“Never you mind, Perry,” said the government survey expert, who was to join the expedition, a keen young fellow named Arnold Wyr, “I’ve picked out a bunch that won’t give much trouble. But your uncle’s right about camels. As a general rule, they’re a jolly mean beast to handle. Still, desert work is impossible without them.” “Couldn’t donkeys do instead?” The other shook his head. “A donkey can get along on poor pickings, when it comes to food, but he’s got to have water, you know. No, for desert work, the camel is the only creature that can stand it. A day without water doesn’t hurt a camel, but it will cripple a donkey and kill a horse. The camel is well-enough suited to his job, but he’s not a bally armchair. I hope you’re jolly well seasoned.” “Why?” asked the boy. “Because you need to be, in order to stand your first few hours on camel back. You’d better take a jolly good rest to-day.” “I wasn’t planning to rest to-day at all,” responded Perry. Then, turning to the professor, he continued, “Uncle George, when are we going to the Pyramids?” “I’m sure I don’t know, now,” was the reply. “I had planned to give to-morrow to sight-seeing, but as we shall be able to start for the desert to-morrow, thanks to the courtesy of the Egyptian Survey, I think I’ll give up the idea of visiting them now. Perhaps we’ll have time on the way back.” “Are we going to be anywhere near the Pyramids to-night?” “Right at them. We’re leaving this afternoon for the hotel close by. The caravan will meet us there in the morning.” The boy looked impatiently toward the expert, who was still wrangling with a camel-driver. “I wish Mr. Wyr would hurry,” he confided to his uncle in a low tone. “I want to get out and see the Pyramids.” In spite of the lowering of the tone, however, the other heard him. “Sorry, but there isn’t even any word for ‘hurry’ in Arabic,” he said good-humoredly. “You’re like the rest of the Americans, Perry, you jolly well want everything done at once. In the East, you know, you’ve got to use the methods of the East.” “I didn’t mean to intrude,” said the lad, flushing, “but I do so want to go. It’s all like feeling a dream come true.”