So I sat up and fired the first cartridge, wondering in a childish
fashion where the bullet would fall. Then I went to sleep for awhile.
The howling of a hyena woke me up, and, on glancing around, I saw the
beast's flaming eyes quite close to me. I aimed and shot at it, and
heard a yell of pain. That hyena, I reflected, would want no more food
at present.

The silence of the desert overwhelmed me; it was so terrible that I
almost wished the hyena back for company. Holding the rifle above my
head, I fired the third cartridge. Then I took the hand of Higgs in my
own, for, after all, it was a link--the last link with humanity and the
world--and lay down in the company of death that seemed to fall upon me
in black and smothering veils.



I woke up and became aware that some one was pouring water down my
throat. Heaven! I thought to myself, for at that time heaven and water
were synonymous in my mind. I drank a good deal of it, not all I wanted
by any means, but as much as the pourer would allow, then raised myself
upon my hands and looked. The starlight was extraordinarily clear in
that pure desert atmosphere, and by it I saw the face of Sergeant
Quick bending over me. Also, I saw Orme sitting up, staring about him
stupidly, while a great yellow dog, with a head like a mastiff, licked
his hand. I knew the dog at once; it was that which Orme had bought
from some wandering natives, and named Pharaoh because he ruled over all
other dogs. Moreover, I knew the two camels that stood near by. So I was
still on earth--unless, indeed we had all moved on a step.

"How did you find us, Sergeant?" I asked feebly.