Finally, Ali Oukadi, rising from his cushions, says gravely, addressing Dawson: "I will write without delay to Sidi ben Ahmed in answer to his letter.

There were twenty-two of us all told, including Ahmed, but he described Ahmed as a prisoner, and offered to have him shot if that would simplify matters.

They had already forced Ahmed into his own motor-boat, where he was struggling vainly to crank a cold engine.

They put Ahmed on a wall-eyed scrub that looked unfit to walk, but proved well able to gallop under his light weight.