And now suddenly the first stupor of the excursionists passed away, and
was succeeded by a frantic and impotent energy. They all ran about upon
the plateau of rock in an aimless, foolish flurry, like frightened fowls
in a yard. They could not bring themselves to acknowledge that there
was no possible escape for them. Again and again they rushed to the
edge of the great cliff which rose from the river, but the youngest and
most daring of them could never have descended it. The two women clung
one on each side of the trembling Mansoor, with a feeling that he was
officially responsible for their safety. When he ran up and down in his
desperation, his skirts and theirs all fluttered together. Stephens,
the lawyer, kept close to Sadie Adams, muttering mechanically, "Don't be
alarmed, Miss Sadie; don't be at all alarmed!" though his own limbs were
twitching with agitation. Monsieur Fardet stamped about with a guttural
rolling of r's, glancing angrily at his companions as if they had in
some way betrayed him; while the fat clergyman stood with his umbrella
up, staring stolidly with big, frightened eyes at the camel-men.
Cecil Brown curled his small, prim moustache, and looked white, but
contemptuous. The Colonel, Belmont, and the young Harvard graduate were
the three most cool-headed and resourceful members of the party.

"Better stick together," said the Colonel. "There's no escape for us,
so we may as well remain united."

"They've halted," said Belmont.

"They are reconnoitring us. They know very well that there is no escape
from them, and they are taking their time. I don't see what we can do."

"Suppose we hide the women," Headingly suggested. "They can't know how
many of us are here. When they have taken us, the women can come out of