The sheik invited the explorers to stay for dinner, but Fekmah politely refused, saying that they must hurry on.
“We have many miles to go yet,” he told them in the native tongue. “If we are to get far today we must be going now.”
The explorers left the village for their camels, the Arabs shouting warm farewells.
“Professor Bigelow ought to be here,” smiled Joe, referring to a famous anthropologist who had accompanied them on their expedition in Brazil.
“Wouldn’t he be tickled,” laughed Mr. Lewis. “But then—maybe he’s already been here. He has been about everywhere else studying primitive people.”
Soon the adventurers were out of the narrow valley, again taking up the journey. They were glad to get started again, welcoming any new sight in the way of oddly shaped rocks, deep valleys, and other formations of nature.
Darkness was rapidly falling, but they kept traveling until it became impossible to see ahead. Then Tishmak held up his hand for them to stop.
Again they waited for the moon, not continuing the trip until it came out.
“Tonight we must make up for the lost time at village,” said Fekmah. “We can stand to stay up an hour later.”