"Yes, there are soldiers in El Menair, Abu Zabel, El Khankah, and many other villages along the fresh-water canal," said Belbeis. "They will all be warned, and the country will be scoured. We must not fear, but ride hard, keeping as far in the desert as possible."
They now pushed on again, and in a short time the disused railroad between Cairo and Suez was reached. Here the horses were watered and rested, whilst the riders partook of breakfast. After an hour's rest they again resumed their journey. The caravan road to Tel-el-Mahuta was reached, and for the present adopted as the best course to pursue.
This journey was very different from the one George had made to Damanhour; there it was through more or less cultivated land, and was done in the cool of the day, whilst now they were travelling rapidly, with the sun pouring its intense rays down upon them as they traversed the shelterless desert. It taxed the endurance of all three men to the utmost, the Arabs, who were used to the scorching sun, feeling it severely; so what must it have meant to Helmar, who had recently recovered from an illness? Still, with a determination to see his work through, he never for one minute allowed his spirits to flag. He had a duty to perform, and, if for nothing else, his gratitude to Naoum would not allow him to succumb to the trials of his undertaking. Belbeis and the guide rode on in stolid silence, evidently with no intention of allowing the effort of speech to increase their thirst. George, following their example, let his thoughts dwell upon the cool forests in the land of his birth, and longed ardently for a few minutes' shelter beneath one of the great elm trees that grew in the grounds of his father's house. The time passed on, and mile after mile was covered, until shortly after noon a watering-place was at length reached. Another short halt was called, and a rest taken before the last stage of the journey was begun. So far, only distant clouds of dust warned the travellers of the nearness of their enemies, and with the subtle intuition of Belbeis, they were skilfully avoided. Another twenty-five miles only remained before Tel-el-Kebir would be reached, and already Helmar was promising himself success.
Suddenly Belbeis roused himself from a light doze he had fallen into, and, glancing quickly round the horizon, called on his companions to saddle up their horses again.
"I see a party approaching from the north; we must hasten! I fear we shall be observed," he said, as he sprang into the saddle.
George and the guide quickly followed his example, and the party moved off with all possible haste. They had scarcely gone a quarter of a mile when George drew Belbeis's attention to another cloud of dust.
"See," he said, "there are some more ahead of us! It looks as if we are hemmed in on all sides. We cannot retreat—our horses will not last."
Belbeis gazed at the cloud George had drawn attention to, and then anxiously glanced at the one to the north.
"They are both coming towards us, but it looks as if some conveyance were with the one you have pointed out."
"Ah," said George, "and if so, what do you expect?"