gedareh 329 village through which they passed they had some news of the passage of Colonel Parsons’ command. The camels had been resting from the time when Omdurman was taken, and having been well fed that morning Gregory did not hesitate to press them. The troops would not march above twentyfive miles a day, and two days would take them to Mugatta, so that if they halted there but for a day he should be able to overtake them that night. The character of the country was now greatly changed; the bush was thick and high, and a passage through it would be very difficult for mounted men. There was no fear, therefore, that they would turn off before arriving at Mugatta, from which place there would probably be a track of some sort to Gedareh. It was but a thirty-mile ride, and on arriving near the village Gregory saw that a considerable number of men were assembled there. He checked his camel.

“What do you make them out to be, Zaki? Your eyes are better than mine. They may be Colonel Parsons’ force, and on the other hand they may be Dervishes who have closed in behind him to cut off his retreat.” “ They are not Dervishes, master,” Zaki said, after a long, steady look; “they have not white turbans. Some of their clothes are light, and. some dark, but all have dark caps like those the Soudanese troops wear.”

“ That is good enough, Zaki. We will turn our robes inside out so as to hide the patches, as otherwise we might have a hot reception.”

When they were a quarter of a mile from the village several men started out from the bushes, rifle in hand. They were all in Egyptian uniform. “We are friends ! ” Gregory shouted in Arabic. “I am an officer of the Khedive, and have come from Omdurman with a message to your commander.”

A native officer, one of the party, at once saluted. “ You will find the bey in the village, Bimbashi.”

“ How long have you been here ? ”