I heard the low hum of voices from the cavalrymen by the stream, but they were three hundred yards off and could not see us.

Peter was sent forward to scout in the courtyard.
In the building itself there was but one window looking on the road, and that was in the upper floor.
Meantime I crawled along beside the wall to where the car stood, and had a look at it.

It was a splendid six-cylinder affair, brand new, with the tyres little worn.

There were seven tins of petrol stacked behind as well as spare tyres, and, looking in, I saw map-cases and field-glasses strewn on the seats as if the owners had only got out for a minute to stretch their legs.
Peter came back and reported that the courtyard was empty.
'There are men in the upper room,' he said; 'more than one, for I heard their voices.

They are moving about restlessly, and may soon be coming out.' I reckoned that there was no time to be lost, so I told the others to slip down the road fifty yards beyond the caravanserai and be ready to climb in as I passed.