“Say, just have a look!” cried Brad. “I opine the whole town has turned out to meet us.” There was a great crowd at the station—Arabs, Assyrians, Armenians, Turks, Jews, Greeks, Egyptians, and people from many desert tribes. They were all in a great tumult and uproar. A fence prevented them from crowding close to the track, but behind this fence they were packed thick as sardines in a box, staring, talking, pushing, gesticulating, and making a great hubbub. “I wonder if this is the usual thing,” said Dick. “Perhaps some noted person is on this train.” “Not likely that has brought them here,” declared the professor. “The arrival of a train is an event, and probably all the idle men in town rush to the station to see it come in.” Their compartment door was flung open. With alacrity the two boys descended to the platform. “There they are!” cried a familiar voice that gave Buckhart a thrill. “Oh, Dick! Hey, Brad!” called another voice. Dick located the person who called to him. He grasped Buckhart’s arm and pointed. “There they are—Budthorne and his sister!” he exclaimed. In the midst of the crowd beyond the fence, being jostled about by the swaying mob, were Dunbar Budthorne and Nadia, whom they had last seen in Italy. Professor Gunn was calling to the boys. “Hold on, you kittenish young rascals!” he croaked. “Don’t be in such a hurry. Help look after this baggage.” But the professor was forgotten in the excitement of what followed. Dick saw the wild crowd separate Dunbar Budthorne and his sister. He saw the two forced apart. Nadia was whirled aside. Then two men grasped her, one placing a dusky hand over her mouth to prevent her from shouting, while she was swept off her feet and literally borne away. Dick shouted to Brad. He made a rush for the fence. Up into the air he sailed in a great leap that carried him over the obstruction and into the midst of the crowd. The American boy seemed like an infuriated animal, for he hurled people to the right and left like one possessing the strength of a giant. He ripped a pathway through that crowd in a most amazing manner. Nadia Budthorne was struggling vainly with her captors, who were on the point of lifting her into a carriage, when the American boy reached them. Dick struck one man a blow that caused him to release the girl instantly. But another swarthy fellow appeared and sought to seize the boy, while still one held fast to the girl. Nadia, however, managed to get her mouth clear of the smothering hand that had been pressed over it. She uttered a scream. That cry was answered by a roar in the voice of Brad Buckhart, who was fighting his way through the crowd. As the second ruffian reached for him, Dick managed by an agile twist and dodge to escape the fellow’s hand. Then he tripped the man and went at the one who was seeking to force Nadia into the carriage. “Drop her, you cur!” he palpitated.