trembling arm to the east.
Late in the afternoon they reached the mountains. An unknown force had provided them with the last bit of energy and strength needed to drag their tired bodies across the last few miles of blistering sand.
A short distance from where the desert ended and the short sun-scorched grass began, they saw a small spring gurgling forth from the rocks. Stumbling, they reeled toward it and lowered their heads into the cool water.
They rested that day and the following one. Dates and other fruit were abundant at the foot of the mountains. Slowly their strength returned; gradually their stomachs stopped crying for food. On the morning of the second day after their arrival Raj and Alec went hunting and brought back a young gazelle which Raj had shot. As they ate their spirits rose. “Gettin’ so I feel as though I was always meant for this kinda life,” said Henry with a grin, rubbing a sun-blackened hand to wipe his mouth free of food after he had finished eating.
Alec, too, felt well enough to start looking ahead again in their search for the Black. Even though they had been successful in crossing the desert, they still had no guide. Where to now? How could they possibly findAbu Ja‘ Kub ben Ishak? In which direction was the Kharj district? Yes, they had reached the mountains, but they were still lost. He turned to Mr. Volence. “What do you think we should do next?” he asked.
Mr. Volence shrugged his shoulders. “Your guess is as good as mine, Alec,” he answered. “The Kharj district, from what I’ve learned, is still far to the northeast, somewhere high in the mountains. It seems to me that it’s practically impossible to find it without a guide. What do you think?” he asked, turning to the others.
“Might I suggest,” Raj said quietly, “that we proceed north up the mountain range, keeping close to the desert. It is quite possible that we will find a village, where we might be fortunate enough to find someone who can lead us to the Kharj district.”
Henry slapped his hand against his knee. “That sounds like a good idea,” he said enthusiastically.
The others nodded in agreement.
Early the following morning they departed. Walking in single file, they kept close to the mountains, avoiding the hot sun as much as they possibly could. Their muscles, hardened by the days spent in the desert, made walking on the solid ground easy. Springs and date palms were numerous, and every few hours they would stop to rest.
Two days passed without change. On the morning of the third day Raj, who was leading, raised his hand, signaling them to stop. “
Yashûf.…
look!” he exclaimed, pointing across the desert to the west.
A cloud of sand was moving rapidly toward them. Forms were now taking shape. Not gazelles … notostriches. Alec strained his eyes. There could be no mistake. A large group of horsemen was riding out of the desert!
“Raiders?” asked Mr. Volence of Raj.
The Bedouin youth shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps,” he said, his eyes never leaving the desert. “They travel fast.”
“What are we gonna do?” Henry asked. “Attract their attention or hide till they’ve gone? They might be the same bunch that knifed our guide!”
Alec reminded them of Mr. Coggins’ words, “The Bedouin is loyal and generous within the laws of friendship … hospitality is one of his supreme virtues, and he considers it his sacred duty.” He suggested that they go out to meet the rapidly approaching group.
“Perhaps you’re right, Alec,” Mr. Volence said. “We just can’t go on hiding out from Bedouins. I’m also in favor of stopping them.” He turned to the others and they, too, nodded approval.
The horsemen were only a short distance away and the sound of pounding hoofs in sand could be heard easily. Mr. Volence’s party had walked down to the edge of the desert and soon could make out the hard-riding figures. There were about twenty of them, sitting still and straight
Late in the afternoon they reached the mountains. An unknown force had provided them with the last bit of energy and strength needed to drag their tired bodies across the last few miles of blistering sand.
A short distance from where the desert ended and the short sun-scorched grass began, they saw a small spring gurgling forth from the rocks. Stumbling, they reeled toward it and lowered their heads into the cool water.
They rested that day and the following one. Dates and other fruit were abundant at the foot of the mountains. Slowly their strength returned; gradually their stomachs stopped crying for food. On the morning of the second day after their arrival Raj and Alec went hunting and brought back a young gazelle which Raj had shot. As they ate their spirits rose. “Gettin’ so I feel as though I was always meant for this kinda life,” said Henry with a grin, rubbing a sun-blackened hand to wipe his mouth free of food after he had finished eating.
Alec, too, felt well enough to start looking ahead again in their search for the Black. Even though they had been successful in crossing the desert, they still had no guide. Where to now? How could they possibly findAbu Ja‘ Kub ben Ishak? In which direction was the Kharj district? Yes, they had reached the mountains, but they were still lost. He turned to Mr. Volence. “What do you think we should do next?” he asked.
Mr. Volence shrugged his shoulders. “Your guess is as good as mine, Alec,” he answered. “The Kharj district, from what I’ve learned, is still far to the northeast, somewhere high in the mountains. It seems to me that it’s practically impossible to find it without a guide. What do you think?” he asked, turning to the others.
“Might I suggest,” Raj said quietly, “that we proceed north up the mountain range, keeping close to the desert. It is quite possible that we will find a village, where we might be fortunate enough to find someone who can lead us to the Kharj district.”
Henry slapped his hand against his knee. “That sounds like a good idea,” he said enthusiastically.
The others nodded in agreement.
Early the following morning they departed. Walking in single file, they kept close to the mountains, avoiding the hot sun as much as they possibly could. Their muscles, hardened by the days spent in the desert, made walking on the solid ground easy. Springs and date palms were numerous, and every few hours they would stop to rest.
Two days passed without change. On the morning of the third day Raj, who was leading, raised his hand, signaling them to stop. “
Yashûf.…
look!” he exclaimed, pointing across the desert to the west.
A cloud of sand was moving rapidly toward them. Forms were now taking shape. Not gazelles … notostriches. Alec strained his eyes. There could be no mistake. A large group of horsemen was riding out of the desert!
“Raiders?” asked Mr. Volence of Raj.
The Bedouin youth shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps,” he said, his eyes never leaving the desert. “They travel fast.”
“What are we gonna do?” Henry asked. “Attract their attention or hide till they’ve gone? They might be the same bunch that knifed our guide!”
Alec reminded them of Mr. Coggins’ words, “The Bedouin is loyal and generous within the laws of friendship … hospitality is one of his supreme virtues, and he considers it his sacred duty.” He suggested that they go out to meet the rapidly approaching group.
“Perhaps you’re right, Alec,” Mr. Volence said. “We just can’t go on hiding out from Bedouins. I’m also in favor of stopping them.” He turned to the others and they, too, nodded approval.
The horsemen were only a short distance away and the sound of pounding hoofs in sand could be heard easily. Mr. Volence’s party had walked down to the edge of the desert and soon could make out the hard-riding figures. There were about twenty of them, sitting still and straight
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