r that left the port the following day. Major

acock. "Miss Ketchum has consented to become Mrs. Fitts as soon as we reach th

d Dick. "He didn't have a sh

'm married!" hissed Ze

d be impossible for him to take a bride, and he could not bear to be parted from one s

d Zenas, and then hastened to bow low t

to Damascus, a distance of ninety-one miles, which was covered

professor, as the train finally started. "We

ascus, professor

other place, are we? Did you think I meant New York?

scus is the oldest city in the world. The

ut we do not know about them. At least, Damasc

true. If you

s you deprive me of the privilege of imparting information to you. It isn't right. You make me feel that I am not earning my stipend as your guardian a

lau

ice to us that we should post ourselves in advance on each pla

bedient. Now here is Bradley-I haven't observed that he has wa

le, for I know I'll hear about the places from you and Dick

xico. It's a land of irrigation. The mountains, the plains, the foliage, the mud

spots here have all been taken up and cultivated. For

ashed away by the rainfalls. These terraces were planted with grapes, figs, olive and mulberry trees. On many of these terraces laborers were at work propping up str

them flat on the ground, as you see them. They are now beginning to prop them up. They will be irrigated

and driving it down into the soil. Two others lifted it out with its load, doing so by pulling at ropes attached to the shovel just above the blade. They all worked together with astonishing ease and skill. Great hedges of cactus stretched along the railroad in many places. They gazed with interest at the old-fashione

ttered trains of camels and donkeys, loaded with all kinds of goods, such as silk, cotton, grain, machinery,

ne from a c

he window in an abstracted manner, paying very little

to joke him about

ed. "We'll overtake her soon.

runted t

es

, wh

then proceed to Jerusalem, in company with her brother. You can't fool me, old man.

ut his manner a bit defiant; "I won't deny it,

ked a wild alarm and the brakes were applied viole

boys a dead camel lay stretched on the ground, blood flowing from several horrible

gorgeously dressed, black-bearde

e doings here! I opine the camel tried to butt the tr

mel drivers and like men from a caravan. They gathered about the prostrate Arab and

n the door of the compartme

he asked anxiously. "A ser

hey did not wait to enter into conversation with the guard

conversation that the Arab had been struck by the engine while endeavoring to drive from

curve, and the engineer was unable to see

articles of great importance, which had led the Arab to impe

n his tribe," observed Buckhart, as he an

. "That is why the railroad people are so concerned. If he were an ordinary

ally dead?" muttered

nconscious man. Deftly he began to make

is their custom in all sorts of weather. One of these objected when Dick began the

ve any broken bones. He's stunned-just has the breath knocked ou

responde

nt me to do, pa

on," said Merriwell. "You work

a regular and steady pumplike movement on the lower part of his breast, while Dick seized the man's arms, pulled them at full lengt

and would have rushed on the boys; but the same husky fellow, who had checked them before now, produced

cked, and that brief check gave Merriwel

ich the boys were working. Signs of returning consciousness were prono

held out a f

wallow of thi

ushed

ed. "That will b

The infidels are magicians! They have restor

emselves in the dust. Othe

s of the injured man. He swallowed it greedily, coughed a little, and

d what had happened. His voice was wea

iwell. "Your camel was killed, and you seemed

chap, who had protected the boys. "To all appearances, you were as dead

ik. One of them spoke to him hurriedly in a low tone, and seemed telling him all about what had taken

called f

sor Gunn. "These men are treacherous. T

d stepped neare

that I was dead, and by your infidel m

ck had driven the breath from your body, and

u not d

ve croaked for fai

ik. "That is the word of Ras al Had, and, though no pledge to an infidel

istaken," said the young American, with a touch of re

f service, the sword and the life of Ras al Had shall be a

ted a voice. "Trai

general rush