The words were hardly out of his mouth when the rapid pattering of footsteps in the sand caused the captives to look behind them.
The "imam", considering himself deliberately abused by a son of Shaitan, was running towards his supposed insulter, knife in hand. The blade flashed in the air. In another moment it would have been buried in Gerald's shoulder had not Reeves, by throwing himself on the ground, caught the Arab by the ankles, capsizing him very neatly on the soft soil.
"Take the knife away from him, Hugh," shouted the prostrate Englishman. Ere the lad could seize the imam's wrist, however, the man kicked himself free, and rushed at the unbeliever who had thwarted him.
But the correspondent was not going to allow himself to be knifed if he could help it. Bringing his wrists together, he struck at the Arab with the bight of the iron chain. The imam attempted to parry the blow, but the supple links, falling upon his bare skull, brought him to the ground, this time with a thud. In tumbling, the unfortunate wretch fell upon his own knife, and, ere the Englishman could realize what had occurred, the Arab was dead.
"Look sharp, lads; scoop a hole in the sand and cover him up. If this is discovered we are as good as done for. I hope no one else saw this business.... Too late, by Jove! Look over there!"
Reeves pointed to the opposite side of the river, where three or four Baggaras were making for the encampment. They had seen the affair, and, taking to their heels, ran swiftly to carry the news to the sheikh. Fortunately the river at this point widened out to a fair-sized pond, and the men had to go some distance upstream ere they came to the ford.
"We must make a dash for it," continued Reeves, giving a swift glance around. "Make for the hieries—they are behind those rocks."
All three broke into a run, stopping a moment at the hiding-place to retrieve the empty water skins, provisions, pistol, and ammunition. As luck would have it, four of the beasts were saddled, having been made ready to bear the sheikh and three of the principal members of his family on a short journey to a neighbouring tribe.
The black slaves gasped with astonishment to see the three Kafirs running towards them, when they ought to have been in the fields. Still more were they astonished when they beheld Reeves unbuckle the girths of one of the animals and, with the saddle under his arm, climb into the saddle of another kneeling camel; and ere they could recover from their surprise, the three white men were urging their willing but unwieldy steeds towards the desert.
The fugitives could rely upon half an hour's start—five miles at the outside—and as the distance between them and the encampment of Sheikh Wadherim increased, they saw with intense satisfaction that there were as yet no signs of pursuit.