Before long they could see palm trees, with their spreading leaves waving in the soft breeze.
Joyfully they rested during the day. The camels drank freely from the cool spring. The men filled the great leather bottles with fresh water. In the evening, refreshed and happy, the men continued the journey.
So they traveled night after night, resting during the heat of the day. At last, one morning the pilot said, "We shall soon reach the end of our journey."
The men were very glad to hear this, for they were weary, and the camels needed rest.
After supper that night Abdul said, "Throw away the firewood and most of the water. It will lighten the burden of the camels. By to-morrow we shall reach the city."
When the caravan started that evening, the pilot led the way as usual, but after a while, weary with many nights of watching, he fell asleep.
All night long the caravan traveled. At daybreak the pilot awoke and looked at the last star, fading in the morning light.
"Halt!" he called. "The camels must have turned while I slept. We are at the place from which we started yesterday."
There was no water to drink. There was no firewood to cook the food. The men spread the tents and lay down under them, saying, "The wood and the water are gone. We are lost!"
But Abdul said to himself, "This is no time to rest. I must find water. If I give way to despair, all will be lost."