When morning broke Cuthbert, even when ascending to the top of a somewhat lofty mound, could see no signs of pursuers in the vast stretch of desert behind him.  In front the ground was already becoming dotted here and there with vegetation, and he doubted not that after a few hours’ ride he should be fairly in the confines of cultivated country.  He gave his camel a meal of dates, and having eaten some himself, again set the creature in motion.  These camels, especially those of good breed, will go on for three or four days with scarcely a halt; and there was no fear of that on which he rode breaking down from fatigue, for the journeys hitherto had been comparatively short.

By midday Cuthbert had reached the cultivated lands of Palestine.  Here and there over the plain villages were dotted, and parties of men and camels were to be seen.  Cuthbert now arranged his robes carefully in Arab fashion, slung the long spear across his shoulders, and went boldly forward at a slinging trot, having little fear that a passer-by would have any suspicion whatever as to his being other than an Arab bent upon some rapid journey.  He soon found that his hopes were justified.  Several times he came upon parties of men whom he passed with the salute, and who scarcely raised their eyes as he trotted by them.  The plain was an open one, and though cultivated here and there, there were large tracts lying unworked.  There was no occasion therefore to keep to the road; so riding across country, and avoiding the villages as far as possible, stopping only at a stream to give his camel water, Cuthbert rode without ceasing until nightfall.  Then he halted his camel near a wood, turned it in to feed on the young foliage, and wrapping himself in his burnous was soon asleep, for he ached from head to foot with the jolting motion which had now been continued for so many hours without an interval.  He had little fear of being overtaken by the party he had left behind; they would, he was convinced, be many hours behind, and it was extremely improbable that they would hit upon the exact line which he had followed, so that even if they succeeded in coming up to him, they would probably pass him a few miles either to the right or left.

So fatigued was he with his long journey that the next day he slept until after the sun had risen.  He was awakened suddenly by being seized by a party of Arabs, who, roughly shaking him, questioned him as to where he came from, and what he was doing there.  He saw at a glance that they were not with the party from which he had escaped, and he pointed to his lips to make signs that he was dumb.  The Arabs evidently suspected that something was wrong.  They examined the camel, and then the person of their captive.  The whiteness of his skin at once showed them that he was a Frank in disguise, and without more ado or questioning, they tied him hand and foot, flung him across the camel, and, mounting their own animals, rode rapidly away.