108 WITH KITCHENER IN THE SOUDAN have gone straight on past the wells without knowing where they were; and as there are no others this side of Abu Klea, I should have had rather a bad day.”

The three forts which the Guards had built when they came on in advance of General Stewart’s column were still standing, as well as a number of smaller ones which had been afterwards added.

“ It is rather a bad place for being caught, Zaki, for the ground is so broken and rocky that the Dervishes might creep up without being seen.”

Yes, sir, it is a bad place,” Zaki agreed. “ I am glad that none of the Dervishes were here, for we should not have seen them until we were quite close.”

Zaki had on the road cut a large faggot of dried sticks, and a fire was soon lighted.

‘You must give the horses a good allowance of grain,” Gregory said, “ for they will be able to pick up nothing here, and it is a long ride to Abu Klea.”

“ We shall have to be very careful there, my lord; it is not so very far from Metemmeh, and we are very likely to find Baggaras at the wells. It was there they met the English force that went through to Metemmeh. I think it would be better for us to halt early this evening and camp at the foot of Jebel Sergain; the English halted there before advancing to Abu Klea. We can take plenty of water in the two skins, to give the horses a drink and leave enough for to-morrow. There is grass in abundance there. When the moon rises we can make our way round to avoid Abu Klea, and halt in the middle of the day for some hours. We could then ride on as soon as the sun is low, halt when it becomes too dark to ride, and then start again when the moon rises. In that way we shall reach the river before it is light.” “ I think that would be a very good plan, Zaki. We should find it very difiicult to explain who we were if we met any Dervishes at Abu Klea. I will have a look at my sketch map ; we have found it very good and accurate so far, and with