"I would not for the world take away any real grounds of hope which you may have; but on the other hand, there is no use in preparing bitter disappointments for ourselves.
If we had been listening to an attack, we should have heard some reply.
Besides, an Egyptian attack would have been an attack in force.
No doubt it _is_, as you say, a little strange that they should have wasted their cartridges--by Jove, look at that!" He was pointing over the eastern desert.

Two figures were moving across its expanse, swiftly and stealthily, furtive dark shadows against the lighter ground.

They saw them dimly, dipping and rising over the rolling desert, now lost, now reappearing in the uncertain light.
They were flying away from the Arabs.

And then, suddenly they halted upon the summit of a sand-hill, and the prisoners could see them outlined plainly against the sky.

They were camel-men, but they sat their camels astride as a horseman sits his horse.
"Gippy Camel Corps!" cried the Colonel.
"Two men," said Miss Adams, in a voice of despair.
"Only a vedette, ma'am! Throwing feelers out all over the desert.
This is one of them.