Things were like this one hot Sahara morning when the cutter
signalled. The lookout man told Shard and Shard read the message,
"Cavalry astern" it read, and then a little later she signalled, "With
guns."

"Ah," said Captain Shard.

One ray of hope Shard had; the flags on the cutter fluttered. For the
first time for five weeks a light breeze blew from the North, very
light, you hardly felt it. Spanish Dick rode in and anchored his horse
to starboard and the cavalry came on slowly from the port.

Not till the afternoon did they come in sight, and all the while that
little breeze was blowing.

"One knot," said Shard at noon. "Two knots," he said at six bells and
still it grew and the Arabs trotted nearer. By five o'clock the merry
men of the bad ship Desperate Lark could make out twelve long
old-fashioned guns on low wheeled carts dragged by horses and what
looked like lighter guns carried on camels. The wind was blowing a
little stronger now. "Shall we hoist sail, sir?" said Bill.

"Not yet," said Shard.

By six o'clock the Arabs were just outside the range of cannon and
there they halted. Then followed an anxious hour or so, but the Arabs
came no nearer. They evidently meant to wait till dark to bring their
guns up. Probably they intended to dig a gun epaulment from which they
could safely pound away at the ship.