serious thought,” said Omar as the wind continued blowing sand through the air. “Obviously we can’t continue on our route. For all we know, the next six or eight or ten oases and wells are poisoned.”
“Why would they bother?” asked Hassam. “They will assume we died here.”
“Will they still assume it when they come by to collect the Amulet in the morning and there are no bodies here and only one camel?” asked Lara sardonically.
“He’s a really good shot, though,” said Omar with a smile of amusement as Hassam lowered his eyes in embarrass-ment and shifted his weight uncomfortably.
“I think the first thing we’d better do is bury the camel and see if there’s any way to hide the fact that we were here at all,” suggested Lara. “If they don’t know that we figured out the water was poisoned, if they think we were in a hurry and just went right past it, they may wait until we reach the next oasis or well before coming after us, whereas if they know we found out this oasis was poisoned, they’ll figure out that we’re smart enough not to continue going from oasis to oasis.”
“All but one of us, anyway,” said Hassam, still mortified.
“You’re right, of course,” Omar said to Lara. “We’ll have to return to Lake Nasser.”
“I don’t like it,” said Gaafar.
“We have to have water,” said Lara. “And now we have some use for the spare tires,” she added, indicating the two camels that had been tagging along since the journey began.
“We won’t have much use for
any
of the camels,” said Omar.
Lara smiled. “We’re going to buy a
felluca
, right?”
“Wrong,” said Omar. “We’re going to steal one.”
“Why take the chance?” asked Lara. “I have more than enough money.”
“The Mahdists are looking for an Englishwoman who is heading south along Lake Nasser and the Nile,” explained Omar. “If we purchase it, even if you do not speak, someone will figure out who you are. Even if they care nothing for the Mahdists, they have no reason to keep your identity a secret—and I assure you that the Mahdists will give them more than ample reason to reveal it to them. No, it is much better to steal it in the dead of night and let them think it was a thief from a neighboring village.”
Lara turned to Hassam. “Move over,” she said wryly. “You’ve got company.”
“I do not understand,” said Hassam. “Move where?”
“Never mind. It doesn’t translate very well.”
Suddenly Lara realized that Omar was staring intently at her in the dim moonlight.
“Is something wrong?” she asked at last.
“As I said, you don’t have to utter a word to be identified as an Englishwoman. No Moslem woman wears shorts—certainly not like yours—and none would carry pistols.” He walked to his saddlebags, pulled out a robe, and tossed it to her. “Put this on. I am closer to your size than Gaafar or Hassam.”
She got into the robe, then stood still while Gaafar wrapped her head.
“Well?” she asked when they were done.
“It drags on the ground,” observed Omar.
“What difference does that make?” asked Gaafar. “She will be sitting in a
felluca
.”
“If no one gets too near,” said Omar, “if they see you from the shore while we are on the boat, if no fisherman’s boat comes close to ours . . .”
“It will work,” said Gaafar decisively. “It hides her shape sufficiently. She can pass for a teenaged boy.”
“I get the feeling Omar doesn’t think so,” replied Lara dubiously.
“Yes he does,” said Gaafar. “But it is Omar’s job to anticipate the unexpected so that we can be prepared for any eventuality.” He looked at her again and repeated: “It will work.”
“Yes, probably it will,” said Omar. He glanced around the oasis. “I was mistaken,” he announced. “There is no sense burying the camel or clearing the area of footprints and hoofprints. Let’s ride to Lake Nasser. With luck we can be there a few hours before
“Why would they bother?” asked Hassam. “They will assume we died here.”
“Will they still assume it when they come by to collect the Amulet in the morning and there are no bodies here and only one camel?” asked Lara sardonically.
“He’s a really good shot, though,” said Omar with a smile of amusement as Hassam lowered his eyes in embarrass-ment and shifted his weight uncomfortably.
“I think the first thing we’d better do is bury the camel and see if there’s any way to hide the fact that we were here at all,” suggested Lara. “If they don’t know that we figured out the water was poisoned, if they think we were in a hurry and just went right past it, they may wait until we reach the next oasis or well before coming after us, whereas if they know we found out this oasis was poisoned, they’ll figure out that we’re smart enough not to continue going from oasis to oasis.”
“All but one of us, anyway,” said Hassam, still mortified.
“You’re right, of course,” Omar said to Lara. “We’ll have to return to Lake Nasser.”
“I don’t like it,” said Gaafar.
“We have to have water,” said Lara. “And now we have some use for the spare tires,” she added, indicating the two camels that had been tagging along since the journey began.
“We won’t have much use for
any
of the camels,” said Omar.
Lara smiled. “We’re going to buy a
felluca
, right?”
“Wrong,” said Omar. “We’re going to steal one.”
“Why take the chance?” asked Lara. “I have more than enough money.”
“The Mahdists are looking for an Englishwoman who is heading south along Lake Nasser and the Nile,” explained Omar. “If we purchase it, even if you do not speak, someone will figure out who you are. Even if they care nothing for the Mahdists, they have no reason to keep your identity a secret—and I assure you that the Mahdists will give them more than ample reason to reveal it to them. No, it is much better to steal it in the dead of night and let them think it was a thief from a neighboring village.”
Lara turned to Hassam. “Move over,” she said wryly. “You’ve got company.”
“I do not understand,” said Hassam. “Move where?”
“Never mind. It doesn’t translate very well.”
Suddenly Lara realized that Omar was staring intently at her in the dim moonlight.
“Is something wrong?” she asked at last.
“As I said, you don’t have to utter a word to be identified as an Englishwoman. No Moslem woman wears shorts—certainly not like yours—and none would carry pistols.” He walked to his saddlebags, pulled out a robe, and tossed it to her. “Put this on. I am closer to your size than Gaafar or Hassam.”
She got into the robe, then stood still while Gaafar wrapped her head.
“Well?” she asked when they were done.
“It drags on the ground,” observed Omar.
“What difference does that make?” asked Gaafar. “She will be sitting in a
felluca
.”
“If no one gets too near,” said Omar, “if they see you from the shore while we are on the boat, if no fisherman’s boat comes close to ours . . .”
“It will work,” said Gaafar decisively. “It hides her shape sufficiently. She can pass for a teenaged boy.”
“I get the feeling Omar doesn’t think so,” replied Lara dubiously.
“Yes he does,” said Gaafar. “But it is Omar’s job to anticipate the unexpected so that we can be prepared for any eventuality.” He looked at her again and repeated: “It will work.”
“Yes, probably it will,” said Omar. He glanced around the oasis. “I was mistaken,” he announced. “There is no sense burying the camel or clearing the area of footprints and hoofprints. Let’s ride to Lake Nasser. With luck we can be there a few hours before
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