Two days later they went away again, announcing that they left this time for a longer period and in all probability would reach as far as Benisueif, and from there to El-Fachn, where a canal of the same name begins, going far south alongside of the Nile.
Great, therefore, was the astonishment of the children, when on the third day at eleven o'clock in the morning Chamis appeared in Medinet. Stas met him first as he went to the pasturage to look at the camels. Chamis conversed with Idris, and only told Stas that he came for him and Nell and that he would come immediately to the camp to inform them where they, at the request of the older gentlemen, were to go. Stas ran at once with the good news to Nell, whom he found playing with Saba before the tent.
"Do you know—Chamis is here!" he cried from a distance.
And Nell began at once to hop, holding both feet together, as little girls do when skipping the rope.
"We shall go! We shall go!"
"Yes. We shall go, and far."
"Where?" she asked, brushing aside with her little hands a tuft of hair which fell over her eyes.
"I don't know. Chamis said that in a moment he would come here and tell us."
"How do you know it is far?"
"Because I heard Idris say that he and Gebhr would start at once with the camels. That means that we shall go by rail and shall find the camels at the place where our parents will be, and from there we shall make some kind of an excursion."