'I thank you,' said Ken courteously. 'Is there anything else in which we can assist you?'
'There is nothing, I thank you. I will rest a while, then move onwards. In the name of the Prophet, I wish you a safe journey.'
'What tale was he pitching you?' said Roy impatiently, as he set off at a great rate for the wood opposite.
'He advised us to lie up for the rest of the day, and try to slip through their lines at night.'
Roy grunted. 'And I suppose he'll watch where we go and set his pals on us as soon as they come along.'
'He will do nothing of the sort,' Ken answered rather hotly. 'For goodness' sake, don't go judging the Turk by the German, Roy. That fellow considers that we have done him a favour, and nothing would induce him to betray us.'
'Sorry I spoke,' said Roy briefly, 'but you were so long I was getting into a horrid stew. Even now, one can't tell whether we've been spotted, and it isn't likely that the next German who comes along is going to be kind to us when he sees what we've done to his nice new gun.'
No more was said until they reached the wood and flung themselves panting under the shade of a scrubby live oak.
'Now we can take a bit of a breather,' said Roy. 'And a bit of lunch, too. Here, catch!' He flung a chunk of bread across to Ken.
But Ken had sprung up. He was listening keenly.
'Bunk!' he muttered. 'There's cavalry coming.'
Roy was on his feet like a flash, for he too had caught the thud of horses' hoofs and the jingle of stirrups. For a moment the two stood, side by side, behind the trunk of the live oak, peering out over the sunbaked plain. Across it a patrol of cavalry, smart in a gray-blue uniform, were cantering sharply.
'They're making straight for the wood,' said Ken quickly. 'They must be after us. Come!'
They both set off at a run, dodging and ducking under the low-growing trees. For a moment they thought they were unobserved, but next instant a shout rudely shattered that illusion. They scurried on as hard as they could go, but the wood was so open and the trees so far apart that it gave mighty little shelter. The patrol had broken into a gallop. The thud of the horses' hoofs grew nearer every moment.
'That thicket over there,' panted Ken breathlessly. 'We'll dodge them yet if we can reach it.'