“But we can’t leave the city without Nadia and her brother,” protested Brad. “We can’t leave them here in this nest of crazy fools, to be butchered!” “We must leave them to Assouan,” said Merriwell. “I believe he will get them out of Damascus.” “I don’t know about that—I doubt it! He skipped in a hurry to save his own black head.” “For which we cannot blame him greatly. What have we done that he should risk his life as far as he did for us?” “Why, we sort of resuscitated his old master when the whole bunch thought him killed.” “And for that Ras al Had sent Assouan back into Damascus, with instructions to aid us in escaping from the city, if possible. Assouan stuck by us longer than I thought he would. But after he left us it is probable he hurried to Nadia and Budthorne and guided them out of the city.” “Mebbe so,” muttered Brad; “but I doubt it. I shan’t be for hiking out until I feel sure Nadia’s not waiting for us somewhere.” “Unless we make all haste in escaping,” said the professor, “we shall not escape at all.” “Why not?” “As I said before, by this time it must be known that we escaped from the hotel in disguise.” “Why?” “Have you forgotten Miguel Bunol?” asked Dick. “Thunder! I had forgotten him!” “We left him in that closet.” “Sure.” “He must have been found ere this.” “That’s right.” “Although he was bound and gagged, he could hear what was going on in that room.” “Yes.” “Well, you see, he knows how we were disguised.” “Straight goods.” “And he hates us with an undying and deadly hatred. He will lose no time in telling the Turkish officers how we escaped. The city will be scoured for us. Every avenue of escape will be closed. Our disguise will be worse than useless as soon as Bunol talks. We shall be captured. Our heads will be chopped off as soon as the Turks can attend to the job.” “Pretty bad,” admitted Buckhart grimly; “but, all the same, I hate to run for it, thinking all the while that we may be leaving Nadia and Budthorne to be murdered. Can’t we find them? Is there no way to——” “What show have we to find them by searching aimlessly through the streets, Brad?” said Dick. “Assouan hid them somewhere with a friend. Even the Turks might not find them, but they could have no trouble in finding us wandering about in the open streets. Be sensible, old man.” The Texan surrendered at last. “All right, pard,” he said; “we’ll get out of the city, but I’ll never forgive myself if any harm comes to Nadia.” CHAPTER XXII—IN THE DESERT Three days have passed, and it is morning on the desert. The huge, golden sun rose over the edge of the barren world, and its rays fell on a lonely camel train that was already on the move. The camels were loaded with merchandise from the interior and bound for the port of Akka. A noted Syrian merchant was in charge of the train. There were other Syrians, but most of the camel drivers were Arabs.