“Oh, yes, they bite sharper, sir. I expect it’s because they’re so precious hungry, sir. But foreign? Oh, yes, this’ll do, sir. It’s wonderful, what with the camels and the donkeys. My word! they are fine ’uns. I saw one go along cantering like a horse. Yes, sir, this’ll do. But I suppose we’re not going to stay here long?”
“Only till the professor can make his preparations for the start, and then we’re off right away into the desert.”
“Right, sir; on donkeys?”
“On camels, Sam.”
“H’m! Seems rather high up in the air, sir. Good way to fall on to a hard road.”
“Road—hard road, Sam?” said Frank laughing. “If you fall it will be on to soft sand. There are no roads in the desert.”
“No roads, sir? You mean no well-made roads.”
“I mean no roads at all; not even a track, for the drifting sand soon hides the last foot-prints.”
Sam stared.
“Why, how do you find your way, sir?” said Sam, staring blankly.