Then another missile, hissing overhead, plunged into the oasis. This was quickly followed by a third. The Arabs lying under cover began to give way.
"That's good!" muttered the correspondent. "If this goes on we can make a dash for it. These fellows will pass well on our left."
Unfortunately another shell, falling on the flank of the now demoralized fugitives, caused them to swerve to the right, and, bursting through the scrub, they gained the oasis close to where Reeves and his companions were standing.
No sooner did they catch a glimpse of the hated Kafirs than, forgetting their panic, they surrounded the three Turkish soldiers and their charges. Once more spears and rifles were raised menacingly, while the Turks yelled their hardest in an endeavour to fulfil their superior's orders.
Thrusting his compatriots aside, a tall, brown-featured Arab, with a long black beard, grabbed one of the Turks by the shoulder.
"In the name of Allah the all-powerful, who are these infidels?" he shouted.
"They are Inglees, under the protection of Bimbashi Ali," replied the man. "These Inglees are indeed the friends of the Ottoman."
"Nevertheless they may not be the friends of the true sons of the Prophet," replied the Arab, his dark eyes flashing. "Yet, since they be of a different tribe from yonder Kafirs, I will give them life. Seize and bear them hence."
In a moment Arthur Reeves was secured, his arms being bound behind his back with a leather thong. He offered no resistance—since resistance would have made matters worse; but in spite of this passiveness his clothes were torn from his back by his captors in their efforts to possess themselves of his watch, pistol, ammunition, and other effects. Hugh and Gerald fared much the same, the latter's watch being the cause of a tough struggle between a Baggara and a Tunisian Arab. Eventually the Baggara got possession of a badly-damaged timepiece, and the other man secured three pieces of a broken chain.
"Make the best of it, lads," exclaimed the correspondent, as cheerfully as he could. "They are not going to kill us."