"There was something," he insisted. "That wasn't happy laughter. What caused it?"
"Some day I will tell you—if we live."
"Live?" Then he laughed.
And she was not slow to recognize the Homeric quality of his laughter.
"Kit, I am going to get you and your father out of all this, if but for one thing."
"And what is that?" curious in her turn.
"I'll tell you later." And there the matter stood.
The journey to the village proved frightfully exhausting. The two were in a sorry plight when they reached the well.
The camel men were overjoyed at the sight of them. For hours they had waited in dread, contemplating flight which would take them anywhere but to Bala Khan, who rewarded cowardice in one fashion only. For, but for their cowardly inactivity, their charges might by now be safe in the seaport toward which they had been journeying. So they brought food for the two and begged that they would not be accused of cowardice to Bala Khan.
"Poor devils!" said Bruce. "Had they shown the least resistance those brigand chaps would have killed them off like rats." He beckoned to the head man. "Take us back to Bala Khan in the morning, and we promise that no harm shall befall you. Now, find us a place to sleep."