Such was the burden of his lament, which greatly amused the others, especially Bogey and Tinker.
They were now on the edge of the desert some distance outside the walls of the town.
The Arab tents could be faintly descried in the distance.
They had still some distance to walk in order to reach them.
The road, however, was now plain and easy, consisting of the usual flat desert sand.
On nearing this encampment, they were challenged by a Bedouin sentinel, but the chief, stepping forward and explaining, the whole group were of course readily admitted.
The black and white camel-hair tents dotted the plain to a considerable distance, and numerous horses and camels were picketed round.
One of the principal Arabs having conferred with Kara-al-Zariel, he went back to his English guests, saying—
"Christian friends, I will now show you what will cheer your hearts even more than the flesh of lambs, or odour of pure bread. Behold!"
And throwing back the curtains of the tent, he exposed Jack Harkaway, attired as a Turk, peacefully sleeping upon a rude couch.