"Listen!" said Trench; and both men as they strained their ears heard
the soft padding of camels very near at hand. A moment later a low
whistle brought them out of their shelter.
"We are here," said Feversham, quietly.
"God be thanked!" said Abou Fatma. "I have good news for you, and bad
news too. The boat is ready, our friends are waiting for us, camels are
prepared for you on the caravan track by the river-bank to Abu Hamed.
But your escape is known, and the roads and the ferries are closely
watched. Before sunrise we must have struck inland from the eastern bank
of the Nile."
They crossed the river cautiously about one o'clock of the morning, and
sank the boat upon the far side of the stream. The camels were waiting
for them, and they travelled inland and more slowly than suited the
anxiety of the fugitives. For the ground was thickly covered with
boulders, and the camels could seldom proceed at any pace faster than a
walk. And all through the next day they lay hidden again within a ring
of stones while the camels were removed to some high ground where they
could graze. During the next night, however, they made good progress,
and, coming to the groves of Abu Hamed in two days, rested for twelve
hours there and mounted upon a fresh relay.
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