A good hour passed before they stopped. They gave the horses a scanty drink, and took a mouthful or two each; and then, throwing themselves down, allowed the horses to crop the scanty herbage.
After four hours' halt they pursued their way on foot for three hours, laying their course by the stars. They calculated that they must have gone a good fifteen miles from the point where they turned off, and feared that they might miss the caravan track, if they went on before daybreak.
[Chapter 9]: Safely Back.
As soon as the sun was up they pursued their journey, Gregory's compass being now available.
In half an hour, Zaki said, "There is a sign of the track, my lord," and he pointed to the skeleton of a camel.
"How many more miles do you think we have to go, Zaki?"
"We must be a good half way, my lord."
"Yes, quite that, I should think. Looking at the map, I should say that we must be about abreast of the line of Gakdul. This route is only just indicated, and there are no halting places marked upon it. Still, there must be water, otherwise caravans could not use it. We have about sixty miles farther to go, so that if the horses were fresh we might be there this evening; but as it is, we have still two, if not three days' journey before us.
"Well, we must hope that we shall find some water. Just let the horses wet their mouths; we can keep on for a bit, before we have a drink.
"How much more is there left?" he asked, after the lad had given a little water to each horse.