A VOICE FEOM THE DEAD 259 j As she came up Gregory stood up and shouted to them to throw him a rope. This was done, and an officer came to the side.

“ I want a passage for myself and five men to Abu Hamed.

I I am an officer on General Hunter’s staff.”

1 “ With pleasure. Have you come down from the front ? ” he asked, as Gregory stepped on board with the five blacks.

i| “ Yes.”

i “ Then you can tell me about the great fight. We heard of it at Dongola, but beyond the fact that we had thrashed : the Khalifa and taken Omdurman, we received no particulars. But before you begin, have a drink. It is horribly annoying I to me,” he went on, as they sat down under the awning, and the steward brought tumblers, soda-water, some whisky, and I two lemons. Gregory refused the whisky, but took a lemon : with his cold water. “ A horrible nuisance,” the officer went j on. “ This is one of Gordon’s old steamers ; she has broken I down twice. Still, I console myself by thinking that even ' if I had been in time very likely she would not have been ; taken up. I hope, however, there will be work to do yet.

\ As you see, I have got three of these native craft in tow, and it is as much as I can do to get them up this cataract, How, : please tell me about the battle.”

j, Gregory gave him an outline of the struggle, of the occui pation of Omdurman, and of what might be called the funeral service of Gordon at Khartoum. It was dark before j the story was finished.

1 “ By the way,” the officer said, as they were about to sit down to dinner, while we were on deck I did not ask about your men. I must order food to be given them.” They have plenty,” Gregory said ; I brought enough for I a week with me. I thought that I might be detained two or i three days here and be obliged to make the journey by land to Abu Hamed.”

I have not asked you what you were doing at this out-ofthe-way place, and how long you have been here ? ”