At the hotel they engaged rooms and lost no time in getting to them. Sleepiness was rapidly overpowering them, and they went to bed at once.
The next morning they awaited the train to take them on the remainder of the journey. At eight o’clock it was there, and the explorers climbed aboard, eager to get started on the last stretch.
“What’s the next stop?” asked Bob, as he stretched out on the comfortable seat.
“Batna,” his father returned. “Quite a prosperous place, I guess. And it is the starting point for tourist excursions to several Roman cities that are of considerable interest historically.”
Inside of an hour that city was reached. A short stop and then they were off for Biskra, at the very edge of the Sahara.
“We are now three thousand five hundred feet above the level of the sea,” declared Fekmah, as the train sped over the last few miles of level country.
Soon they came to the Aures Mountains, and between high walls of rock they sped. At last the short range of peaks was passed, and they found themselves once more on comparatively level ground.
Suddenly Fekmah pointed to a high ridge of rock:
“The Sahara Desert!” he exclaimed. “We have come to it at last.”