“Well, now, if that isn't too picturesque for anything!” she cried, with a flush of excitement upon her pretty face. “Do look, Mr. Stephens! That's just the one only thing we wanted to make it just perfectly grand. See the men upon the camels coming out from between those hills!” [Illustration: Long string of red-turbaned riders, Frontispiece p78] They all looked at the long string of red-turbaned riders who were winding out of the ravine, and there fell such a hush that the buzzing of the flies sounded quite loud upon their ears. Colonel Cochrane had lit a match, and he stood with it in one hand and the unlit cigarette in the other until the flame licked round his fingers. Belmont whistled. The dragoman stood staring with his mouth half-open, and a curious slaty tint in his full, red lips. The others looked from one to the other with an uneasy sense that there was something wrong. It was the Colonel who broke the silence. “By George, Belmont, I believe the hundred-to-one chance has come off!” said he. CHAPTER IV “What's the meaning of this, Mansoor?” cried Belmont, harshly. “Who are these people, and why are you standing staring as if you had lost your senses?” The dragoman made an effort to compose himself, and licked his dry lips before he answered. “I do not know who they are,” said he, in a quavering voice. “I did not expect to see any Arabs in this part.” “Who they are?” cried the Frenchman. “You can see who they are. They are armed men upon camels, Ababdeh, Bishareen--Bedouins, in short, such as are employed by the Government upon the frontier.” “By Jove, he may be right, Cochrane,” said Belmont, looking inquiringly at the Colonel. “Why shouldn't it be as he says? why shouldn't these fellows be friendlies?” “There are no friendlies upon this side of the river,” said the Colonel, abruptly; “I am perfectly certain about that. There is no use in mincing matters. We must prepare for the worst.”