Nothing remained but to keep a bright lookout, and in a silence broken only by the swish of the bluff bow as it forced its way through the water the three Englishmen awaited events. "There's someone's head!" exclaimed Hugh, as a white _burnous_ appeared above the bank. "And another--a regular swarm of them!" Barely a hundred and fifty yards away a dozen Arabs sprang up, waving their long-barrelled muskets and shouting to the strangers to stop. "Sorry we can't--for your sakes," said Reeves grimly, under his breath; then, to the lads: "Lie down behind the sack; those gentry mean mischief." [Illustration: A GOOD SHOT] A shot whistled over the boat, followed by an irregular volley; then, setting their camels at a steady pace, the Arabs kept up with the boat, reloading their cumbersome weapons as they went. "If they don't do better than that, we needn't worry," said Reeves, who was sitting aft, and imperturbably grasping the steering oar. "But keep down, you fellows; they may make a fluke and score a cannon." Almost the next shot cut a long gash in the sail, while another knocked chips off the gunwale. "This won't do," exclaimed Reeves. "Gerald, come aft for half a minute and steer. Don't show yourself too much." Kneeling on the bottom boards, the correspondent took careful aim with his musket, and a camel promptly dropped, throwing its rider headlong upon the sand. "One!" said the marksman calmly. "Hand me your musket, Hugh." The next shot was also successful, bringing down the Arab who had discovered the boat. With that the rest turned and disappeared behind the sandhills. "I hope that's sent them about their business," said Reeves, as he reloaded the flintlock. "Gerald, you're fairly light; swarm up the mast and say if you can see anything of them." "They are riding as hard as they can in the same direction as we are taking," announced the lad from his swaying perch. "All right; come down," replied Reeves. "They are going to ambush us, I fear." Ten minutes later a rattle of musketry burst from the scrub on the bank, most of the bullets flying high or striking the water. Two, however, ricochetting, buried themselves in the boat's stout timbers. Without showing themselves, the Arabs disappeared, to take up a fresh position lower downstream. "That's beastly annoying!" remarked Hugh. "If they carry plenty of provisions they may keep this game up for days." "I thought all the Arabs went eastwards after the repulse at the breach?" said Gerald. "These may be a few stragglers--I hope they are," rejoined Reeves. "We don't want to drift into a whole tribe of them. To-night I'll try to trick them. Fortunately there's no moon." The breeze held throughout the day, but, in spite of the rapid and constant speed of the boat, the Bedouins hung on doggedly, firing from cover as quickly as they could. Little damage was done, however, beyond a few holes through the top strakes and splinters from the mast and gunwales.