Three hours had gone by.  Now we were opposite to the lights of Harmac, also to other lights that shone up a valley in the mountain to our right.  As yet everything was well; for this we knew by the words whispered up and down the line.

Then of a sudden, in front of us a light flashed, although as yet it was a long way off.  Next came another whispered message of “Halt!” So we halted, and presently one of the front guides crept back, informing us that a body of Fung cavalry had appeared upon the road ahead.  We took counsel.  Shadrach arrived from the rear, and said that if we waited awhile they might go away, as he thought that their presence must be accidental and connected with the great festival.  He implored us to be quite silent.  Accordingly, not knowing what to do, we waited.

Now I think I have forgotten to say that the dog Pharaoh, to prevent accidents, occupied a big basket; this basket, in which he often rode when tired, being fixed upon one side of Orme’s camel.  Here he lay peaceably enough until, in an unlucky moment, Shadrach left me to go forward to talk to the Captain, whereon, smelling his enemy, Pharaoh burst out into furious baying.  After that everything was confusion.  Shadrach darted back toward the rear.  The light ahead began to move quickly, advancing toward us.  The front camels left the road, as I presume, following their leader according to the custom of these beasts when marching in line.

Presently, I know not how, Orme, Quick, and myself found ourselves together in the darkness; at the time we thought Higgs was with us also, but in this we were mistaken.  We heard shoutings and strange voices speaking a language that we could not understand.  By the sudden glare of a flash of lightning, for the thunderstorm was now travelling over us, we saw several things.  One of these was the Professor’s riding-dromedary, which could not be mistaken because of its pure white colour and queer method of holding its head to one side, passing within ten yards, between us and the road, having a man upon its back who evidently was not the Professor.  Then it was that we discovered his absence and feared the worst.

“A Fung has got his camel,” I said.

“No,” answered Quick; “Shadrach has got it.  I saw his ugly mug against the light.”

Another vision was that of what appeared to be our baggage camels moving swiftly away from us, but off the road which was occupied by a body of horsemen in white robes.  Orme issued a brief order to the effect that we were to follow the camels with which the Professor might be.  We started to obey, but before we had covered twenty yards of the cornfield or whatever it was in which we were standing, heard voices ahead that were not those of Abati.  Evidently the flash which showed the Fung to us had done them a like service, and they were now advancing to kill or capture us.

There was only one thing to do—­turn and fly—­and this we did, heading whither we knew not, but managing to keep touch of each other.