Come now and see something.

Within five paces of your hut is a tall ant-heap upon which doubtless you have been accustomed to stand and overlook the desert." (This was true, but how did they guess it, I wondered.) "Go climb that ant-heap once more." Perhaps it was rash, but my curiosity led me to accept this invitation.
Out I went, followed by Hans with a loaded double-barrelled rifle, and scrambled up the ant-heap which, as it was twenty feet high and there were no trees just here, commanded a very fine view of the desert beyond.
"Look to the north," said Harut from its foot.
I looked, and there in the bright moonlight five or six hundred yards away, ranged rank by rank upon a slope of sand and along the crest of the ridge beyond, I saw quite two hundred kneeling camels, and by each camel a tall, white-robed figure who held in his hand a long lance to the shaft of which, not far beneath the blade, was attached a little flag.

For a while I stared to make sure that I was not the victim of an illusion or a mirage.

Then when I had satisfied myself that these were indeed men and camels I descended from the ant-heap.
"You will admit, Macumazana," said Harut politely, "that if we had meant you any ill, with such a force it would have been easy for us to take a sleeping camp at night.

But these men come here to be your escort, not to kill or enslave you or yours.