At last, there was a caravan about to start for Suez which Ali could join.  The party met near the gates of the city, where there were some wells, at which the water-bottles could be filled.  Ali’s mother attended, and bid her son a loving farewell.

The caravan started.  The camels which were to lead the way, had around their necks jingling bells, which the others hearing, followed without other guidance.

Ali looked about and saw his mother standing near the city gate.  He took his cap off and waved it above his head, and his mother took off the linen cloth which she wore over her head, and waved it.

Tramp, tramp, tramp went the camels, their soft spongy feet making a noise as they trod the ground.  The camel-drivers laughed, and talked to each other.

Ali was the only boy in the caravan, and no one seemed to notice him.  He had a stout heart, and tried not to care.

He could talk to Meek-eye, and this he did, patting the creature’s back, and telling him they would soon see his father.

The sun rose higher and higher, and the day grew hotter and hotter.  The morning breeze died away, and the noon was close and sultry.

The sand glowed like fire.  There was nothing to be seen but sand and sky.  At mid-day a halt was made at one of the places well known to the drivers, where shade and water could be had.

The water-bottles were not to be touched that day, for at this place a little stream, which gushed from a rock, supplied enough for the men, while the camels needed no water for many days.

After resting a short time, the kneeling camels were made to rise, the riders first placing themselves on their backs, and the caravan then moved on.

At night the party encamped for rest, the camels lying down, while fires were lighted and food was prepared.

Several days were thus passed, and Ali found that he liked this kind of life as well as he thought he should.

No Arabs were met with, nor even seen; but a danger of the desert, worse than a party of Arabs, came upon them.

There arose one day at noon, one of those fearful burning winds which do such mischief to the traveler and his camel.  The loose sand was raised like a cloud.  It filled the nostrils and blinded the eyes.

The only thing to be done, was for the men to get off the backs of the camels, and lie down with their faces to the earth.

After the storm had passed, they arose to continue their journey.  But the sand had been so blown as to cover the beaten track, and thus all trace of the road was lost.

The camel-drivers who led the way stood still, and said that they did not know which way to turn.

No distant rock or palm-tree was to be seen, and no one could say which was the south, towards which their faces ought to be turned.

They wandered on, now turning to the right, and now to the left; and sometimes, when they had gone some distance in one direction, retracing their steps and trying another.