"My officer say," translated George, "that Arabian poet compare the breasts of a fellow's beloved to--please, my dear, say you must sleep. I shake and feel I must chuck sponge. Soon it is too late, honest to God." Ourselves almost desperate with annoyance, we performed a series of lifelike yawns, and declared ourselves to be very tired. Thereupon, to my great relief, the Arab officers withdrew, with George in attendance. I followed to the doorway, and spoke to George when the officers had entered their own room. "In three minutes you must come back." "I will try. But I have so little courage." "Think of the job in Australia, and of the money." "_Mon cher_, I have thought of them all day long, but my heart is saying, _boum, boum!_ and a voice tells to me '_Quittez ça!_' But I will come back." He did not come back. Before George had left me, evil chance sent the Turkish deputy-commandant along the passage for one of his rare visits of inspection. He looked hard at us; whereupon George's overwrought nerves snapped, and he broke down utterly. "_Aa-ee!_" he called. Next he grasped instinctively at my arm. Trembling visibly, he lowered his head and waited. I backed into the doorway, while the deputy-commandant took George to Nahed's room. What followed we could deduce from the noises that swept the corridor. George was bullied into a complete betrayal. We heard furious talk, shouted orders, and the unmistakable sound of blows with the bare hand. Nahed ran to our room, and counted us feverishly. Then came the corporal of the guard, puzzled and scowling. Finally, six Turkish soldiers replaced Jumbo outside the door, which Nahed locked. Disgusted with George, disgusted with ourselves, and above all disgusted with fate, H. and I paced up and down or lay sleepless on the bedstead through hours of utter despair. R., the only one of us to make a show of indifference, took a pack of cards, played patience, and said not a word. The door remained locked until the following mid-day, when the commandant arrived with Nahed and George, both of whom showed reluctance to enter. "My officer knew," declared George, with eyes averted. "You are to collect the clothes and go to railway. They send you to Aleppo I guess." I noticed that one of his eyes was discoloured and swollen. The commandant searched our kits very carefully, but confiscated nothing, not even the store of food. Then he demanded why we had wanted to escape, and who had been helping us. "Tell him we refuse to say anything," H. answered. And with that he had to be content. Surrounded by no fewer than twelve guards, we carried our few belongings to the railway station and entrucked for Aleppo. The interpreter stayed with the Turkish lieutenant in charge of us until the train left.