A FUGITIVE 275 ‘ May Allah bless you ! ’ the man said, and he then closed his eyes and at once went to sleep. I lay down beside him, but not to sleep. I was overjoyed with my good fortune. Mow I could enter El Obeid boldly, and the wounded man being a native there, no questions would be asked me. I had a house to go to and shelter for the present. As to what might happen afterwards I did not care to think. Some way of escape would surely occur in time. Once my position as a Mahdist was fully established, I should be able to join any party going towards Khartoum, and should avoid all questioning; whereas if I were to journey alone I should be asked by every band I met where I came from, and might at any moment be detected if there happened to be any from the village I should name as my abode. It was all-important that this poor fellow should live until at least I had been with him two days in the town.

“From time to time I dipped a piece of rag in the gourd, squeezed a few drops of water between his lips, and then laid it on his forehead. When the sun began to get low I went out and caught the horse. As I came up the Dervish opened his eyes. ‘I am better,’ he said. ‘You have restored me to life. My head is cool, and my lips no longer parched.’ “ ‘Mow,’ I said, ‘ I will lift you into the saddle. You had better ride with both legs on the same side, it will be better for your wound. There is a mound of earth a few yards away; if you will stand up on that I can lift you into the saddle easily. Mow put your arms round my neck and I will lift you in the standing position; if you try to get up yourself your wound might easily break out again.’

“I managed better than I had expected, and, taking the bridle, led the horse towards the well.

“ ‘ You must tell me the way,’ I said, ‘ for I am a stranger in this part, having come from the Blue Mile.’

“ ‘ I know it perfectly,’ he said, ‘ having been born in El Obeid. I fought against the Mahdists till we were starved out, and then as we all saw that the power of the Mahdi was