Fifteen year-old Stas Tarkowski and eight-year-old Nel Rawlinson are thrilled to be with their fathers in the exotic land of Egypt in 1890. The palm trees and beaches offer a welcome change from the chills of Europe and the children are fascinated by the different languages and religions that make up the cultural fabric of North Africa. Yet much more is awaiting them—during the night young Stas and Nel are kidnapped by Egyptian rebels. As the children of the Suez Canal engineers, Stas and Nel are valuable hostages, but they soon escape with the help of two young African slaves of their captors. While their fathers organize rescue parties, the children’s adventure takes them across the vast and beautiful deserts of Africa.