think not.
I should say he would stay here until Metemmeh is occupied and the boat
column is well on its way, and that then he will go on to Metemmeh, and
take the command there when the whole force is assembled. In that case
Stewart would of course command the desert column, and I should be all
right."

"The great question is, will the beggars fight?" Skinner remarked; "and
if so, where?"

"They are sure to fight," Easton said. "I don't think there is the least
doubt about that, but I should not think there will be any fighting this
side of Metemmeh; it will be some where between that and Khartoum. The
Mahdi cannot help fighting after smashing up Hicks and giving himself
out as invincible. He would lose his hold altogether of the people if he
did not come down and fight. Of course there is no doubt about the
result; but, judging from the way those fellows fought down by the Red
Sea, it is likely to be pretty tough work I shall be sorry for the poor
beggars with their spears against our breech-loaders, but it has got to
be done."

Skinner and Rupert both laughed, for Easton spoke exactly as he used to
do with regard to football.

"It will be a nuisance your having to exert yourself, won't it, Easton?"

"Yes, that is always a nuisance, and in a climate like this!" Easton
said seriously. "Why nature made a place so hot, I cannot make out. I am
sure if I were to be weighed I should find I had lost nearly a stone
since I came out."

"You have quite enough flesh on you," Skinner said critically. "If you
have lost a stone you must have been getting beastly fat. You fellows in
the Guards do not take enough exercise. The time was when the Guards
used to row and had a very good eight, but they never do that sort of
thing now. It would do you all a lot of good if, instead of wandering
between London and Windsor and Dublin, you were to take your turn for
foreign service."

"But then we should not be Guards, Skinner."

"Well, you would be none the worse for that," Skinner retorted.

"He is just as bad as he used to be, Clinton," Easton laughed; "just the
same aggressive, pugnacious beggar that he was at River-Smith's."

"He means well, Easton. We never expected more than that from him. He
must make himself fearfully obnoxious to the fellows who have the
misfortune to be shut up on board ship with him."

"I shall make myself obnoxious to you, Clinton, if you don't look out.
It is only the heat that protects you. Have y