The approach of the two towards the camel was made with less caution than
usual, the success of their enterprise throwing them off their guard, and
exciting their spirits. They believed in short, that their captive was
either a solitary wanderer, or that he had been sent ahead as a scout, by
some party that would be likely to follow in the morning.

"We must be up and at work before the sun, Mr. Leach," said the captain,
speaking clearly, but in a low tone, as they approached the camel. The
head of the animal was tossed; then it seemed to snuff the air, and it
gave a shriek. In the twinkling of an eye an Arab sprang from the sand, on
which he had been sleeping, and was on the creature's back. He was seen to
look around him, and before the startled mariners had time to decide on
their course, the beast, which was a dromedary trained to speed, was out
of sight in the darkness. Captain Truck had thrown forward his
fowling-piece, but he did not fire.

"We have no right to shoot the fellow," he said, "and our hope is now in
the distance he will have to ride to join his comrades. If we have got a
chief, as I suspect, we will make a hostage of him, and turn him to as
much account, as he can possibly turn one of his own camels. Depend on it
we shall see no more of them for several hours, and we will seize the
opportunity to get a little sleep. A man must have his watch below, or he
gets to be as dull and as obstinate as a top-maul."

The captain having made up his mind to this plan was not slow in putting
it in execution. Returning to the beach they liberated the legs of their
prisoner, whom they found lying like a log on the sands, and made him
mount the staging to the deck of the ship. Leading the way into the cabin,
Mr. Truck examined the fellow by a light, turning him round and commenting
on his points very much as he might have done had the captive been any