"See this!" cried Cortes. "The ground is charred. It was here he lit his fire."
All four searched the chamber. Besides the shin-bone, they found other evidence that could not be disputed: four hoofs and a piece of the Arab's white flowing robe.
"Has the man been killed?" cried Jim.
"It seems that that is so."
"But the Sunstone!" Harry exclaimed.
"This evidence," said Fernando, "is indisputable. The Black Dog came here by day, pitched his camp, and lit his fire. When his fire burned out he fell asleep. He had had no sleep for forty-eight hours, and must have been exhausted. It was whilst he was asleep that the leopards entered. It seems I have been robbed of my revenge."
Harry looked at the man.
"So you think," said he, "that the sheikh is dead?"
Fernando pointed to the strip of the Arab's clothes, and shrugged his shoulders. "At all events," said he, "the camel he purchased in the village fell a prey to the leopards."
"But," exclaimed Harry, "how could the camel have got here. We were obliged to crawl in on hand and knees."