“Noureddin Ali’s men,” said Grim, chuckling.  “They’ll help us to prove our alibi.  The enemy is nearly always useful if you leave him free to make mistakes.  You may have to spend the whole night in the mosque—­you and Suliman.  I’ll take you there presently.  Two of those men are pretty sure to follow us.  One will probably follow me back here again.  The other will stay to keep an eye on you.  About an hour before dawn, in case nothing happens before that, you and Suliman come back here to the hotel.  The car shall be here half-an-hour before daylight.  You and Turner pile into it, and those three men watch you drive away.  They’ll hurry off to tell Noureddin Ali that Staff-Captain Ali Mirza and the deaf-and-dumb man have really started for Damascus, bags of gold and all.

“Turner must remember to drop a couple of bags and pick them up again, to call attention to them.  There’ll be a change of clothes in the car for you.  When you’ve gone a mile or so, get into the other clothes and walk back.  If I don’t meet you by the Jaffa Gate, Suliman will, or else Narayan Singh.  Things are liable to happen pretty fast tomorrow morning.  Let’s go.

“I’m supposed to have found out somehow that you’re awful religious and want to pray, so it’s the Dome of the Rock for yours.  Any Moslem who wants to may sleep there, you know.  But any Christian caught kidding them he’s a Moslem would be for it—­ short shrift.  He’d be dead before the sheikh of the place could hand him over to the authorities.  If the TNT were really in place underneath you, which I’m pretty sure it won’t be for a few hours yet, that would be lots safer than the other chance you’re taking.  So peel your wits.  Let Suliman sleep if he wants to, but you’ll have to keep awake all night.”

“But what am I to do in there?  What’s likely to happen?”

“Just listen.  The tunnel isn’t through to the end yet, I’m sure of it.  If it were, they’d have taken in the TNT, for it must be ticklish work keeping it hidden elsewhere, with scores of Sikhs watching day and night.  But they’re very near the end of the tunnel, or they wouldn’t be opening up that fruit stand.  You’ll hear them break through.  When you’re absolutely sure of that, come out of the mosque and say Atcha—­just that one word—­to the Sikh sentry you’ll see standing under the archway through which we’ll enter the courtyard presently.  That sentry will be Narayan Singh, and he’ll know what to do.”

“What shall I do after that?”

“Suit yourself.  Either return to the mosque and go to sleep, if you can trust yourself to wake in time, or come and sit on the hotel step until morning.  Have you got it all clear?  It’s a piece of good luck having you to do all this.  No real Moslem would ever be able to hold his tongue about it.  They’re superstitious about the Dome of the Rock.  But ask questions now, if you’re not clear; you mustn’t be seen speaking in the street or in the mosque, remember.  All plain sailing?  Come along, then.  If you’re alive tomorrow you’ll have had an adventure.”