“If I can’t, I’ll have to change peaks,” he thought, although he realized that this would be difficult and dangerous.
The Arabs and their captives were now nearing a high wall of rock that would prevent them from being seen. But it would be for only a short time—if they did not stop opposite it.
After what seemed like hours to Bob, they emerged again into view, this time at the brink of a high cliff.
“Hope they don’t step off of there,” the youth breathed, his heart in his mouth.
At last, just as the sun was beginning to sink behind the distant peaks, the camels and their riders came to a stop at an opening in a mountainside that evidently led into a cave.
Hardly able to hold the binoculars steady, Bob watched breathlessly, almost expecting to catch sight of Joe and Dr. Kirshner. But those individuals did not make an appearance. Bob did not doubt, however, that they were in the cave.
A moment later, captors and captives dismounted from their dromedaries and walked through the opening out of sight.
Bob waited silently for another half-hour, thinking that it might be possible that this was only a temporary prison. But when at the end of that time no one had left the cave, he was convinced that this was a permanent hideout.
“Now I suppose it’s up to me to get down from here right away,” Bob thought, gliding silently off the shelf and onto a narrow ridge that was directly below.