"What happened afterwards? Did the other Bedouins rejoin you?"
"No, we went on alone."
"Nobody followed you?"
"Nobody; the others remained behind."
"And where were you taken?"
"To a sort of camp, where everybody ran out to look at me. The women were especially inquisitive. Some of them passed their hands over my hair, and my whiskers—they thought the whiskers very funny. But my Bedouin drove them away, and made me get off the camel. I had no objection to do that, I assure you. Then he ordered me to walk on before him, and he pushed me into a tent, after having robbed me of my bûrnus. Bruised and sore, I fell asleep. In about an hour they seized on me again, and dragged me, on foot this time, which, at all events, was an improvement. Then I heard shouts and a shot or two. I was hit over the back with the butt-end of a gun, and fell down where you found me."
"And you cannot tell us anything about M. de Morin?"
"Absolutely nothing."
"Then, my men," exclaimed M. Périères, turning to his escort, "we must go back to the camp and renew our search."
"You are never going to leave me here?" cried Mohammed the miserable.