load, whisked its miserable tail, and stretching out its long neck
began to nibble the leaves of a flowering shrub.

Jill followed the beast, stroked its silky coat, and prodded one of the
water skins filled to bursting.

"Will that be enough to last us all the way? And what happens when we
want to rest? And do we do all the cooking and washing-up ourselves,
just like a picnic? What fun!" Which shows that Jill had no idea of
what unlimited money can do to mitigate the discomfort of desert
travelling by providing every possible comfort, even luxury.

"My servants have gone ahead with a caravan containing all that I think
will be necessary for your comfort. The journey takes many nights of
travelling when the cool wind has tempered the scorching sands. At
sunrise we shall find our tents pitched, and you shall rest from then,
an hour after dawn, until just before sunset, for it is unwise to be
asleep at sunset in the desert. When we halt your bath will be ready,
your meals as you desire, your bed as soft and spotless as your own."

"Really!" said Jill, who had imagined herself camping out under the
stars with scorpions and spiders as bedfellows. "But if the men have
to go on ahead of us, we shall have to get up early so as to let them
pack and give them a start."

The Arab gravely shook his head, with never a glimmer of a smile rear
the mouth or eyes.

"Ah! no! you need not worry, a caravan of many persons has preceded us."