A NARROW SQUEAK. 153 how I didn't seem to feel the bullet inside ; the urther, too, I went, the better I felt, and by the me we arrived at the zeriba I had recovered ust sufficient breath to gasp out to the men that I idn't think I was very bad. So I clambered over e wall of saddles and things, and sat down to get y wind and see what damage had been done. It as chiefly to my clothes ; the brass button that ad saved my life was carried away, ditto watch d compass (that had been connected by a steel ain through the button-hole), and my pockets were alf torn away. Further investigation only revealed large bruise just over my wind. It must have een a ricochet bullet (C said he saw it hit the round in front of me) coming obliquely, but, " racco " r not, it was as near a squeak as I ever wish have.

When the biscuit-box work was finished, it was arrisoned with about twenty men, and the rest of us retired into the zeriba. It was now past eleven, yet no signs of advancing. The enemy had largely increased in numbers, and a continuous rain of bullets went into and over the camel zeriba. Every other