CHAPTER IX
Across the Desert
AT the Arab’s welcome remark, Bob and Joe sat up with a start.
“At last!” murmured Joe. “Though I’ll admit it doesn’t look much like a desert to me.”
“There’s still quite a bit of vegetation,” said Dr. Kirshner. “But nevertheless, that rocky wall is classed as the mark of the desert’s edge.”
Another small town was left behind. Then, almost without knowing it, they reached Biskra, a modern city that is much frequented by tourists. The train came to a stop at a small but well-built station.
“Here we must get off again,” said Dr. Kirshner. “The train does not leave for Wargla in the daytime because of the excessive heat.”
They found much to interest them the remainder of the afternoon. For Biskra, with its picturesque natives, lanes of dirty houses, quaint cafés, and modern buildings held their constant attention.
That evening the train arrived for Wargla, and the explorers were glad to continue the journey.