"Nell," said the boy, "Medinet--that was an illusion, but I know for a certainty that we are being pursued; so don't grieve, and don't cry."
At this the little girl raised towards him her tearful pupils and replied in a broken voice:
"No, Stas--I do not want to cry--only my eyes--perspire so."
But at that moment her chin began to quiver; from under her closed eyelashes big tears gushed and she wept in earnest.
However, as she was ashamed of her tears and expected a rebuke for them from Stas, a little from shame and a little from fear she hid her head on his bosom, wetting his clothes copiously.
"Nell, don't be a fountain. You saw that they took away from some Arab a rifle and a she-camel. Do you know what that means? It means that the desert is full of soldiers. Once these wretches succeeded in trapping a sentinel, but the next time they themselves will get caught. A large number of steamboats are plying over the Nile also--Why, of course, Nell, we will return. We will return, and in a steamer to boot. Don't be afraid."
And he would have comforted her further in this manner, were not his attention attracted by a strange sound coming from the outside, from the sand-drifts, which the hurricane blew onto the bottom of the ravine. It was something resembling the thin, metallic notes of a reed pipe. Stas broke off the conversation and began to listen. After a while these very thin and mournful sounds came from many sides simultaneously. Through the boy's mind the thought flashed that these might be Arabian guards surrounding the ravine and summoning aid with whistles. His heart began to beat. He glanced once and again at the Sudânese, hoping that he would behold consternation on their faces; but no! Idris, Gebhr and the two Bedouins calmly chewed biscuits, only Chamis appeared a little surprised. The sounds continued. After a while Idris rose and looked out of the cavern; returning, he stopped near the children, and said:
Stas' curiosity was so aroused that he forgot that he had determined not to speak to Idris any more and asked:
"It happens thus, and means that for a long time there will be no rain. But the heat will not distress us, since as far as Assuan we will ride only during the night."