rigade by their fire upon the Arabs, they were not ill satisfied that
they had not been called upon to take a more prominent part in the
operations.

But little time was lost at Suakim. The greater part of the troops were
at once embarked on the transports and taken up to Suez, a small body
only being left to protect the town should the Arabs again gather in
force. The policy was a short-sighted one. Had a protectorate been
established over the country to the foot of the hills, and a force
sufficient to maintain it left there, the great bulk of the tribesmen
would have willingly given in their allegiance, and no further hostile
movement upon the part of Osman Digma would have been possible; but the
fact that we hastened away after fighting, and afforded no protection
whatever to the friendly natives, effectually deterred others from
throwing in their lot with us, and enabled Osman Digma gradually to
restore his power and influence among them.

Short though the campaign had been it had the effect of causing some
inflammation in Edgar's wounds, and as soon as the expedition returned
to the coast the surgeon ordered him into hospital, and it was six weeks
before he again took his place in the ranks. By this time the regiment
was re-united at Cairo, and there was for some months nothing to break
the even tenor of their way.

Long ere this Edgar had learnt that his recommendation for the Victoria
Cross had not been acceded to. This, however, was no surprise, for after
what he had heard from Major Horsley he had entertained but little hope
that he would be among the favoured recipients of the cross.

"Never mind, Ned," a comrade said to him when the list was published and
his name was found to be absent. "It is not always those that most
deserve the cross who get it. We know that you ought to have had it, if
any fellow ever did, and we shall think just as much of you as if you
had got it on your breast."

In spite of the heat cricket matches were got up at Cairo, and the
Hussars distinguished themselves here as they had done at Aldershot. The
chief topic of interest, however, was the question of the safety of
Khartoum, and especially that of General Gordon. He had been sent out by
the British government in hopes that the great influence he possessed
among the natives might enable him to put a stop to the disorder that
prevailed in the Soudan. At the time that he had been in the service of
the Egyptian government he had r