“Yes, you’re right, old fellow; but an ancient gem like that is tempting. It may be a thousand years old.”
“And now about obtaining news of Hal,” said Frank, looking from one to the other. “They surely are not going to keep us shut up here?”
“A little patience, Frank, lad,” said the professor; “here we are, within the walls of Omdurman, and received as friends; it cannot be long before we find out whether there are other prisoners here.”
“Whether there are other prisoners here!” cried Frank excitedly. “Why, we know.”
“That poor Hal was either here or at Khartoum months ago. We must not be too sanguine. He may be many miles away.”
“You may be right,” said Frank wearily, “and I will not be sanguine; but if you begin dealing with probabilities and improbabilities, I may reply that it is quite possible that Hal is here in Omdurman—that he may even be in this very house. We know that he was a prisoner, do we not?”
“Of course,” said the professor.
“Then he would be the slave of some important man?”
“Certainly, my dear boy.”
“Well, this Emir seems to be one of the most important men here; why may not fate have brought us to the very place?”