Nevertheless, I understood nothing of his plan, except that our little group kept drawing closer to the three, one of whom seemed in command of the other side. At the moment I suspected that Grim was one of those officers who are splendid at intelligence work and at playing a lone hand, but less than ordinary in the field; Ali Baba looked like the man of action.
Why, with all that brave old man's ability to swing and spur his gang in absolute control, had not the lot of us burst through the circling enemy and made a bolt for it? That was what I should have done.
But suddenly Grim turned and pushed the muzzle of his pistol into Ayisha's face as she leaned out of the shibrayah to watch. It caught her under the jawbone, so that she could not see what his finger was doing, and did not dare try to move away.
"Now shout!" he ordered her. "Tell 'em your name Wallahi! Yell, or I'll kill you."
She let out a bleat like a frightened goat, that might have been audible thirty yards away if there were no other noise.
"Louder! I'll blow your brains out if you disobey!"
So she screamed at the top of her lungs, making her voice carry as all desert people can. And after she had called three times she was answered by a clear, contralto woman's voice.
"Ay-ish-a! O Ay-ish-a!"
"Jael! Jael!" she called back; and at that the rider of the middle camel waved the cloth again.
As fast as they caught sight of it—in tens and twenties—the oncoming riders halted.