The Bedouins laughed heartily at the sight of this great, big, fair man, red as a turkey cock, shouting in a foreign language, but, nevertheless, habited like one of themselves. This mirth, all subdued though it was, for the Arabs are never boisterous even in their funniest moods, roused Joseph to a pitch of exasperation. The idea of recovering his lost treasure, whose loss he had so bitterly deplored, gave him courage. He ceased to speak, a very sensible proceeding on his part seeing that nobody understood him, ran to the camel and laid hold of his pet portmanteau. This time the Bedouins understood him fully and they evidently disapproved of his proceedings, for they came up to him and endeavoured to drive him away. Joseph resisted, repulsed the enemy, and, once more laying hold of his portmanteau, showed signs of decamping with it. There was no laughing now amongst the Arabs, who held a brief consultation over the state of affairs. Their conclave was of short duration and, rushing suddenly upon Joseph, they took him by the arms and legs, lifted him up and hoisted him on to the back of one of the camels, where they made him fast with a rope alongside his portmanteau. Then they mounted the other camels, and the one which carried Joseph and his little all set off after his companions at full trot. Such was the scene as described to M. de Morin by his interpreter. "But why," enquired he of his informant, "did you not resist this abduction, and call me to the rescue of my servant?" "I did not at first understand what was going on," replied Ali, "and when I did go to his assistance it was too late. It all passed in a second." "To what tribe do these Bedouins belong?" asked M. de Morin. "They are Nomads, and do not belong to any particular tribe." "And who is the man you have brought with you, whose portrait I have just been taking? Why did he not take to flight with his comrades?" "He was not one of them. He had ridden out with them thus far, to say good-bye, but he was not following them. He had, in fact, just left them." "Then you do not think him an accomplice of them?" "No, he was just as much astonished as I was at the whole proceeding." "Find out from him in what direction they have carried off my servant." The Bedouin hesitated at first, but in the end declared that he was ignorant of the plans of his whilom companions. "At all events," said Ali to him, "you know in what direction they went. Were they going to Medina?" "No," said the Bedouin, "they took the road to the desert." "Then you think they will cross the frontier of El-Hejaz?" "I am sure of it." "Can we overtake them easily?" asked the interpreter, by order of M. de Morin. "No, their camels are first-rate." "Good ones, I admit, but overladen," observed Ali. "True," replied the Bedouin, looking round him on every side, "but I do not see an unladen camel to go in pursuit of them." Ali translated this reply.