Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. Lafevers Read Free Book Online Page B

tracks he'd made with the saddle. Too tired to even think, he returned to the tent and collapsed face-down onto his bedroll.
    He was just drifting off to sleep when he heard voices.
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    ***
    Chapter Twelve
    N ate rolled to his knees. Greasle froze with a date halfway to her mouth.
    Nate crawled to the tent flap and peered outside.
    A group of Bedouin girls carrying water skins dismounted from their camels. Chatting excitedly in Arabic, they pointed at the tent as they made their way to the water's edge. Nate ducked farther back into the shadows. He held his breath and watched. One girl set her water skin down and went to study the ground at the base of the tree where the phoenix
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    nest was. Nate had left a couple of unused palm leaves on the ground.
    Luckily, two of the other girls began scolding her to fill her water skin and she was called away from the tree. Once they'd filled their skins, the girls lugged them back to the camels and strapped them on. Nate's whole body sagged in relief as he watched them ride away.
    "That was close," Greasle said.
    "Too close." Nate turned from the tent flap. "What if they had decided to look in here? We would have been discovered for sure."
    "We could have hidden behind those packs there."
    "Yes, but there are two bedrolls. They'd know that Aunt Phil had been lying when she said she'd come alone."
    "Ooh. Right you are!"
    All thought of sleep forgotten, Nate sprang into action.
    "What are you doing?" Greasle asked.
    "I'm packing up all of Aunt Phil's things. Then, if they come back and decide to explore the tent, it will look like only one person ever meant to sleep here."
    When Nate did finally sleep, it was fitfully. He jerked
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    awake at every noise, afraid the girls--or worse, the men-- had returned. Finally, near late afternoon he gave up. He untangled himself from his bedroll, picked up his sketchbook, and drew until nightfall.
    [Image: Nate and a camel.]
    The second night passed much as the first, except Nate had to enlist Greasle's aid in keeping awake. He'd instructed her to pinch him every time he started to fall asleep. She'd taken to her duties a little too eagerly, he thought. By the time morning came, he was black and blue all over.
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    "Quit complaining. You're still awake, aren't ya?" Greasle pointed out.
    He stumbled to the tent, grabbed a breakfast of dried meat and dates, then fell face first onto his bedroll. He felt Greasle's weight on his back as she climbed on top of him. "Can't you find someplace else to sleep?" he asked.
    "Oh, all right," she grumbled. "But creatures is supposed to sleep in packs, you know."
    Nate didn't know. He had no idea how creatures were supposed to sleep or, indeed, anything about them.
    Greasle pinched him.
    "Ow! I'm sorry I didn't know you were supposed--"
    Greasle clamped one of her tiny hands across his mouth. "Shh! They're coming."
    Nate rolled over and crawled back to the tent flap. Four mounted camels approached the oasis. Listening carefully, he could detect the girls' voices.
    "Hide!" he whispered.
    He and Greasle scrambled over to one of the large saddles along the side of the tent. Nate curled up on the ground behind one and pulled the saddle blanket over himself. Greasle wiggled up next to him.
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    [ Image: Nate, Greasle and the girls.]
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    They held perfectly still as they listened to the girls at the water's edge. The girls' voices rose and fell as they filled their water skins. After what seemed like forever, Nate heard the voices change position. But instead of moving away, they were coming toward the tent!
    Alarmed, Nate listened to the voices draw closer and closer. He heard a whoosh as the flap door was thrown open. Silence hung in the air, and then the girls began whispering.
    Nate's hiding place stank of camel and he tried not to sneeze. He made himself as small as possible and hoped they wouldn't come all the way into the tent.
    He heard a rustling sound as a pack was opened. There was more rustling as the