PLANS FOR THE FLIGHT 29 



and attempt a journey which they looked upon as im- 

 possible for a European and exceedingly difficult even 

 for an Arab. 



We felt that we had one last card to play that they 

 would never suspect — a midnight flight. We were loathe 

 to use it, however. We waited patiently for the camels 

 that did not come, and fenced desperately for time. 

 Luckily our opponents were deceived by the apparent 

 froideur existing between Hassanein Bey and myself. 

 We had made a point of disagreeing with each other 

 at every possible opportunity and even retailed our 

 grievances occasionally to sympathetic ears. Suddenly, 

 therefore, they took my companion into their confidence, 

 which made things distinctlj?- easier. Together they used 

 to lay dark plots to induce me to leave Jedabia, where 

 there was no cafe chantant and no "Hotel Nobile!" 

 In spite, however, of this new move, we began to get 

 very anxious. The spies had redoubled their vigilance. 

 There were no signs of camels. Mabruk, the Head of 

 the Police, introduced a person into our house whom he 

 said was an ekhwan from Kufara, evidently intending 

 that we should question him enthusiastically about his 

 journey. We refrained from all mention of it, and the 

 supposed ekhwan was so intensely stupid that one cannot 

 imagine that he could have been much use to any secret 

 service ! 



This was our position on December 4 when, on our 

 morning's wander round the neighbouring encampments, 

 we saw a line of camels coming in from Antelat. We 

 instantly jumped to the conclusion that they were ours. 

 One of the spies was leading the horse on which I was 

 balanced sideways to protect my lame foot, so we could 

 show no signs of joy, but for a few hours we made happy 

 plans for the freedom of the desert. We had just 

 finished a lunch of rice, dates, mutton and mint tea 



