mother and baby in the desert. There was every probability that the
mother-camel would starve to death, for, although able to eat the
hard, sharp thorns which are found in the desert, and even pieces of
dry wood or other hard substances which are found occasionally, the
camel cannot live long on this sort of food. But there was nothing to
do but leave the camel behind, and this the Arab did with much regret,
not only for the loss, but because he loved the animal more than any
other that he owned.

Cara grieved and fretted over the loss of his little companion, but
his mother told him, in camel language, that had Camer's mother taught
her to close her nostrils in a proper manner during a _simoom_, she
would not have died. As it was, the hot, acrid sand had suffocated the
poor little thing.

Cara listened to all this, but made the most of the opportunity for
grumbling, and fretted, fumed and fidgeted until his mother gave him a
sharp bite as a reproof. This was the first time Cara had ever been
punished, but his mother was beginning to tire of him now, and,
instead of liking him always near her, seemed much more satisfied when
he wandered off with the other camels.

Then came an eventful day in Cara's life. This was when they reached
the end of their long journey, and very thankful Cara was to get to
it; for all the camels, in spite of their endurance, were weak and
haggard for want of food and water. Five long, weary days had the poor
animals carried their loads, going sometimes twenty-five to thirty
miles a day, and all that time not one drop of water had they been
able to get. Moreover, they scarcely looked like camels, for their
nice, plump humps had almost entirely disappeared, and this was