From the spot, where the camel still lay couched in his "entetherment",
the sea was not visible to one lying along the ground. It was only by
standing erect and looking over a spur of the sand-ridge that the beach
could be seen, and the ocean beyond it.
There would be no danger, therefore, of their being discovered, by any
one coming along the strand, provided they kept in a crouching attitude
behind the ridge, which, sharply crested, like a snow-wreath, formed a
sort of parapet in front of them. They might have been easily seen from
the summit of any of the dunes to the rear; but there was not much
likelihood of any one approaching them in that direction. The country
inward appeared to be a labyrinth of sand-hills, with no opening that
would indicate a passage for either man or beast. The camel, in all
probability, had taken to the gorge, guided by its instincts, there to
seek shelter from the sandstorm. The fact of its carrying a saddle
showed that its owner must have been upon the march at the time it
escaped from him. Had our adventurers been better acquainted with
Saaran customs, they would have concluded that this had been the case;
for they would have known that, on the approach of a _shumu_, the
forecasts of which are well-known, the Bedouins at once and in all haste
break up their encampment and put themselves and their whole personal
property in motion. Otherwise, they would be in danger of getting
smoored under the settling sand-drift.
Following the counsels of the sailor, whose desert knowledge appeared as
extensive as if it, and not the sea, had been his habitual home, our
adventurers crouched down in such a way as not to be seen by any one
passing along the beach.
Scarcely had they placed themselves in this humble attitude when Old
Bill, who had been keeping watch all the while, with only the upper half
of his head elevated above the combing of the sand-wreath, announced, by
a low exclamation, that something was in sight.
Two dark forms were seen coming along the shore, from the southward; but
at so great a distance that it was impossible to tell what sort of
creatures they might turn out.
"Let me have a look," proposed Colin. "By good luck, I've got my glass.
It was in my pocket as we escaped from the ship; and I didn't think of
throwing it away."
As the young Scotchman spoke, he took from the breast of his dreadnought
jacket, a small telescope, which, when drawn out to its full extent,
exhibited a series of tubes, _en echelon_, about half a yard in length.
Directing it upon the dark objects, at the same time taking the
precaution to keep his own head as low as possible, he at once
proclaimed their character.
"They're two bonny bodies," said he, "dressed in all the colours of the
rainbow. I can see bright shawls, and red caps and striped cloaks. One
is mounted on a horse; the other bestrides a camel, just such a one as
this by our side. They're coming along slowly, and appear to be staring
about them."
"Ah, that be hit," said Old Bill. "It be the howners of this 'eer
brute. They be on the sarch for her. Lucky the drift-sand had covered
her tracks, else they'd come right on to us. Lie low, Masther Colin.
We mayn't show our heeds over the combin' o' the sand. They'd be sure
to see the size o' a saxpence. We maun keep awthegither oot o' sicht."
One of the old sailor's peculiarities--or, perhaps, it may have been an
eccentricity--was, that in addressing himself to his companions, he was
almost sure to assume the national _patois_ of the individual spoken to.
In anything like a continued conversation with Harry Blount, his "h's"
were handled in a most unfashionable manner; and while talking with
Terence, the Milesian came from his lips in a brogue almost as pure as
Tipperary could produce.
In a _tete-a-tete_ with Colin, the listener might have sworn that Bill
was more Scotch than the young Macpherson himself.
Colin perceived the justice of the sailor's suggestion; and immediately
ducked his head below the level of the parapet of sand.
This placed our adventurers in a position at once irksome and uncertain.
Curiosity, if nothing else, rendered them desirous to watch the
movements of the men who were approaching. Without noting these, they
would not be able to tell when they might again raise their heads above
the ridge; and might do so, just at the time when the horseman and the
rider of the maherry were either opposite or within sight of them.
As the sailor had said, any dark object of the size of a sixpence would
be seen if presented above the smooth combing of snow-white sand; and it
was evident to all that for one of them to look over it might lead to
their being discovered.
While discussing this point, they knew that some time had elapsed; and,
although the eyes they dreaded might still be distant, they could not
help thinking, that they were near enough to see them if only the hair
of their heads should be shown above the sand.
They reflected naturally. They knew that these sons of the desert must
be gifted with keen instincts; or, at all events, with an experience
that would enable them to detect the slightest "fault" in the aspect of
a landscape, so well-known to them, in short, that they would notice
anything that might appear "abnormal" in it.
From that time their situation was one of doubt and anxiety. They dared
not give even as much as a glance over the smooth, snow-white sand.
They could only crouch behind it, in anxious expectation; knowing not
when that dubious condition of things could be safely brought to a
close.
Luckily they were relieved from it, and sooner than they had expected.
Colin it was who discovered a way to get out of the difficulty.
"Ha!" exclaimed he, as an ingenious conception sprang up in his mind.
"I've got an idea that'll do. I'll watch these fellows, without giving
them a chance of seeing me. That will I."
"How?" asked the others.
Colin made no verbal reply; but instead, he was seen to insert his
telescope into the sand-parapet, in such a way that its tube passed
clear through to the other side, and of course commanded a view of the
beach, along which the two forms were advancing.
As soon as he had done so, he placed his eye to the glass, and in a
cautious whisper announced that both the horseman and camel-rider were
within his "field of view."