He turned lazily around, meaning to summon the Arab who had volunteered to take Hassan's place.

His arms--he had been in the act of stretching--fell to his sides.

He stared incredulously at the spot where the camels had been tethered.

There were no camels, no drivers, no Arabs.

There was not a soul nor an object in sight except the stark body of Hassan, which they had dragged half out of sight behind a slight knoll.