“I will take it into consideration. In the meantime do not fear for your personal safety. No harm shall befall you while you are on the Kayala. I give you my word. Do nothing rash, but wait and trust.”
He was anxious to get away, and he bowed low once more, hastening from the cabin.
Nadia fell at full length on the floor.
“Heaven protect me!” she moaned. “He will do nothing, and I am in the power of Miguel Bunol!”
CHAPTER XXIX—THE PURSUIT ON THE RIVER
It was night in Egypt. The silver moonlight fell on the shining, silent Nile, its low shores lined with shadowy palms. Up the Nile a small excursion steamer was spluttering and throbbing, showing its lights.
It was a strange and unusual hour for a steamer to be moving on that portion of the Nile, where but few steamers are ever seen. Traffic on this river is carried on mainly with the aid of dahabeahs, which are immense combined sail and row boats, having a low forward deck and a large cabin aft.
Forward, near the pilot house of the little excursion steamer, there were a number of persons. They were conversing in low tones and keeping a sharp outlook ahead and on either side.
Dick, Brad, Professor Gunn, and Dunbar Budthorne were there. There were also two others in the party, and these were Colonel Stringer and John Coddington.
“There’s a deep shadow over yonder in the bend of the river, pard,” said Buckhart, in a low tone. “They may be lying in there somewhere.”