ON THE SHIPS OF THE DESERT
Egyptian goods were flying in all directions. A saakka, or water
carrier, who had been delivering his wares to the merchant, landed on
his back in the middle of the street, followed by a varied assortment of
oriental wares.
The Nubian merchant had bolted through a rear opening and made his
escape to a back yard, from which he watched the destruction of his
stock. The jackies, as soon as they were able to control their
merriment, rushed in, pounced upon and captured the mad donkey. From the
wreck they hauled out the red-headed boy, much the worse for his
experience.
Several Nubian police had hurried to the scene and a great crowd had
been attracted by the uproar. The Nubian was wringing his hands and
wailing over his loss.
"Sam Hickey, you did that on purpose," said Davis sternly. "You drove
that donkey in there to get even with the Nubian."
"I didn't. What are you talking about?"
"You know what I am talking about. You have ruined his stock. What are
you going to do about it?"
"Let him buy some new stuff. I don't care what he does."
"Fellows, shall we pass the hat for the bazaar man?"
"Yes; pass the fez," shouted the sailors.
"I'll put in two dollars' worth," announced Dan. "That is, as near as I
can figure it. Come, Sam."
"Not for mine!" growled Hickey.
"Put up or get a thrashing," commanded Dan.
Sam reluctantly went down in his pocket and clumped a handful of money
into the red fez.
"Backsheesh!" cried the beggars at sight of the money, crowding in
closer, their eyes wide and avaricious.
"You'll get 'backsheesh' if you don't clear out of here mighty quick,"
warned the jackies. "Charge them, fellows!"
With a yell the sailors mounted their donkeys and rode right at the
persistent beggars. There followed a great scattering and yelling. The
Nubian policemen stood about, solemn-faced, but making no effort to
interfere. The sailors returned to the bazaar and dismounted.
Finally, the collection having been taken up, Davis walked into the
booth and handed the money to the merchant.
"We are sorry to have damaged your stock, sir, but it was an accident,"
said Dan.
The merchant wailed and wrung his hands.
"This will pay you for your loss. As a matter of fact, I think you have
made enough out of our crowd already to pay you for all the damage we
have done."
"Say, honest, Sam, what did you do to that donkey to make him cut up in
that way?" demanded Dan, coming out of the bazaar.
"I told you I didn't do it. His rudder got jammed; that's what was the
matter with the beast. As soon as I got both engines going ahead full
speed there wasn't any more trouble."
Once more the boys started off down the street, singing and shouting.
Hickey's mount was now as meek as a spring lamb, but the other men kept
a good distance away from the red-headed boy, not knowing at what minute
the donkey might have another fit.
At last the donkey riders began to tire of their sport. Just then the
watchmen in the towers began to cry out the hour of midnight.
"Eight bells," sang out Dan Davis.
"All lights are burning brightly," mocked another.
"Yes, but they will all be out soon," answered Dan. "Time to pipe up
hammocks."
"Oh, not yet," protested Sam.
"Yes, now. We've had a fine time to-night, but we have another day ahead
of us. Remember, we're going to see some wonderful sights to-morrow."
"Dynamite is right," called out several. "We'll all pipe down."
"Where do we stay?"
"That has all been arranged for. We go back to the station, where the
boatswain's mate will be waiting for us. Sam, you and I are going over
to the hotel."
"The Shepherd's Crook, or something of that sort?"
"Shepherd's Hotel, you mean," laughed Dan. "Yes; we are very
extravagant, but we do not get a chance to see real life very often."
Arriving at the station, the Battleship Boys bade their companions good
night, and made their way to the hotel where they had decided to stop.
They had picked out the most fashionable hotel in the Egyptian capital,
but they were made welcome, and the Americans, of whom there were many
there, took the boys up enthusiastically. It was with difficulty that
Dan and Sam got away from them finally. That night, for the first time
in many months, the lads slept in a real bed.
They did not sleep well. They missed the swaying hammock, the fresh salt
breeze blowing over them and the swish or roar of the waves against the
side of the ship--sounds that had grown to be a part of their very
existence.
At last, as day was peeping in through the open windows, they fell into
a sound sleep, from which they did not awaken until late in the morning.
At eleven o'clock that morning the boys presented themselves at the
Gizeh Palace, where they were to take the train that would carry them
well on their way toward the Pyramids.
Others of their shipmates came straggling along, and within an hour
nearly all were there, some having decided to remain in the city and
finish their sight-seeing there in preference to going out on the
desert.
Every man of them was bright-eyed, happy, and ready for whatever the day
might bring forth.
At Gizeh station, some seven miles from the city, all the passengers
were hustled out for a change of cars.
"Do we walk?" came a chorus of demands. "How far is it?"
"No; we take ship from here," answered Davis, with a quizzical smile.
"A ship?" demanded Hickey incredulously.
"Yes."
"Pooh! You're joking. This is a desert, not a sea."
"You will see."
"Pipe down punning. It's too hot to laugh," commanded a voice.
Dan, with the boatswain's mate, had arranged a surprise for their
shipmates, a new experience for every man of the party.
Headed by the Battleship Boys and the boatswain's mate, the bluejackets
walked away from the station for a short distance. Suddenly they came to
an open space of sand. There, lounging about, was a large group of
Bedouins, clad in long, flowing robes, wearing turbans and armed with
long, stout sticks. Beyond the Bedouins, their many-jointed legs folded
under them, lay a herd of camels with half-closed eyes and disdainfully
curling lips.
"See that hump!" yelled the jackies the moment they set eyes on the
ungainly beasts. "There are some bumps for you."
"See them feed the babies," cried a chorus of voices.
Several camel owners were squatting in front of their animals stuffing
little balls of grass down the throats of the beasts, while the latter
chewed lazily.
"Where's the ships?" demanded Hickey, looking about him expectantly.
"There they are," answered Dan, with glowing face. "That is the surprise
we have in store for you."
"What, camels?"
"Yes. Otherwise known as 'ships of the desert.'"
"Are--are we to ride those things?'
"If you wish. All of those who prefer may go the rest of the way by
train. It is a short journey, but we thought you would like it."
"Like it? No train for us! Hurrah for the hunch backs!" came the
answering clamor.
Few chose the train, it is needless to say. All was excitement,
everybody trying to talk at once, and to this the Bedouins added their
chatter in Arabic, interspersed here and there with an English word. The
camels, catching something of the excitement of the moment, lumbered to
their feet. The boys glanced at the great height of the beasts rather
apprehensively.
"Where are the ladders?" demanded a voice.
"Ladders?"
"Yes; it will take a ladder or a flying machine to get aboard those
ships. I don't know whether I want to take the chance or not," said
Hickey.
"Line up here, boys," commanded Dan. "All ready, Mr. Bedouin."
The camel drivers uttered short, sharp commands to their animals,
whereupon the beasts got down on their knees.
"All aboard!" called Dan. "No Jacob's ladders here; you will have to
climb."
The boys piled on, so many getting aboard the first one that the beast
was unable to rise. It toppled over sideways, spilling all the
passengers overboard into the sand.
"Attention!" shouted Dan. "Let's do this thing right or we'll never get
to the Pyramids. One at a time. There, that's right."
At last all were up, Dan on the back of the tallest camel at the head of
the line.
"All right, back there?"
"Wait; I'm sliding off!" howled Sam.
"Anybody got a rabbit's foot in his pocket? If so, pass it along to
Coxswain Hickey."
"I'm off. Wow!"
Sam hit the ground, sending up a little cloud of yellow dust. The
jackies burst into a roar.
"Leave him! Let him walk!"
"Yes, go on. It will do him good."
The camels started off, with every man on them shouting suggestions to
poor Sam, who had regained his feet and was racing along trying to keep
up with the camels, and hurling threats at his companions in a
dust-choked voice.