Again the rifles cracked. Three more camels went down simultaneously. Now only two of the animals remained on foot, but they were halted abruptly by their panic-stricken riders.
“Luckily we downed the leader,” remarked Mr. Lewis. “And now,” he added, “suppose we get away from here at once. There will be no danger of those men starving, for this oasis will furnish them with food and drink. They can wait for another caravan to furnish them with more camels.”
Without hesitation the party placed the packs back on the dromedaries and rode off, Tishmak in the van.
A few pistol bullets whizzed past uncomfortably close, but soon they died down as the Arabs saw the futility of their efforts.
“Whew! That was some experience,” remarked Bob, when they were well out of sight of the oasis. “I hope we see no more such fellows.”
“And you’re not the only one,” said Dr. Kirshner, shaking his head. “But the desert swarms with bandits, and it will be strange if we don’t have another such encounter.”
“Maybe we won’t have such good luck the next time,” mused Joe.
“Nonsense!” Bob retorted. “We’ll drive them off the same as we did these men.”
“But you got that wrong,” corrected Mr. Holton, smiling. “They made us get away.”
Bob looked a little sheepish as he saw where he had been caught.