CHAPTER XII
A Grim Discovery
"What is it?" asked Bob, slow to catch sight of the object.
"Gazelles," returned his father. "A small herd of them."
In a moment the agile animals came running out in full view of all,their beautiful coats showing clearly in the bright sunlight.
The creatures were about a hundred yards away, not any too near for anaccurate shot, but the naturalists were much in desire of several asspecimens.
Their long-distance rifles were equipped with telescopes, making itmuch easier, according to the naturalists, to sight an object at ahundred yards or more. Bob's gun, however, did not have thisconvenience.
Mr. Lewis prepared to take aim.
"You take the animal to the extreme right, Howard," he said to Mr.Holton. "Bob, you pick the one in the middle, and I'll try to get oneat the left. Tom," he said to Dr. Kirshner, "suppose you count tothree. When you say three we'll all fire together. Let's go, now."
"One, two, THREE."
Bang! Three rifles spoke as one.
Mr. Holton cried out in delight.
"Hurrah!" he said. "Got all of the ones we aimed at. Good work."
The report of the guns caused great disorder in the herd, the gracefulcreatures leaping about at a speed that did their thin, muscular legsfull justice. Before long they had disappeared behind the sand dunes.
"Now we'll ride over and see what the ones killed look like," said Mr.Lewis.
As the dead gazelles were not in a direction that would take theexplorers off their steady course, the pack camels were driven alongalso.
When they reached the spot, Joe cried out in amazement at sight of thegazelles' sleek skin. It was of a yellowish brown color, and theabdomen was as white as snow. The legs were long and thin, narrowingdown to a finely shaped hoof.
"As beautiful an animal as one can find," declared Mr. Lewis, who withMr. Holton had been everywhere and knew what he was talking about.
"Two males and a female," observed Bob's father, noting the curvedhorns of the former.
"Look at the eyes," said Joe. "They're almost jet black."
The naturalists began at once the task of removing the skins, for itwas best not to leave them on too long under such a sun.
As soon as this was completed they were placed in a solution of alumthat had been prepared by Dr. Kirshner under the naturalists'directions.
"In our opinion, that's the best preservative there is," remarked Mr.Holton, "although there are many others in use."
It required the better part of two hours to complete the task. The sunwas just beginning to sink behind the distant mounds when they wereready to continue the journey.
"Be dark before long," predicted Fekmah. "Then we will have to stopand wait for the moon. If you have not before traveled on desert undermoon, you have much to see."
They plodded continually on, Bob and Joe occasionally taking motionpictures. As the heat gradually became less intense, the youths felt athrill of exultation run through their veins. Now there was nothing toworry about, no fierce sun to sweat under, no cares or anxieties tooccupy their minds. Life--life on the boundless Sahara--seemed great.
"The folks back home are sure missing something," smiled Bob. "ThoughI suppose a lot of them wouldn't care for doings of this kind."
Slowly the darkness came. At last, when the little caravan was in anotch between two unusually high dunes, Tishmak called a halt andconversed with Fekmah. Then the latter turned to the Americans.
"Tishmak says it is not thing to go on through darkness," he toldthem. "Might come on to something bad. We'll wait here for moon tocome out, then go on."
"Now's a good chance to get our suppers," said Dr. Kirshner,commanding his dromedary to lower.
By the aid of flashlights a limited but satisfying meal was preparedon paper, and the adventurers all ate heartily.
"Too bad there's nothing for the camels," said Mr. Lewis.
"No need of worrying about them," returned Fekmah. "They can have nofood or drink for good many days. Soon we come to region of thinvegetation. Then they eat."
After the meal the explorers stretched out on the now cool sand, gladof a chance to rest their tired limbs. The constant jolting of thedromedaries had contributed much toward fatiguing them.
"Now's the time when a coat comes in handy," said Bob, reaching intohis bag on the camel's back.
"Wait till dawn, if you want to see real cold weather," came from Dr.Kirshner. "Isn't that right, Fekmah?"
The Arab nodded.
"Temperature often gets down to thirty-five degrees," he said.
Before long the moon came out in full splendor, flooding the vastexpanse with enchanting light and creating a scene beautiful beyonddescription. The sand looked white all about, broken only by anoccasional ripple caused by the wind. The brilliant moon wassurrounded by a large white circle, which seemed to throw silver dartson the dunes. In the distance were groups of luminous clouds, whoseragged edges were transparent. It was a wonderful sight, and theexplorers sat for some time as though transfixed.
"Never saw anything like it in my life!" exclaimed Mr. Holton, hisbreath almost taken away by the magnificent spectacle.
"Wonder if we're dreaming?" mused Joe, also fascinated.
Fekmah and Tishmak had been out to witness such a spectacle before,but seemed to think no less of it.
"I guess here's a case where familiarity doesn't breed contempt,"laughed Mr. Lewis, his eyes on the Arabs.
Bob got out the movie camera, intent upon taking several scenes thatwould be "really different."
"Moonlight always makes a good impression on a motion-pictureaudience," remarked Joe. "And away out here on the Sahara--well, it'llseem wonderful!"
Tishmak made signs that they move on, and the others were glad to doso. Since there was so much light, it would be easy to find their way.
They were now in a region of high sand hills, with still no rocksother than the small bright-colored pebbles that were scattered about.Vegetation began to be more numerous in the form of _had_, _drinn_,and other plants, which were occasionally eaten by the dromedaries.
"I wonder if Fekmah is sure he's headed right?" said Bob, as he andhis friend again took their places at the end of the caravan.
"He doesn't seem to be having any trouble yet," was the reply. "Youremember he made another map from memory after the first one wasstolen. Chances are he knows where he's going."
"If he doesn't, we probably won't find the hidden riches," was Bob'sreturn.
They trudged on, up and down the sand hills, until about ten o'clock.Then Tishmak called a halt.
"We camp here for night," announced Fekmah, after a short conferencewith the guide. "It not wise to go any farther tonight. We get asleep; then start on in morning."
"I was just thinking it's about time," laughed Dr. Kirshner.
Tishmak had purposely picked out a deep gulch between the mounds asthe stopping place. This would be a fair precaution against the nomadbandits who were reputed to be in this region.
"Takes a guide to know what's best," remarked Bob, observing the highwalls of sand all about them. "The country in this vicinity is sorough that a caravan wouldn't come anywhere near it, especially lateron, when it will be pitch dark."
The explorers dismounted and got out the tent. The poles were put up,and in a short time everything was in readiness for the night's sleep.
"Curl up tightly in your blankets," advised Mr. Lewis, as he preparedto occupy a corner of the tent. "It will be very cold along towarddawn."
"And will we sleep!" said Bob, throwing himself down in relaxation.
Bob's prediction proved right. The boys enjoyed the deep slumber thatonly an explorer can experience. It was wholly unexpected that they beawakened at dawn by their elders.
"It's a dirty trick!" grinned Joe, as his father urged him to fullyawaken.
"I know," the naturalist said sympathetically. "But we must be on ourway before the sun gets so hot tha
t traveling will be dangerous."
But once up, it was easy to forget sleepiness and enjoy theearly-morning air.
"Talk about cold!" cried Joe, shivering in spite of the fact that hewas wrapped in a heavy coat. "I'll bet the old mercury is down tothirty degrees."
"Not quite that bad," laughed Dr. Kirshner, holding up a thermometer."It's thirty-eight."
"Even that is cold for the desert," said Bob. "I always had theimpression that it is hot all the time."
"There are some places that way," returned Mr. Lewis. "But certainlynot the old Sahara."
Mr. Lewis and Mr. Holton got out the provisions and began preparingthe breakfast.
"And while they're doing that, suppose we go up to the top of thismound," suggested Bob to his chum. "It's rather high. Maybe we can geta view of the country ahead of us."
"Don't be gone long, boys," called Dr. Kirshner, as they made theirway to the edge of the hill.
The sand under their feet was, in many places, loose and unstable, butthey found sufficient hard spots to make safe footholds. It was not alittle difficult to estimate where they could safely climb higher.Perspiration was dripping from them when they at last reached the topand turned their gaze toward the horizon.
A cry of astonishment came from Joe at the scene that was spread outbefore them. The dunes that stretched away in the distance were tintedwith many colors, showing strangely in the early-morning light. Somewere pink, others blue, still others green, while the ones fartheraway paled away into nothingness.
"That's a new one on me," remarked Bob, highly puzzled. "I neverexpected anything like this."
"Nor I. Wonder what causes it?"
"Beyond me."
They stood for some time gazing at the varicolored mounds. Then Joeturned about.
"Better get back to camp," he suggested. "Breakfast may be ready."
They were about to retrace their footsteps when they heard a rustlingsound but a few feet away.
"What's that?" muttered Bob, sensing that danger was at hand.
The youths glanced around--and then shrank back in horror!
Captured by the Arabs Page 12
