16 WITH KITCHENER IN THE SOHDAN

slip on my disguise and hurry here and see you down to the

boat, and then make my way back to our place. But do not

wait for me. If I come here and find that you have gone, I

shall know that you have taken the alarm in time, and shall

return at once to the ofiice. Of course, if the outbreak

commences near here, and you find that your way down to the

water is blocked, you will simply put on your disguise, stain

your face, and wait till I come to you, or till you see that the way to the water is clear.

Do not attempt to go out into a mob ; there are not likely

to be any women among them. However, I do not anticipate

a serious riot. They may attack Europeans in the street,

but with some fourteen or fifteen men-of-war in the port

they are not likely to make any organized assault; Arabi’s

agents will hardly precipitate matters in that way. Hard

as they may work, it will take a month to get the defences

into proper order, and any rising will be merely a spasmodic

outbreak of fanaticism. I don’t think the danger is likely

to be pressing until, finding that all remonstrances are vain,

the admiral begins to bombard the port.”

will do exactly as you tell me, Gregory. If I were

aldhe I could not bring myself to leave without you, but

I must think of the child.”

“ Quite so, dear ; that is the first consideration. Certainly

if it comes to a fight I should be much more comfortable with

the knowledge that you and baby were in safety.”

The Egyptian soldiers were quartered for the most part

outside the town, and for some days there was danger that they would enter and attack the European inhabitants; but

Arabi’s orders were strict, that until he gave the command they were to remain quiet. The British admiral sent mes-

sages to Tewfik insisting that the work upon the fortifica-

tions should cease, and the latter again issued orders to that

effect, but these were wholly disobeyed. He had indeed no shadow of authority remaining, and the work continued night and day. It was, however, as much as possible con-