Turning on his heel, he led the way back to the river. In spite of Fortune's rebuff, he felt confident that a successful ending to their troubles and tribulations was in sight. CHAPTER X Challenged TOWARDS the middle of the afternoon Reeves stood up, stretched his long limbs, and looked meditatively in the direction of the hill from which the three comrades had witnessed the mirage. "Lads," he exclaimed, "I've changed my plans. We'll load up the camel, take a stock of water with us--that is, if the goatskin doesn't leak--and make for yonder hill once more. If the palms are still visible, I'll take a bearing, and as soon as it gets dark we'll make a dash for it. The stars will guide us." "I'm game," replied Hugh. "But why do you want to journey by night?" "We might find the oasis already occupied by someone else," replied Reeves. "In that case we could skirt the place without so much risk of being discovered." "But what if there are no more oases beyond that one?" asked Gerald. "Either there must be, or else we will not Inn find anyone in possession of it. My own opinion is that it is the northernmost part of a chain of fertile land; and, moreover, I don't think we'll find Arabs there." "What makes you think that?" asked Hugh. "Cannot say," replied the correspondent. The lad had heard his elder speak thus before. He knew that Reeves had an explanation, but for some reason preferred to keep it to himself. Within a very short space of time the hierie was loaded up--the leathern bottle held its precious contents very satisfactorily--and with eager steps the three travellers set out towards the sandhill. In the slanting rays of the setting sun the clump of palm trees stood out clearly against the horizon. From the height at which the trio stood--about one hundred feet above the level of the desert--the distance could not be less than eleven miles. All doubts as to the palms' existence were at an end. Setting two of the ramrods in the sand, so that they were in line with the distant oasis, Reeves waited till the sun dipped beneath the horizon, and the stars shone forth with the extreme brilliancy of the tropics. "I've fixed it!" he exclaimed, after carefully checking his bearings. "Now, forward!" Allowing their rate of progress to be two miles an hour, between five and six hours must elapse before they gained the hoped-for haven of rest, even if the desert presented no unlooked-for obstacles and there was no necessity to halt. Each of the party was to ride for approximately one hour, Gerald being given the first place upon the hierie. Mile after mile passed without incident, till suddenly the travellers disturbed a number of large birds, which, uttering fearful cries, soared wildly in the air. "That's good!" exclaimed Reeves. "The first birds we've met since we left Wadi Tlat. That shows we must be nearing a place that is capable of supplying food to these creatures."