Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: because they would know that they might be cut off at any time from returning by our fleet, and their position would then become desperate. We have long blockaded them in their own ports, and if they are not strong enough to get out of these, still less would they be able to leave Egypt." "Let us not talk more of them," the sheik said contemptuously. "They are dogs; if they come hither we shall know how to deal with them." CHAPTER III. LEFT BEHIND. THE sheik spoke a few words to two of his followers, who at once mounted their horses and rode off. " They will bring us news if anything happens," he said; " they will go into Alexandria." It was late in the evening when they returned. " You have news?" the sheik said, as they came up to the fire by which he was sitting. The moon was shining brightly, lighting up the wide expanse of sand round the grove. "The Franks have come," one said. Edgar sprung to his feet with an exclamation of surprise and alarm. " When did they come?" the sheik asked. " When we reached the city all was quiet," the man said, "except that soldiers were working at the fortifications. When we asked why this was, they said that some Bedouins had come in two hours before with the news that the sea near Cape Harzet was covered with ships, and that they were sailing this way. Many did not believe the story, but all the people and the soldiers were ordered to work on the (M480) D fortifications, to bring up shot for the great guns, to carry stones to mend the walls where they were broken, and to prepare for the defence. The sun was nigh half down when we saw a great many white dots on the edge of the sea. They were still some leagues away, when everyone pointed and cried out, 'It is the enemy!' and worked harder than ever. It was ... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.