This last was being rapidly carried out in an orderly way. This one with the water-skins, that with the meal; another bore personal effects; while again another carried two English-made portmanteaus slung pannier-fashion across its back, the carefully packed contents being the Hakim’s selected store of medicines, instruments, and surgical appliances, reduced to the smallest compass possible for efficacy. The other leathern receptacle contained instruments and bottles that were heavy and cumbrous, Frank’s own selection; and at the last minute, as he saw the extent of the preparations and what a caravan their party made for the long journey, he proposed to the Hakim and the professor when they were alone that the scientific apparatus should be left behind with their clothes, and other articles deemed unnecessary, in charge of the little tribe.
“After all, they are only to play scientific conjuring tricks with,” said Frank. “The idea occurred to me at first, but on more thinking the matter over I don’t fancy that they will pay for taking.”
“I don’t agree with you, Frank, lad,” said the Hakim. “What you call scientific conjuring tricks are really displays of the wonders of nature, and are likely to impress the ignorant quite as much as any cure I can effect.”
“Quite so,” said the professor; “they appeal at once to the eye. For my part, I would not on any account leave the apparatus behind.”
“As you like,” said Frank. “I only thought our load was getting too great.”
A few words followed with the Sheikh respecting the extent of their impedimenta and the number of camels required, for others had to bear the gear of two tents, including several handsome rugs, and one way and another, with those devoted to riding, there were fifteen of the beasts of burden, while the party was increased to twelve by sturdy young men of the Sheikh’s tribe.
“His Excellency the Hakim thinks the caravan too big?” said the Sheikh, smiling. “Oh, no. It ought to be larger. So great and wise a man must have a good following, or the people will think he is of no importance. The train is very small, but the tents are good and the camels the best we have in the tribe.”
“And suppose we are attacked by some wandering tribe or a party of the new Mahdi’s ruffianly followers. They may strip us and carry off the camels; what then?”
The Sheikh smiled and shook his head.
“No,” he said; “they may come, but they will not rob us. There were plagues in Egypt once, and there are plagues in Egypt still. The wilder the people we meet, the less likely they will be to interfere with a learned Hakim. They will come to him for help. They know that he can take away disease, and they will think he can give disease amongst them like a curse. I know what the people fancy, and what they will do. No, the caravan is not too large, Excellencies. I should have liked it to be larger, for there are many things that would have been useful when we are far away where food and water are scarce; but there are the camels to feed, and the more we are the slower we travel. Like this we can go fast.”