Helmar all this time had not uttered one word. Notwithstanding the agony he had endured, and the pain of the wounds Abdu had inflicted upon him, he had not allowed a single sound to escape him, but it was with a sigh of intense relief that he saw the little monster rejoin his friends.
The guards, for a time, now seemed to ignore the presence of their prisoner and spoke in louder tones. Possibly Abdu was not aware that his prisoner could speak Arabic, for they conversed quite freely, and George distinctly heard every word they said. Abdu was the man his attention was mainly fixed upon.
"No, no," he was saying, "the officer Arden has been fooled by this Naoum. Arabi would have killed him at once but for the money-man Naoum. I tell you he is his friend, and we will have no power to harm him."
"But Arden is powerful, and while Naoum is away, will be able to do as he likes," replied one of the men, in a tone of conviction.
"You are a fool, and cannot see before your nose," cried Abdu, irritably. "Arabi dare not quarrel with Naoum; the other is only powerful in favour, he does not wield the hold over our master. No, Arden will work his end, but not through his master, it will be in the way he ordered the prison to be fired."
Helmar listened to every word they were talking of him.
"So it was Arden that had the prison set alight," thought he; "evidently he would stop at nothing. Would his influence extend to Cairo?"
"Who says that Arden had the prison burnt?" said one of the men. "More likely that you did it, Abdu, because the Christian dog struck you."
All three laughed, and George shuddered as he realized what it meant to be in the power of such creatures.
"Whoever did it, it was good," said Abdu; "the dogs must die, or the true believers will be driven from their own land. I would that I were allowed, yonder dog should never leave this train alive, and his body should rot on the plains, and feed the vultures."