“What’s the next landmark?” inquired Mr. Lewis, as the camels were made to move forward.
“The gorge of Arak,” Fekmah returned. “It quite a distance from here, but Tishmak lead us to it quickly.”
All morning they trudged on without coming to the well that Tishmak knew was somewhere in the first range of mountains. Although it seemed impossible, their thirst rapidly increased still more.
“Say,” cried Bob, as a sudden thought struck him, “if those two thieves could cover up the first mountain well, they might do the same to others. Wouldn’t it be possible?”
“Not the next one,” returned Fekmah. “It too large. Take many, many men to stop it. But there are several small ones farther on that could be covered.”
At an hour before noon it was necessary to stop for the daily rest, even though they would have liked to continue in search of water.
They were in a narrow valley between tall, sharp peaks. A ribbon-like dry river bed wound in and out among the brightly colored rocks, suggesting that once a rushing stream had forced its way through the mountains.
“How I wish the river were still here,” said Joe with a sigh.
As soon as camp was made, the explorers took it easy in the shade of the tent, more than glad to escape the terrible heat of the sun.