LII
It is a long cry from the bordj of Toudja among the dunes of the
southern desert, to Algiers, yet Nevill begged that he might be taken
home. "You know why," he said to Stephen, and his eyes explained, if
Stephen needed explanations. Nevill thought there might be some chance
of seeing Josette in Algiers, if he were dying. But the army surgeon
from Oued Tolga pronounced it unsafe to take him so far.
Yet away from Toudja he must go, since it was impossible to care for him
properly there, and the bullet which had wounded him was still in his
side.
Fortunately the enemy had left plenty of camels. They had untethered
all, hoping that the animals might wander away, too far to be caught by
the Europeans, but more than were needed remained in the neighbourhood
of Toudja, and Rostafel took possession of half a dozen good meharis,
which would help recoup him for his losses in the bordj. Not one animal
had any mark upon it which could identify the attackers, and saddles and
accoutrements were of Touareg make. The dead men, too, were impossible
to identify, and it was not likely that much trouble would be taken in
prosecuting inquiries. Among those whose duty it is to govern Algeria,
there is a proverb which, for various good reasons, has come to be much
esteemed: "Let sleeping dogs lie."
Not a man of the five who defended the bordj but had at least one wound
to show for his night's work.
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