"And if I may be permitted to make the suggestion," the Professor advised,
"not too much chocolate. It is sustaining, I know, but this sweetened
concoction encourages thirst, and it is thirst which we have most to--from
which we may suffer most inconvenience."

"One, two, three--march!" Laura sung out. "Come on, everybody."

They started bravely enough, but by mid-day their little stock of water
was gone, and their feet were sorely blistered. No one complained,
however, and the Professor especially did his best to revive their
spirits.

"We have come further than I had dared to hope, in the time," he
announced. "Fortunately, I know the exact direction we must take. Keep up
your spirits, young ladies. At any time now we may see signs of our
destination."

"Makes one sad to think of the drinks we could have had," Quest muttered.
"What's that?"

The whole party stopped short. Before them was a distant vision of white
houses, of little stunted groves of trees, the masts of ships in the
distance.

"It's Port Said!" Quest exclaimed. "What the mischief--have we turned
round? Say, Professor, has your compass got the jim-jams?"

"I don't care where it is," Lenora faltered, with tears in her eyes. "I
thought Port Said was a horrible place, but just now I believe it's
heaven."