by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER II.
A BEDOUIN TRIBE.
It was two hours before the sheik returned.
"We have been fortunate," he said, as Mr. Blagrove and Edgar came outinto the court-yard as he entered. "The men have had their punishment.The governor, after hearing my story, sent to the head of the police,and charged him to take four men down with him into the quarter wheremen of this sort are generally to be found. When my son described themen to him, and said that he thought that one of them was a Maltesenamed Giaccamo, and the other was a Greek called Zeno, he spoke to someof his men, and they said they knew two fellows who generally went abouttogether that answered to the description. They were, he said, notoriousruffians, but except for rioting and wounding among their compatriots,with which the police did not concern themselves, they had been able tofind nothing against them, though they strongly suspected that they wereconcerned in many crimes. We went down with them to that quarter, andthe police soon found out the place where they lived, but on enquirywere assured that both men were ill, the old woman who came to the doordeclaring that they had been in bed for some days. However, the policeinsisted upon entering, and speedily brought them down. Sidi recognizedthem at once, and indeed they had scarcely lied in saying that they wereill, for the eyelids of one were so swollen and blackened that he couldnot see out of them, while the other's nose was well-nigh as big as therest of his face.
"They were at once taken before the cadi. He heard my son's evidence,and then said that had it been proved they attempted to steal the horse,he would have had their heads smitten off, but that though this wasdoubtless their intention, they had not done so. He sentenced them to ahundred blows with a stick, and to be expelled from the town andneighbourhood, warning them that should they be found near the townagain, they would assuredly be punished with death. I waited and saw theblows administered, and although I felt angry that the cadi had notordered them to execution, I admit that the punishment was severeenough, and the wretches howled like whipped curs. I trust that therewill be no more trouble from them. Still, I hope that this will notprevent your son coming to visit us."
"Certainly not, sheik. He is prepared and ready to go, and he is lookingforward to his stay with you with so much pleasure that even did I wishit I could not now deprive him of the enjoyment of it. Still, I amheartily glad that the two fellows have been expelled the town, for Ishould never have felt easy as to Edgar's safety so long as they werehere."
A few minutes later the party set out. Edgar's valise was fastened tothe saddle of one of the sheik's followers. The road ran along the sandydunes that divided the low country, formerly covered by Lake Mareotis,from the sea, and as soon as they were well out from the town the horseswere broke into a gallop. While in point of actual speed even the bestArab horses cannot hold their own against a moderate English race-horse,whose greater height and longer stride gives him an advantage, they aregreatly superior in last, and possess extraordinary endurance andstamina. Brought up as if belonging to the family of their owners, theirintelligence has been cultivated as has that of dogs. They areexceedingly docile and affectionate. Their pace is a very easy one, andEdgar was delighted indeed at the manner in which his new acquisitionflew along without any apparent exertion, continuing the pace without acheck until they reached the Arab encampment in an hour and twentyminutes from leaving Alexandria.
Here they leapt from their horses in front of a group of black tents.The oasis was of small extent, extending but two hundred yards across.In the centre was a group of thirty or forty palm-trees. Near these theherbage was thick, gradually dwindling away until it became lost in thesand. In the centre, near the tents, was a well, an irregularly-shapedpit some five-and-twenty feet deep, with a rough path down to it bywhich the women went to get water both for their own use and for that ofthe horses. A score of these were tethered on the grass.
"You are welcome to our tents," the sheik said; "may your visit be afortunate one! Mulick," he called to one of the Arab boys, "take Beauty;but first," he went on to Edgar, "it were best that you talked to him alittle, and gave him some sweets. He will soon get to love you, and itis well that he should hear your voice as often as possible."
"I will lead him out myself," Edgar replied, "and then Mulick can tetherhim. I shall know another time how to do it myself."
Then he patted the Arab's glossy neck, rubbed its ears, and praised it,giving it a handful of sweets while he did so. Beauty evidentlyappreciated the attentions, and replied to him by a low whinny. Then hetook off its saddle and led it to a spot Mulick pointed out, and thenwatched the boy tether it, and took off the bridle and carried it backto the tents. A woman came out from the largest of these. She was notveiled, for except when they go into the towns the Bedouin women seldomconceal their faces.
"Ayala," the sheik said, "this is the young white lord who saved Sidifrom those who attacked him; henceforth he is as one of our tribe."
"May the blessings of Allah fall upon you!" the woman said. "Sidi is ouronly child. Had he been taken from us our lives would have been desolateindeed."
"I am very glad that I happened to come along at the time," Edgar said."It has been a most fortunate occurrence for me, as much indeed as forSidi. I have no friends of my own age, and it will be great pleasure tome to have him as a sort of brother. I am sure that we shall get oncapitally together. Besides which, your husband has given me a grandhorse, such as I could never have obtained for money. Sidi will be ableto teach me Arab ways, and I daresay I shall be able to show himsomething of our customs and life."
Edgar was now shown a tent that had been newly erected for his use. Thefurniture was simple, consisting only of a handsome Eastern carpet,which covered the ground, and a pile of rugs for sofa and bed. Hangingfrom one of the sticks that supported the tent was a porous jar ofwater. When he had hung up his rifle and pistols, powder-horn andbullet-pouch, its furnishing was complete.
"Is this all your tribe?" he asked Sidi, as he came out from his tent.
"Oh, no! our tribe dwells in a large oasis a hundred miles to the south,and fifty miles west of Cairo. There are other portions of the tribedwelling not far from the same spot, and we can ride five hundred strongwhen we go to fight the Berbers of Morocco. But my father is only sheikof his section. There are generally but six tents left here to keeppossession, and we are often away for months. We find that we can buysuch goods as the tribe requires cheaper at Alexandria than at Cairo,where, indeed, we do not often go, for ill-blood exists between us andthe authorities there, who ventured on some complaint to send out aparty of Mamelukes against us. We beat them back handsomely, but had toleave our oasis for a time, as we could not withstand the force theywould be sure to send against us. That was thirty years ago. They filledup our wells and cut down our palm-trees. The wells were soon clearedout again, and the palm groves have grown up. They have not interferedwith us again, but even now we care not to visit Cairo, though it may bethat the matter is altogether forgotten there."
Edgar remained a fortnight with his new friends, and enjoyed the lifemuch. He took lessons from Sidi in hurling a lance, and discovered thatit would need a long practice indeed to enable him to do so with theaccuracy shown by the Arabs. He also practised with his rifles andpistols. When he left he gave a warm invitation to Sidi to come and staywith him. This, however, the Arab lad declined.
"I should not be comfortable in your European dwelling," he said. "Ishould be miserable, sitting on one of those chairs. Your father isbusy, and so are you; I should be altogether out of my element."
"But I might have said the same thing here, Sidi?"
"Oh, no! it is easy to fling off restraint, to throw yourself on thesand, to ride and shoot and hurl the spear. Those are sports that youcan enjoy as much as I do. I will come over often and see you, but donot ask me to stay."
Edgar saw that it was better not to press the matter, at any rate forthe present. In time, when Sidi became more accustomed to European wayshe might perhaps come to stay, but if he came now i
t would be a penancerather than a pleasure. After that time the young Arab rode overfrequently, leaving his camp at daybreak and arriving in time to spend along day with Edgar. Sometimes they rode together, sometimes walkedalong the sea-shore, and Sidi soon learned to enjoy as much as hisfriend a row or a sail on the water, which to him was at firstaltogether a novelty. The merchant possessed several boats, which heused in his business, and a pretty gig which carried a sail, in which hehimself went off to visit ships which brought goods for him. This was atother times at Edgar's service. He had learned, even before going toschool, to manage it, and it therefore was unnecessary to take anyonewith them.
Sidi at first did not take kindly to an oar. Trained to hard exercise onhorseback and in the sports of the tribe, he had yet a great aversion toanything like steady labour, and was unable even to understand Edgar'swillingness to exert himself at an oar when he could have had men to rowhim about. In time, however, when he had mastered the initialdifficulties of the art, he took to the exercise, and they often spentthe whole day in the boat, either coasting along Aboukir Bay, or, moreoften, shooting on the lakes.
The arrival of the British fleet had created quite an excitement inAlexandria, and the news they brought, that a large French fleet hadleft Toulon, carrying many thousands of troops, destined, it wasbelieved, to operate in Egypt, had caused an intense feeling of dismayamong the British merchants settled there, and a correspondingexultation among the French.
"Will the French fleet be stronger than this?" Sidi asked, as he andEdgar leant on the parapet and looked at the long line of British ships.
"There may be more of them--very likely there are," Edgar saidcarelessly; "but that makes no matter, we are sure to thrash them. Inthe first place, we always do so somehow; and in the next, as our fleetis commanded by one of the best admirals we have, there is no fear oftheir being beaten. The only fear is that the fleet mayn't fall in withthe French until they have landed their troops."
"The troops could not stand against our Mamelukes," Sidi saidscornfully. "They would soon drive them into the sea."
"I am not so sure of that," Edgar said. "No doubt the Mamelukes aresplendid horsemen. I suppose they are as good as any in the world; buthorsemen cannot win a battle alone. The French infantry are very fine,and I doubt whether any number of horsemen could break their squares.Then their artillery is immensely superior to that of the Egyptians;that will give them a very great advantage."
"But if your fleet meets theirs and beats it, how could they ever getback again?"
"I expect they mean to stay here and hold the country," Edgar said. "Idon't know what good it would do to them; still I suppose they think itwould, or they would not take the trouble to come over. But if theyshould take the country, it would be very bad for men like my father,for they would be sure to put all the English in prison, and it would bethe ruin of their business."
"Would they put you in prison?"
"I don't know; I expect so. They would hold all the English asprisoners."
"You would come out to us. You will be quite safe there. If theirsoldiers came, they would never catch us; we could move about anywhere,we know all the places where water is to be found, and they would onlydie of thirst if they went after us into the desert."
"Well, I hope that it is not going to be so, Sidi; but if the Frenchshould land here I should like it very much. I suppose you would fightagainst the French."
"If they came to take Egypt, of course we should, and then you could seeit all, and fight with us against them."
"It would be very jolly, Sidi, and I should like nothing better; but ofcourse I shall have to do as my father tells me. I expect he would shutup his place, and get all his goods on board a ship and go away till itwas all over, if he was able. No doubt he would want me to go with him."
That evening Edgar learned that he had rightly guessed the steps thathis father would take in case a French army landed.
"It is an awkward business, lad," he said. "Of course if Nelson comes upwith the French fleet, we may hope that it will come out right; but if,before he catches it, they manage to land twenty or thirty thousandtroops, our position here would be a most serious one. I intend tocharter the _Petrel_, which has just discharged the cargo she broughthere. I shall put all my most valuable goods on board at once,especially all the Egyptian carpets and other oriental work, so thatwithin a few hours of hearing that their fleet was off the coast, Ishould be ready to sail for England. Of course there would be an end tothe business here, so long as the French remained in Egypt; and no doubtany British subjects they could lay their hands on would be thrown intoprison, just as was the case when they occupied Holland.
"I should not, however, propose to shut up the house altogether, foralthough we, as English, would be seized, and thrown into prison, andthe place closed, France is not at war with Germany, and Muller couldcarry on the shipping business without interruption, his own name beingsubstituted for mine. I should instruct him to do no trade with theinterior; everything will be turned topsy-turvy, and all trade of thatsort would be at an end. On the other hand, with the French mastershere, a considerable number of French and Italian ships will be comingin with stores of all kinds, these will often need supplies, repairs,and so on; and as we have men capable of doing anything in the way ofrefitting, Muller could keep things going, and carry on a business thatshould pay all expenses, and would probably leave a margin of profit. Atany rate, the house would not go to wreck and ruin, and the business beentirely lost.
"I don't think the French occupation would be likely to last very manymonths. You may be sure that there would be great efforts made at home.A tremendous fleet would be sent out here, and the difficulties ofbringing in stores and reinforcements for the army would be enormous.Possibly we too may land an army. Certainly we could nowhere fight theFrench so advantageously as here; it would be the case of India overagain, as long as we are superior at sea, as we could bring troops heremore safely and more expeditiously than they could. However, that seemsto me the best arrangement we can make if the French land. To me itwould make no great difference, for, as you know, I had arranged to sailin three weeks for England.
"The only alteration would be that you must accompany me instead ofstaying here. Even putting aside the fact that you would be made aprisoner, you would, if you stayed here, be a hindrance rather than ahelp to the business. Muller would carry it on as a purely German firm,while if you were here it would be evident that I had merely lefttemporarily, and that you were my representative. That would be fatal toMuller doing business with the French."
"I see that, father, although I must say that I would rather stop to seethe fun."
Mr. Blagrove smiled.
"I don't suppose you would see much of it in any case, Edgar. However,that is out of the question. I daresay my correspondents in London willbe able to take you into their office, or get you a situation of thesame kind elsewhere, so that if you stop in England a year you will notbe wasting your time. However, the French have not come yet, and I canhardly think that they can intend to undertake an expedition, where,even if our fleet is not strong enough to do so at once, it will erelong certainly be raised to a point when it will completely cut them offfrom France."
"But even if they come, father, they may not succeed in conqueringEgypt. Don't you think that the Mamelukes will be able to make headagainst them?"
"We don't know how strong the French are, but even if they come in greatforce, if the Mamelukes were well handled, Edgar, they ought to be ableto prevent them from advancing far inland. They ought to hang in cloudsround them, driving in their cavalry whenever they ventured to leave theshelter of their infantry fire. They ought to harass them night and day,and prevent them obtaining supplies of any sort. I am afraid thatnothing of that kind will be done. The Mamelukes have been spoilt, andthey are so puffed up that they believe themselves to be invincible, andthat they have only to make a grand charge to sweep the French away.
"However, it will make no great di
fference to us when we are oncefairly away, for of course I shall not think of returning here untilmatters have settled down again. The French traders have had a bad timeof it since the war began, and most of them left long ago, for it was soseldom that a vessel got through our cruisers that they could not relyupon any regular supplies of goods. Of course, there are many smallshopkeepers who take their goods of me, and retail them out to thenatives, but all the importers left. I am afraid it is going to be ourturn now; that is, unless Nelson manages to intercept their fleet--novery easy matter, for they might land anywhere along the coast betweenthis and Syria. But I imagine that their descent will take place nearthis town, for from it they could follow the fresh-water canal to thepoint where it flows from the Nile, and so on to Cairo.
"They may, however, land at either the Damietta or Rosetta mouths of theriver; still, I think that they are more likely to come here, seeingthat the ships could more closely approach the shore."
The British fleet remained but a few hours off Alexandria. The shortPeace of Campo-Formio had caused the greater portion of the Britishfleet to be recalled from the Mediterranean; and it was not until theFrench preparations were almost complete that the news reached Englandthat a vast number of transports had been collected by the French atvarious ports, that provisions of all kinds were being put on board, andit was rumoured that an army was about to embark for some unknowndestination.
Nelson was at once sent off with a fleet to blockade Toulon, from whichport it was evident that the men-of-war intended to guard this greatfleet of transports would start. It arrived there on the first of June,only to learn that the French fleet had set out three days previously.The idea that Egypt was its destination had not entered the minds of theBritish ministers, and although Nelson had been furnished withinstructions as to the course to be taken in the case of almost everycontingency, this had never been even discussed.
The French fleet consisted of 13 vessels of the line, 9 frigates, and 11corvettes and despatch-boats. All of these, with the exception of a fewof the smaller vessels, were furnished by Toulon. Here, too, 20,500 menhad embarked in 106 transports. They were to be joined by 30 transportsfrom Marseilles, 20 from Corsica, 35 from Genoa, and 41 from CivitaVecchia, bringing up the total to 232 transports, carrying 32,300 men.
In one arm the army was extremely deficient, as only 680 horses could beput on board. Of these 300 were for the cavalry,--all of whom, however,took with them saddles and bridles,--the rest were for the artillery andtrain.
Nelson started at once in search of the enemy, but having no clue to thedirection they had taken he was able to obtain no news of theirwhereabouts until he heard that they had captured, without resistance,the island of Malta. Then he returned with all speed, imagining for thefirst time that possibly Egypt was the object of attack, and made forAlexandria. On his arrival there he heard that nothing was known of theFrench movements, although in fact their fleet was on that day lying atanchor off Cape Harzet, twenty leagues to the west.
Supposing, therefore, that they must after all have sailed for the coastof Syria or Constantinople, he steered for Alexandretta, and learningthat, after having captured Malta, the French fleet had sailed toCandia, he left for Rhodes, searched everywhere through the islands ofthe Archipelago, and it was only when he anchored off Cape Matapan, thesouthern extremity of the Morea, that he first learned that the Frencharmy had landed in Egypt a month before.
The object of the French expedition was a vast one, but the means withwhich it was undertaken were insufficient for its execution, and thedifficulties in the way were infinitely greater than had been supposedin Paris. Bonaparte had been chosen for its command principally becausethe directory feared that the great popularity of the victorious generalwould render him formidable to themselves. They knew already that he wasby no means favourably disposed towards them, and they were thereforeanxious to remove him from the public eye.
Napoleon, on his part, was perfectly aware of the reason for which hewas appointed to the command, but he accepted it under the belief that avast amount of glory was to be gained, and that, should the plans of thedirectory be entirely carried out, and India wrested from the English,his name would be placed by the side of Alexander in history. Alreadynegotiations had been carried on for some time with Tippoo Sahib.Commissioners had been despatched to him, and an alliance proposedagainst the British. His power had been greatly overrated by the French,and but a feeble idea was entertained of the enormous difficulties ofthe scheme they proposed, which was that, after completely subduing andorganizing Egypt, they should march through Syria and Damascus, thenceto the head of the Persian Gulf, and thence down through India.
No account had been taken of the enormous difficulties of the journey.There was no thought of the powerful and warlike people of NorthernIndia. The only idea was to revenge the total overthrow of the Frenchpower in India by the British, to re-establish it on a firmer and widerbase than ever, and so not only to humiliate the pride of England, butto obtain a monopoly of the trade of the East.
The news that possibly a French fleet might at any moment appear beforethe port spread the greatest dismay throughout Alexandria; the nativepopulation were furious, and foreigners scarcely dared to showthemselves in the streets. Mr. Blagrove and Edgar were busy from morningtill night on the day after the British fleet had left, in transportingthe goods from the store to the ship that had been chartered.
"It is quite possible that all this is needless," the merchant said toEdgar when they sat down to a hasty meal late in the evening. "I thinkmyself that it is almost absurd, although I do not mean to leaveanything to chance; but it is purely a surmise that the Frenchexpedition is intended to operate against Egypt. It seems to me thateither Greece or Syria is much more likely to be its destination. I havejust had a letter put into my hand, brought by the captain of a smallMaltese trader. It is from a correspondent in Malta. He states that theFrench fleet has appeared off the island and summoned the knights tosurrender, and that it is thought probable that the demand will beacceded to. He said that he sent me a line by a little coaster thatintended to sail late that evening, and was taking a cargo of grain forAlexandria.
"That certainly looks as if the expedition is intended to operatefarther east, for Malta is altogether out of the way for a fleet comingfrom Toulon hither. Still it is just as well to continue our work. Thereis, naturally enough, a violent ferment among the native population, andthis may not improbably find vent in a fanatical attack upon theChristians. At any rate, we will get the rest of our goods of any valueon board, and then await events."
By the next evening their preparations were completed. The ferment hadnow somewhat cooled down, and people were beginning to think that theexcitement roused by a mere vague report was absurd. The next morning atbreakfast Mr. Blagrove said to his son:
"I think, Edgar, that as things have quieted down, and we are allbeginning to hope that the scare was altogether unfounded, it would bejust as well that you should ride over to your friends in the desert,stay the night there, and come back to-morrow. They would think itstrange and discourteous if we were to leave suddenly withoutcommunicating with them; and as I hope our absence will be of shortduration, I should be very sorry to give people so well-disposed towardsyou any ground for offence. But return by to-morrow evening. In theextremely remote possibility of a French fleet being made out beforethat time, I must embark at once, if only for your mother and sisters'sake. It would be madness to wait here--simple madness. Even puttingaside the certainty of captivity for a very long period, it is by nomeans improbable that there would be a sudden rising on the part of thepopulation, and a massacre of foreigners.
"I consider the contingency so remote, that it is scarcely worthspeaking of; but if the French fleet should arrive during the thirty-sixhours that you will be away, and I am obliged to embark and sail off,you must stay with your Arab friends. You see, I have some L8000 worthof goods on board the _Petrel_, and the loss would be an extremely heavyone for me; and I hav
e besides L2000 in cash. I shall leave L1000 inMuller's hands, which will be ample for his needs, as there is a veryheavy stock of ships' stores in the warehouse. I shall, of course,instruct him to supply you with any money that you may require. Youunderstand that I regard all this as extremely improbable, but it isjust as well to make arrangements for every contingency. And then,should the French fleet come in sight, I can embark on board the_Petrel_, and set sail without any great anxiety on your account. Moreto relieve my mind than because I think there is any reasonable groundfor thinking it necessary, here are fifty pounds in gold; you had bestsew them up securely in the band of your trousers to-night; it will beno great trouble, and they will be safer there than if loose in yourpocket."
As Edgar rode away the next morning, he could not help thinking that itwould be great fun if the French were to arrive before he returned. Thethought of a year or two passed in a stuffy office in London was not anagreeable one; while, were he to stay with the Bedouins, he might have alife of excitement and adventure. No doubt they and the other tribeswould all fight against the invaders; impelled in the first place bytheir intense love of independence, and in the second, because theinvaders were Christians. The thought of dashing charges, of skirmishingwith the French cavalry, of pursuit, of flight, was very fascinating toa high-spirited lad of seventeen, and after indulging in these fanciesfor some time, he sighed, as he thought how small was the chance oftheir becoming reality.
He was heartily welcomed on his arrival at the oasis. The news that Sidihad brought of the visit of the British fleet, and the fact that theywere in search of a great French fleet carrying an army that mightpossibly be intended for the invasion of Egypt, had created greatexcitement in the camp.
"Do you think it can be true," the sheik asked him, "that so wild anidea can have come to these people, as to think that they could conquerour country?"
"That I cannot say," Edgar replied. "If they did come, they would bevery formidable opponents, for they have conquered many countries inEurope; their soldiers are well trained and disciplined, and they willhave great numbers of guns; but my father thinks that they can hardlyintend to come here, for if they landed we should soon have enoughships-of-war here to prevent their return, and they would be cut offfrom France altogether. There is no news of their fleet, except thatthey have arrived at the island of Malta. Whither they sailed thence weknow not. Our fleet has gone in search of them, and will fight them whenthey find them. But if they should escape, and should really comehither, my father and I will embark on board a ship which he has loadedwith his most valuable goods, and we shall at once sail for England. Itis for this reason that I have ridden over this morning. If we shouldgo, our departure will be very sudden, for we should get up anchor assoon as the French fleet was made out in the distance, or, at any rate,as soon as it became dark enough to hide our departure; and I shouldhave been sorry indeed to go without saying good-bye to you."
"But for how long will you go, brother?" Sidi asked.
"Until the trouble was over here, which might be only two or threemonths, but which might be as many years."
"And will you be glad to go back to your own country?" the sheik asked.
"No, indeed. There I should have to work in an office in London, whichwould be very dull, while here my work is light, I have amusements, andI have my friends here."
"Why not stay behind with us until your father returns? You know thatyou would be most welcome, and that it would gladden all our hearts tohave you with us."
"I should like it above all things, sheik," Edgar said warmly, "and Ithank you most heartily for the invitation, but of course I must do asmy father wishes, and he thinks it best that we should go to England ifthe French come, for they would keep us both as prisoners, and wouldseize all our goods and merchandise. However, it does not seem to himlikely that the French will really come here, and it was only because heconsidered that it was just possible they might do so that he himselfsuggested that I should come over and stay here until to-morrowafternoon, lest, if we should have to leave suddenly, you might notthink that we had forgotten you in our haste to be off. For myself, Iwish that I could stay here. I suppose that if the French came you wouldfight, and I could fight with your tribe?"
"Assuredly we will fight," the sheik said. "Why should these Franks comehere to molest us? I love not the Turkish rule much, but we are in noway molested. Assuredly every Arab through the desert will ride againstthem and aid the Mamelukes to drive them into the sea. How great an armywould they bring against us?"
"We hear from the officers of our fleet that the news received inEngland said that some 30,000 men were preparing to embark for someunknown destination."
"Thirty thousand!" the sheik said scornfully; "why, there are 10,000Mameluke cavalry and fully 20,000 infantry, janizaries, and spahis,besides the levy of the whole population, and the desert tribes can put5000 horsemen into the field. They will never dare to come against usunless with a force very much larger than you speak of. No, it is notagainst Egypt that the expedition can have sailed."
"That is what my father thinks," Edgar said; "not because of the forceyou could bring against them, but because they would know that theymight be cut off at any time from returning by our fleet, and theirposition would then become desperate. We have long blockaded them intheir own ports, and if they are not strong enough to get out of these,still less would they be able to leave Egypt."
"Let us not talk more of them," the sheik said contemptuously. "They aredogs; if they come hither we shall know how to deal with them."