Next morning I awoke at early dawn to see Abdul Hashim standing by the curb of the abandoned well and looking into its depths thoughtfully. His men joined him a moment later, and they conversed together in low tones in Arabic. Several times I heard the word “akareb” mentioned, which I knew to signify scorpions, and at times they would cast a pebble into the well and then peer after it curiously.
At first I could not imagine what the fellows were up to. I knew scorpions were thick in these foothills, and remembered that my friend Ketti had warned me of them as we passed through; but why should the Arabs be so interested in the fact that there were numbers of these vermin at the bottom of the abandoned well?
The sheik soon solved the mystery, to my great horror. He came to us and kicked us in turn, bidding us harshly to rise.
Something in the man’s eyes warned me of grave danger. His mood had changed over night and instead of the thin mask of friendliness there was now a wicked look on his finely cut features that I was positive meant our imminent destruction—if he could accomplish it.
I slowly and with effort struggled to my feet, as did Archie and Joe. I braced myself for the final struggle.
“If I am to reach Gege-Merak I can carry you with me no longer,” announced the sheik, in a surly tone. “Therefore you will have the misfortune to fall into the well here, and if your bones are ever found no one can blame me for your death.”
“The well is full of scorpions, boys,” I said to my companions. “The sheik means to murder us.”
Archie shuddered, Joe remaining strangely silent.
“It isn’t a pleasant fate, Abdul Hashim,” I continued, turning to face the scowling Arab. “Why don’t you shoot us down, and make an end of it?”
“Ah, I fear your friend, the Cadi,” he responded, with a guttural laugh. “My plan is safe for me, and as sure for yourselves. There shall be no bullet holes in your flesh to trap me; there shall be no bonds around you to prove foul play if you are discovered in the well before the scorpions have picked your bones clean. Now, then, Hassan—get to work!” he added, turning with a gesture of command to his tall follower.