vertebræ, and glared at me through its empty eyeholes, and cursed me
with its grinning jaws, because I, a dog of a Christian, disturbed the
last sleep of a true believer. I opened my eyes, and shuddered at the
horrid dream, and then shuddered again at something that was not a
dream, for two great eyes were gleaming down at me through the misty
darkness. I struggled up, and in my terror and confusion shrieked, and
shrieked again, so that the others sprang up too, reeling, and drunken
with sleep and fear. And then all of a sudden there was a flash of cold
steel, and a great spear was held against my throat, and behind it other
spears gleamed cruelly.

"Peace," said a voice, speaking in Arabic, or rather in some dialect
into which Arabic entered very largely; "who are ye who come hither
swimming on the water? Speak or ye die," and the steel pressed sharply
against my throat, sending a cold chill through me.

"We are travellers, and have come hither by chance," I answered in my
best Arabic, which appeared to be understood, for the man turned his
head, and, addressing a tall form that towered up in the background,
said, "Father, shall we slay?"

"What is the colour of the men?" said a deep voice in answer.

"White is their colour."

"Slay not," was the reply. "Four suns since was the word brought to me
from '_She-who-must-be-obeyed_,' 'White men come; if white men
come, slay them not.' Let them be brought to the house of
'_She-who-must-be-obeyed_.' Bring forth the men, and let that which they
have with them be brought forth also."