They stood for some time, afraid to approach closer, then they heard a burst of laughter.
"That must be English," Jack said. "I don't believe Egyptians ever laugh like that."
"I don't think so either. Let us move a bit closer; but mind, we must be ready for a bolt if we find we are wrong."
They went quietly forward, and again stood irresolute. Presently they heard a voice call "Tom Jones!" and heard the reply "Aye, aye, sir!"
"It is all right!" Jim exclaimed joyfully, and they at once hurried forward. They soon arrived at the fire, round which three or four naval officers were sitting. The boys tore the veils from their faces and threw back the cotton cloth from over their heads, and a general exclamation of surprise broke from the officers as they saw the heads of three European boys.
"Hallo!" one of them exclaimed. "Who are you, and where do you spring from?"
"We were wounded and carried off last month, on the day of the rising," Jim said, "and have been kept prisoners ever since, sir. We got away the night after the bombardment, and have just arrived. We belong to the barque _Wild Wave_; we are midshipmen on board her."
"Well, I am glad you have got out of their hands," the officer said; "but I cannot do anything for you now. These rascals keep on setting the town on fire in fresh places, and we are just starting to put one out that began half an hour ago."
"What is this?" an officer asked, hurrying up to the spot.
"Three lads, Lord Charles, who have been kept prisoners by the Egyptians for the last month, and have just escaped. They belong to a merchant vessel, and were captured at the rising."
"Please to march off your men at once, sir; I will overtake you in a minute or two. Well, lads, what can I do for you?"
"Well, sir, you might give us something to eat, perhaps," Jim suggested. "We have had next to nothing for the last three days."
"Come along with me," Lord Charles Beresford said, and he hurried with them to another party of sailors at the further end of the square.
"Give those lads something to eat and drink," he said. "You had better stop here until I come back, lads, then I will see what can be done for you."
A kettle was boiling over a fire, and before many minutes the lads were supplied with a basin each of cocoa and a lump of bread, and felt as they ate their supper that their troubles were at an end. It required, however, more than one bowl of cocoa and a considerable quantity of bread before their appetites were appeased.