CHAPTER IX
Across the Desert
At the Arab's welcome remark, Bob and Joe sat up with a start.
"At last!" murmured Joe. "Though I'll admit it doesn't look much likea desert to me."
"There's still quite a bit of vegetation," said Dr. Kirshner. "Butnevertheless, that rocky wall is classed as the mark of the desert'sedge."
Another small town was left behind. Then, almost without knowing it,they reached Biskra, a modern city that is much frequented bytourists. The train came to a stop at a small but well-built station.
"Here we must get off again," said Dr. Kirshner. "The train does notleave for Wargla in the daytime because of the excessive heat."
They found much to interest them the remainder of the afternoon. ForBiskra, with its picturesque natives, lanes of dirty houses, quaintcafes, and modern buildings held their constant attention.
That evening the train arrived for Wargla, and the explorers were gladto continue the journey.
For the next eight hours they sped along barren country, only theoutline of which could be seen in the darkness. At last they stoppedat Tuggourt, formerly the last stop on the railroad.
"It won't be long now," sang Joe, as he sat up in his seatexpectantly.
The train covered the fifty-mile journey in less than an hour, andthen, after gradually moving downhill, it passed through a cluster ofmud houses and pulled up at a modern station.
"All off!" said Mr. Holton. "Here's Wargla, our destination."
They got their bags off the train, and then stood for some time takingin their environment.
The sun was just beginning to peep from behind a high sand dune, andit was rather easy to make out the landscape. Over to one side was ahigh minaret of earth, the tallest sun-dried clay mound in existence.Scattered about were numerous clusters of date trees, and to theirleft was Wargla, glittering with many lights.
"Now what?" inquired Bob, rousing himself.
"Better get to the hotel," answered Dr. Kirshner. "From what I'veheard, it has been built but recently, and we'll have everything ofthe latest design."
A sign told them that the hotel was only a short distance away, andpicking up their belongings, they walked over to it.
It was all that could be asked for, with modern conveniences that theexplorers had not dreamed of enjoying in such an out-of-the-way place.
"Better turn in right away," suggested Dr. Kirshner. "It isn'tadvisable to start the desert journey without having had any sleep."
After the train trip it felt good to stretch out on the comfortablebeds. Despite their youth, Bob and Joe were very tired.
"We must wake up at dawn tomorrow," Bob reminded his chum. "We'll haveto get our stuff together early."
Notwithstanding this, the youths' deep slumber made it necessary fortheir elders to awaken them. They felt rather sheepish as they aroseand noticed that the sun was well up in the sky.
"Guess we haven't developed our mental alarm clocks yet," grinned Joe,slipping hurriedly into his clothes.
"Now, boys," said Mr. Holton, opening the door of their room, "we'regoing out to find a guide and camels. You had better come along, soyou can practise riding. It isn't easy to get used to a dromedary'strot. First, though, go and get your breakfast."
When the meal was finished, they joined the men in the hotel lobby.Fekmah, as the best-informed concerning the Sahara, acted as theleader.
"The man in charge of hotel told me of worthy man who will be ourguide on the expedition," he said. "He lives at edge of town, not faraway."
"Fine! Then we'll go there at once." Mr. Lewis walked over to thedoor, followed by the others.
The fellow lived in a small, low structure of clay, and although notpleasing to the eye, it probably lessened the intense heat of thefierce desert sun.
Fekmah knocked at the door. A moment later a tall Arab greeted them,his face thin but not indicating that he was possessed of a weakconstitution.
"Are you Tishmak?" Fekmah asked.
The Arab nodded.
Fekmah then conversed rapidly in the native tongue, and although theAmericans could not catch the meaning of most of the words, theygathered that their friend was succeeding in employing the man to actas a guide. A moment later he confirmed their suspicions.
"He will go," Fekmah said delightedly. "And his price is right." Hethen proceeded to introduce the Americans as best he could in his ownlanguage, for the guide could not speak English.
"Now," began Dr. Kirshner, "what about the camels? Can this fellow,Tishmak, get them? How many will we need? Ask him, Fekmah. I'm afraidI can't get along very well with his mixed dialect."
Their friend put the question before the guide, and he at once gavethem an answer.
"He says he can get them," Fekmah translated. "And how many we willneed depends on our own taste. But he makes suggest that we usetwenty. That is seven for us to ride and thirteen to carry food andother things."
"All right," said Dr. Kirshner. "Have him lead us to them now, so thatwe can practise riding."
Fekmah again turned to the man, who a moment later nodded and motionedfor them to follow him.
Ten minutes later, after having wound through many narrow streets, theexplorers found themselves in a large open field at the edge of thetown. About them were grazing a hundred or more camels.
"Here we are," declared Fekmah, his eyes on the idle beasts.
Tishmak had a moment before left for the house. Now he returned with athin, lithe Arab, who was evidently the owner of the camels.
A short conference between Fekmah and the stranger took place. ThenFekmah turned to the Americans.
"We can have the dromedaries," he said. "And he is asking only a fairamount. Come and I will pick them out."
The others followed him over the field, where he singled out twentyof the best-looking beasts.
"Now," said Mr. Holton, "we want to practise riding before we start onthe real journey. Perhaps we'd better do that this afternoon. Then wecan load up in the evening and get started in the morning."
Fekmah nodded.
"We'll go now and come back this afternoon," he said.
Shortly after the noon meal the explorers left the hotel, intent upontrying their skill astride the ponderous humps. None of them butFekmah had ever had the experience of riding on camelback.
"Wonder how it'll be?" mused Joe.
He soon saw. Aside from a most uncomfortable jerking it was a noveland enjoyable experience, for the time being, at least, surpassinghorseback-riding.
"But you'll soon get tired of it," said Mr. Holton. "At least Fekmahsays so."
"Dad might say we'll get fed up on it," remarked Bob, when they wereready to start back to the hotel. "But I haven't yet."
"Nor I," put in Joe. "But of course, after several days----"
There was much to be looked after that evening, and it kept theexplorers busy. Tishmak acted as leader in securing the food supply,which, however, was also to include canned goods. The naturalists andDr. Kirshner attended to last-minute preparations, while the youthskept their time busy in helping the others.
Early that night they retired, eager to get all the rest possible.
"Sleep well," said Mr. Lewis, as the boys jumped in bed. "We'll haveit rough from tomorrow on."
At four o'clock the next morning Bob and Joe were awakened by Mr.Lewis, and despite the fact that they were still very sleepy, theybegan the task of getting their belongings together. It took them thebetter part of an hour, although they worked like beavers.
"We're ready to leave, boys, if you are," called Dr. Kirshner, openingthe door to their room. "The provisions are on the dromedaries, andTishmak is ready."
The youths' hearts were in their mouths. Leave! Leave for the greatSahara Desert, with its mysteries and thrills and tragedies! Theycould hardly come to a full realization of the true situation.
"It'll be great, Joe, old boy," said Bob, deeply touched. "At the endof this expedition we'll be full-fledged adventu
rers."
The youths went down to the hotel lobby and found their fathers, Dr.Kirshner, and Fekmah. Tishmak, the newly engaged guide, had left forthe camels, which he promised to have in readiness.
Fekmah had made arrangements for a mule cart to take their belongingsto the spot where the dromedaries were grazing. Bob and Joe hadscarcely got the last of their bags down when it arrived, driven by ashort, fat native who looked to be a cross between an Arab and aNegro.
The paraphernalia was placed in the wagon. Fekmah climbed up with thedriver to direct him to the camels.
"Guess we've attended to everything," said Dr. Kirshner. "Let's getstarted. It's a good ten-minute walk."
When they reached the place they found Fekmah and Tishmak awaitingthem. The packs had been strapped on the dromedaries' backs, and theropes had been harnessed from the back of one animal to the head ofanother, keeping them in single file.
"Well, let's go," urged Mr. Holton, after one more glance to make surethat everything was in preparation for the long desert journey.
The explorers got astride the ponderous humps, and then, while themaster of camels gave them a cheery farewell, they moved out for theunknown.
The great desert journey had begun.