slaves were alike inspired with hope and joy at the distant view.

The sea was still too far off to be reached that night, and the _douar_ was pitched about five miles from the sh.o.r.e.

During this night, three of the Arabs were kept constantly on guard; but the camp was not disturbed, and next morning they resumed their journey, some with the hope and others with the fear that Golah would trouble them no more.

The Arabs wished to meet him during the hours of daylight, and secure the property they had lost; and from their knowledge of the part of the desert they were now traversing, they were in hopes of doing this. They knew there was but one place within two days' journey where fresh water could be obtained; and should they succeed in reaching this place before Golah, they could lie in wait for his arrival. They were certain he must visit this watering-place to save his animals from perishing with thirst.

At noon-day a halt was made not far from the beach. It was only for a short while; for they were anxious to reach the well as soon as possible. The few minutes spent at the halting-place were well employed by the boy slaves in gathering sh.e.l.l-fish and bathing their bodies in the surf.

Refreshed by this luxurious food, as well as by the washing, of which they were greatly in need, they were able to proceed at a better pace; so that about an hour before sunset the caravan arrived at the well.

Just before reaching it, the old sheik and one of his companions had dismounted and walked forward to examine such tracks as might be found about the place. They were chagrined to find that Golah had been before. He had been to the well, and obtained a supply of water. His footmarks were easily identified. They were fresh, having been made but an hour or two before the arrival of the caravan; and in place of their having to wait for Golah, he was undoubtedly waiting for them. They felt sure that the black sheik was not far off, watching for a favourable opportunity of again paying them a nocturnal visit. They could now understand why he had not attempted to molest them on the preceding night. He had been hastening forward, in order to reach the well in advance of them.

The apprehensions of the Arabs became keener and keener after this discovery. They were also much puzzled as to what they should do; and a diversity of opinion arose as to the best plan for guarding the camp against their implacable foe. Some were in favour of staying by the well for several days, until the supply of water which their enemy had taken with him should be exhausted. Golah would then have to revisit the well, or perish of thirst upon the desert. The idea was an ingenious one, but unfortunately their stock of provisions would not admit of any delay, and it was resolved that the journey should be resumed at once.

Just as they were preparing to move away from the well, a caravan of traders arrived from the south, and the old sheik made anxious inquiries as to whether the new comers had seen anyone on their route. The traders, to whom the caravan belonged, had that morning met three men who answered to the description of Golah and his companions. They were journeying south, and had purchased a small supply of food from the caravan.

Could it be that Golah had given up the hope of recovering his lost property, relinquished his deadly purpose of revenge? The Arabs professed much unwillingness to believe it. Some of them loudly proposed starting southward in pursuit. But this proposition was overruled, and it was evident that the old sheik, as well as most of his followers, were in reality pleased to think that Golah would trouble them no more.

The sheik decreed that the property of those who had perished should be divided amongst those who survived. This giving universal satisfaction, the Arab kafila took its departure, leaving the caravan of the traders by the well, where they were intending to remain for some time longer.

Shortly after leaving the well, the old sheik ordered a halt by the seash.o.r.e, where he stopped long enough for his slaves to gather some sh.e.l.l-fish, enough to satisfy the hunger of all his followers.