groaning and grumbling and making as much fuss as he possibly could.

But Camer comforted him in baby fashion by caressing him, and then
went to her mother, who had lain down again. And this is how the
friendship between Cara and Camer began.

The next day the Arabs once more packed up their tents, loaded their
camels and continued their journey; very slowly and carefully, though,
for the Arabs are invariably kind, thoughtful and fond of their
camels; not like the Indian camel-owners, who, because they know they
will receive payment for every camel that dies, sometimes purposely
overload and ill-treat them.

Away they went over the desert, the camels swinging slowly, clumsily,
and yet easily along, although many of them carried from five to eight
hundred pounds on their backs, and had already been traveling for
three days without water. But their backs were made for burdens, and
their feet specially adapted to walking on the loose sand; for each of
the broad toes had a soft, wide cushion, and this cushion enabled them
to have a grasp on the sand, and at the same time kept them from
sinking into it.

In his clumsy way, Cara trotted beside his mother, continually bumping
against her as she walked slowly and heavily along, and having almost
miraculous escapes from being kicked by the other camels. But he was
getting stronger each day, and looked in amazement, not unmixed with
contempt, at the new calf who had appeared the night before, and who
was straggling feebly along, doing its best to keep up with the
others. But the journey that day was a short one, for, as the sun grew
hotter and hotter, Camer, the new calf, grew more and more feeble, and