A VOICE FROM THE DEAD 251 pecially as, though their occupation of Fashoda would be an immense annoyance to us, it would be of no possible utility to them.

“By the way, we have all got to sell our horses. There is no possibility of taking them down, and it is a question of giving them away rather than of selling, for of course the officers of the British regiments do not want to buy. I have a horse for which I gave twenty-five pounds at Cairo. You are welcome to him. You can give me a couple of pounds for the saddle and things.”

“ I am very much obliged to you, but it would be robbery.” “ !N’ot at all. If you won’t take him, I shall have him shot to-night. A horse could not possibly pick up food here, and would die of starvation without a master; and it would be still more cruel to give him to a native, for they are brutal horse-masters.”

“Well, in that case I shall be glad indeed to have him, and I am extremely obliged to you.”

“ That is right. If you will send your man round I will hand it over to him.”

“ As you are going to-morrow, it is likely that I shall go with you, for I am going down also as far as Abu Hamed for ten days.”

“ That will be pleasant, though I do not know that it will be so for you, for I own the majority of us are rather sourtempered at present. Though we may be glad enough to go, one does not care to be sent off at a moment’s notice, just as fractious children are turned out of a room when their elders want a private chat. However, for myself I am not inclined to grumble. I want to go, and therefore I do not stand on the order of going.”

Later, General Hunter gave Gregory an order for a passage in a steamer on which the correspondents of the various newspapers were going down.

“What shall we take, master?” Zaki asked.

“ Just the clothes we stand in, Zaki. I have got a couple