He had no fear of his footfall being heard upon the soft sand, and was soon on his feet, looking for the camels.  He was not long in finding them, or in picking out the one which he had selected.  The bushes were succulent, and close to the camping ground; indeed, it was for this that the halting-places were always chosen.  It was not so easy, however, to climb into the high wooden saddle, and Cuthbert tried several times in vain.  Then he repeated in a sharp tone the words which he had heard the Arabs use to order their camels to kneel, striking the animal at the same moment behind the fore-legs with a small switch.  The camel immediately obeyed the order to which he was accustomed, and knelt down, making, however, as he did so, the angry grumble which those creatures appear to consider it indispensable to raise when ordered to do anything.  Fortunately this noise is so frequently made, and the camels are so given to quarrel among themselves, that although in the still air it might have been heard by the Arabs sitting a short hundred yards away, it attracted no notice, and Cuthbert, climbing into the seat, shook the cord that served as a rein, and the animal, rising, set off at a smooth, steady swing in the direction in which his head was turned—­that from which they had that day arrived.

Once fairly away from the camping-ground, Cuthbert, with blows of his stick, increased the speed of the camel to a long shuffling trot, and the fire in the distance soon faded out into the darkness.

Cuthbert trusted to the stars as guides.  He was not unarmed, for as he crawled away from his resting-place, he had picked up one of the Arabs’ spears and bow and arrows, and a large bag of dates from the spot where they had been placed when their owner dismounted.  He was already clad in Eastern garb, and was so sun-burnt and tanned that he had no fear whatever of any one at a distance detecting that he was a white man.

Steering his course by the stars, he rode all night without stopping.  He doubted not that he would have at least three hours’ start, for the Arabs were sure to have sat that time round the fires before going out to bring in their camels.  Even then they would suppose for some time that the animal upon which he was seated had strayed, and no pursuit would be attempted until it was discovered that he himself had made his escape, which might not be for a long time, as the Arabs would not think of looking under the cloth to see if he were there.  He hoped, therefore, that he would reach the cultivated land long before he was overtaken.  He had little fear but that he should then be able to journey onward without attracting attention.

A solitary Arab when travelling rides straight, and his communications to those whom he meets are confined to the set form of two or three words, “May Allah protect you!” the regular greeting of Moslems when they meet.