Page 15 - Purple Butterfly Book 2

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He threw himself from the camel’s back, and hunted out the pool of water that he knew he should find in the midst of the reeds and long grass which grew there.
He dipped in his water bottle and drank, while Meek-eye, lying down, stretched out his long neck, and greedily sucked up great draughts of the cool water.
How sweet was the sleep, which crept over them as they lay down in the shade of the great palm-tree, now that they had quenched their thirst!
Refreshed and rested, Ali was able to satisfy his hunger on some ripe dates from the palm-tree, while Meek-eye began to feed upon the grass and leaves around.
Ali noticed, while eating his dates that other travelers had been there recently: as the grass at the side of the pool was trampled down. This greatly cheered him. He quickly followed in their track, still going in a southerly direction.
He kept the setting sun to his right, and when it had gone down, he noticed the bright star that had guided him before.
He traveled on, tired and faint with hunger for many a mile, till at last he saw, a long way off, the fires of a caravan which had halted for the night.
Ali soon came up to them. He got down, from Meek-eye, and leading him by the bridle, came towards a group of camel-drivers, who were sitting in a circle.
He told them his story, and asked permission to join the party, and begged a little rice, for which he was ready to pay with the piece of money that his mother had given him when he left home.
Ali was kindly received by them, and allowed to partake of their supper. The men admired the courage with which he had saved his favorite camel. After supper Ali soon closed his weary eyes, and slept soundly by the side of Meek-eye.
In the midst of a pleasant dream, Ali was suddenly aroused by the sound of tinkling bells, and on waking up he saw that another caravan had arrived, which had come from the south.
The merchants sat down to wait until their supper was brought to them, and a party of camel- drivers drew round the fire near which Ali had been sleeping. They raked up its ashes, put on fresh fuel, and then prepared to boil their rice.
What voice was that which roused Ali just as he was falling asleep again? He listened; he looked about him, and waited for a flash of flame from the fire to fall on the faces of the camel- drivers who stood around it.
It came flickering up at first and then all at once blazing out, flashed upon the camel-driver who stood stooping over it, and lighted up the face of Ali’s father!
The father had waited at Suez many days, wondering why Ali did not come; and then, thinking there had been some mistake, determined to return home with the caravan, which was starting for Gaza.
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