SAFELY BACK 123 I should say that we must be about abreast of the line of Gakdul. This route is only just indicated, and there are no halting-places marked upon it. Still, there must be water, otherwise caravans could not use it. We have about sixty miles farther to go, so that if the horses were fresh we might be there this evening; but as it is, we have still two, if not three days’ journey before us. Well, we must hope that we shall find some water. Just let the horses wet their mouths; we can keep on for a bit before we have a drink. How much more is there left ? ” he asked, after the lad had given a little water to each horse.

“ Hot above two gourdfuls.” “ Well, we must ride as far as we can, and at any rate must keep one gourdful for to-morrow. If we cover twenty-five miles to-day—and I don’t think the horses can do more—we can manage, if they are entirely done up, to walk the other thirty-five miles. However, as I said, there must be wells, and even if they are dry we may be able to scratch the sand out and find a little water. What food have we got ? ” Only about two pounds of dates.” That is a poor supply for two days, Zaki, but we must make the best of them. We will only eat a few to-day, so as to have a fair meal in the morning. We shall want it if we have to walk thirty-five miles over the sand.”

It will not be all sand,” Zaki said ; “ there is grass for the last fifteen miles near the river, and there were cultivated fields about ten miles out before the Dervishes came.”

That is better. How we will be moving.” The herbage the horses had cropped during the halt had served to a certain degree to supply the place of water, and they proceeded at a brisker pace than Gregory had expected. “ Keep a sharp look-out for water. Even if the wells are dry, you will see a difference in the growth of the bushes round them, and as it is certain that this route has not been used for some time there may even be grass.”

They rode on at an easy canter, and avoided pressing the