TREACHERY AT HAWARI 183 



If none of the caravan returned to Jedabia, or even 

 if the two strangers, chief witnesses against him, dis- 

 appeared, he would be saved. He knew full well that no 

 one would employ him as a guide after the story of his 

 Taiserbo mistake became known. His future depended 

 on our lips being sealed. His best chance lay amongst his 

 suspicious Zouia kinsmen, always distrustful of strangers, 

 fanatical and warlike, yet the caravan could not be 

 attacked while he was with it. Therefore he suggested 

 going to prepare the way for us at Taj. When we agreed, 

 it was easy to arouse the amour propre and suspicions 

 of the Hawari Zouias. "Show your courage by not 

 letting these doubtful strangers cross the borders of your 

 land. If their story is true and the sheikhs of Jof will 

 receive them, I will send back a messenger." He had 

 never the slightest intention of dispatching anyone to 

 rescue us from the ever-growing hostility at Hawari, and 

 he calculated that in a day or two we should make an 

 attempt to escape and be promptly fired upon. The blacks 

 would be obliged to defend us and, after the general car- 

 nage, the story of his failure would be buried with the slain. 

 Mohammed having discovered the plot, Hassanein 

 rose nobly to the occasion. His words poured forth with 

 all the subtle rhetoric that sways the Beduin mind and 

 when their brains were steeped in this river of speech 

 he suddenly flung down Sidi Idris's letter. "Do you 

 wait for orders from Jof when your Sayed sends us here? 

 Is this the insult tliat you pay him when he trusted you 

 to help his guests?" There was an uncomfortable pause. 

 The shifty eyes of the circle would not meet ours. 

 Sheikh Saad, the feki of the town, who had been the 

 spokesman against us, murmured incoherent words. 

 Mansur Bu Badr sent hastily for a sheep. The group 

 began to split into twos and threes. A party was forming 

 in our favour. Musa Gharibeel exclaimed, "He is speak- 



