WORRALS GOES AFOOT

by Capt. W. E. Johns

8. DIFFICULT GOING (Pages 107 – 117)

Where they are, Worrals doesn’t know, but she wants to know the name of the place as this was the point to which the gun-runners are running the arms. Maki thinks he may know the area and thinks there is a village near at hand called Djebel Abda. The nakoda of the boat takes Worrals and Frecks to the house of an Arab who he introduces with great respect as Sheikh Abd-el-Katil. Worrals gives him her letter of introduction. “The sheikh clapped his hands. The summons was answered instantly by a negro. The sheikh gave an order. The negro retired, to return presently with some simple refreshments, which turned out to be sherbet and dry biscuits”. The letter is opened and it contains a sheet of paper with another sealed envelope. Worrals is sure that this can only mean it is for someone else. The sheikh says they have come at a good time and they are to make a long journey. They leave immediately and, taking Mali with them, join a caravan consisting of various mules and donkeys. They travel high up the steep cliffs to a plateau which is evidently their destination. Here, there is a camp of some importance. Worrals and Frecks are provided with rugs and blankets. Worrals says “Let’s hit the hay while the going’s good”.