A low murmur came out of the darkness as if the professor had spoken some words, Lawrence never knew what, and the next minute they were together standing listening to the sound of footsteps, and their guide came panting up.
“What is it?” he cried.
Mr Preston explained, and Yussuf stood thinking for a few moments, and hit upon the solution of the mystery at once.
“I am not worthy of my name,” he cried. “I see it all now; they must have come round this way to surprise us.”
“And we have surprised them—so it seems,” said the professor coolly. “Our firing scared them. Will they come back?”
“Here! anyone killed? anyone killed?” cried Mr Burne excitedly, as he came panting up to his friends.
“I sincerely hope not,” said the professor; and he explained anew what had occurred. “But what is to be done now, Yussuf?”
“Excellency, I hardly know what to say. If we retreat at once it is a terrible march in the dark, and we should be much at our enemies’ mercy. If we stay here we are greatly exposed, but it is better to be on guard than retreating. I learned that when fighting with my people up northward against the Russ.”
“You think, then, that they will come back?”
“It is impossible to say, effendi. Perhaps not to-night, but we dare not trust them. We must be prepared.”