100 WITH KITCHENEE IN THE SOITDAH Mahdist army are badly fed and badly paid; they can scarce keep life together. But in the Egyptian Army the men are well taken care of; they have their rations and their pay. They say that if they are wounded, or lose a limb and are no more able to fight, they receive a pension. Is it wonderful that they should come to you and be faithful ?

Well, Zaki, we won’t talk any longer now. It is agreed, then, that if I go on this expedition you will accompany me? ” “ Certainly, master ; wherever you go I am ready to go. Whatever happens to you will, I hope, happen to me.”

On the following afternoon Gregory was sent for. “ I have given the matter a good deal of thought, Mr. Hilliard,” the General said, and have decided to accept your offer. I suppose that you have been thinking the matter over. Do you decide to go on foot or mounted?”

On horseback, sir. My boy is perfectly willing to go with me. He knows the way and the position of the wells on the road. My plan is that when we get near Metemmeh he shall remain with the horses somewhere near the river, and I shall enter the camp, on foot. I am less likely to be noticed that way. If questioned, my story will be that my father was at El Obeid, and that the Governor there is by the Khalifa’s orders holding his force in hand to put down any outbreaks there may be in the province, and that wishing to fight against the infidel I have come on my own account. If I am asked why I had not come on horseback, I shall say that I had ridden to within the last two or three miles, and that the horse had then died. But I do not expect to be questioned at all, as one man on foot is as nothing in an army of twenty or thirty thousand gathered from all over the Soudan.” “You quite understand, Mr. Hilliard, that you are taking your life in your hands, and that there is no possibility whatever of our doing anything for you if you get into trouble ? ” “ Quite, sir. If I am detected I shall probably be killed at once. I do not think that there is more risk in it than in