Winged Raiders of the Desert Read Online Free Page A

you for a time.”
    â€œYou're welcome and will be our guests,” Ali said. A smile tugged at the corners of his thin lips, and he added, “We had hoped that Goél himself would come to our aid.”
    Jake piped up, 'That's what I say! And until he comes, I don't believe we can do business.”
    â€œWill you shut up?” Reb Jackson whispered, digging his elbow into Jake's side. “We've got problems enough without you making it harder.”
    Chief Ali, however, seemed amused by the stocky Jake's truculence. “My young friend, you are outspoken. That is not always good, but at least we know where you stand.” He swept the Sleepers with his eye saying, “Be our guests. We will learn from you, and perhaps you will learn from us.”
    * * *
    For the next few days the Sleepers had what amounted to a vacation. Reb, more than anyone else, had a blast! The desert people were horsemen, and their horses were strong and swift. They were amazed to find that the young man who wore the outlandish hat was as good a rider as many among their own people. And they were amused at the use of his lariat.
    The first morning Reb had demonstrated his skill by dropping a noose over the head of a half-broken pony.
    Abdul gasped with surprise. “We have never seen such!”
    A murmur of approval went up, and Reb found himself giving lariat lessons each morning and became very popular.
    The girls also found themselves the object of much attention. Abigail, with her blonde hair and blue eyes, worked her usual havoc among the young men. They could not take their eyes off her. Abbey, of course, loved the attention and spent most of her time doing her hair in different ways and experimenting with new kinds of makeup. The young girls of the tribe practically fawned over her as she instructed them in the art of beauty.
    â€œI think it's disgusting!” Sarah exclaimed, slumping down beside Josh. “All she does is primp! Can't you say something to her, Josh?”
    â€œWhat would I say?” Josh demanded. “She's a girl, isn't she? All girls act like that—primping and putting on makeup and worrying about this dress or that.”
    â€œWell!” Sarah gasped. “I'm glad to learn what you really think about me, Josh Adams!” She flounced away, and Josh stared after her.
    Dave, who had been sitting across from him, said, “Just an old charmer—that's all you are, Josh. You ought to write a book on how to be a Prince Charming.”
    â€œWill you shut up, Dave?” Josh snapped. “I don't know what to do with them.”
    One thing that fascinated the Sleepers was the camels. They were all given riding lessons by Adbul, but none of them did very well. Reb decided that you had to treat camels firmly, just as you treat a horse, and when he went up to his first camel he gave the bridle a jerk.
    The camel turned calmly around, looked at him out of soulful eyes, and then spit what looked like tobacco juice right into Reb's face.
    Abigail laughed in sudden amusement, and the others could not help themselves. The sight of the vile liquidrunning down Reb's face amused them all. He'd always been so capable, and now this.
    Reb gasped and wiped the mess from his face. He took his hat off and stared at it. He looked around at his friends, who were laughing, and for a moment they thought he would plow into them.
    But he had a sense of humor. “Give me your handkerchief, Sarah,” he said. Drying his face, he looked at his white Stetson. “At least I didn't get none of that camel spit on my hat!”
    They enjoyed the food after a fashion. Mostly it was some form of mutton. The desert people kept large flocks of sheep and herds of goats. One item at every meal was goat's milk, and Wash, for one, couldn't stand the stuff. “What I wouldn't give for a good ol' Dr. Pepper!” he moaned.
    â€œYou won't find none of those in this place,” Reb said. “I've got to