So near it seemed, and so real, that it was as though they
heard the ripple of the water and the rustling of the wind in the
tree-boughs. Mustapha stared as though his eyes would burst from his
head; then he gave a wild cry, and was rushing away; but his father
held him fast.
"Stay, my son! Stay, Mustapha! It is no lake,--it is a device of Satan.
What you behold is the mirage, spread by devils for men's destruction."
"Let me go!" shrieked Mustapha, writhing and struggling.
But even as he strove, the soft water-outlines shifted and trembled;
the lake rose in air, melted, and sailed off into curling mists; the
trees, the whole fair picture, dissolved, and the well-remembered sands
and black rocks took its place. With a cry of horror, Mustapha slid
through his father's arms to the earth, hid his face, and cried like a
child.
[Illustration: "THEY SAW THE FORM OF A GIGANTIC CAMEL."]
Next morning, only one date was left in the bag. Ahmed put it in his
son's hand with a mournful look.
"Eat, my son," he said; "eat, and then we will die. Allah il Allah!"
A long silence followed; there seemed nothing more to say.
Pages:
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108