“Abdul says it can be done. I forgot to tell you that on our way to Ain Afroo that night I told Abdul of our discovery, and he said he knew the caves well, and had often climbed into them. The tradition of the country is that they were actually cut in the rocks ages ago as a refuge when the people were pressed by their enemies.”
“Well, it’s a capital idea if it can be managed. The Jew would be out of harm’s way, at any rate.”
“Yes. And if we succeed in releasing Ingleton, we can come back for him, perhaps, and take him into Rabat or Casa Blanca, and make him disgorge some of Abdul’s property, which I’ve no doubt he has appropriated.”
“But won’t he starve? We can’t spare him any food.”
“A day’s fasting won’t hurt him. We’re on uncommonly short rations ourselves, and there’s no reason why he should fare better than we.”
“But can we get him up? He’s a big fellow,”
“We’ll do our best with Abdul’s help. One of the caves is more easy to get at than the others, Abdul says.”
“By Jove, we’ve forgotten that fellow who got away!”
“Hang it, so we have. It can’t be helped. We clearly can’t catch him now without showing ourselves to the people of Ain Afroo. Perhaps he didn’t make for the village after all. We must dispose of Salathiel, at any rate.”
Tom and Oliphant had been talking apart, while Abdul kept watch over the Jew. The former now went up to the man.