One of these was the Professor's riding-dromedary, which could not be mistaken because of its pure white colour and queer method of holding its head to one side, passing within ten yards, between us and the road, having a man upon its back who evidently was not the Professor.

Then it was that we discovered his absence and feared the worst.
"A Fung has got his camel," I said.
"No," answered Quick; "Shadrach has got it.

I saw his ugly mug against the light." Another vision was that of what appeared to be our baggage camels moving swiftly away from us, but off the road which was occupied by a body of horsemen in white robes.

Orme issued a brief order to the effect that we were to follow the camels with which the Professor might be.

We started to obey, but before we had covered twenty yards of the cornfield or whatever it was in which we were standing, heard voices ahead that were not those of Abati.