"The Jowf is eleven days' camel ride away there," they said, pointing to the south-east.
"Go back to Orman," said the Chief, whose name was Mohammed-el-Bady, "it is at your peril that you go forward."
He sent a servant to bring in the headman of his caravan. "This Nisraney wishes to go with the caravan to the Jowf," said the Chief. "What do you think of it?"
"If I took a Christian to the Jowf," replied the caravan leader, "I am afraid Johar the Chief there would kill me for doing such a thing. I cannot do it."
"Yes," another said, turning to Forder, "if you ever want to see the Jowf you must turn Moslem, as no Christian would be allowed to live there many days."
"Well," said the Chief, closing the discussion, "I will see more about this to-morrow."
As the men sat smoking round the fire Forder pulled a book out from his pouch. They watched him curiously.
"Can any of you read?" he asked. There were a number who could; so Forder opened the book—which was an Arabic New Testament—at St. John's Gospel, Chapter III.
"Will you read?" he asked.