e solely in a diplomatic capacity,
and who was to push up the river in one of the steamers and communicate
with General Gordon as soon as the force reached the Nile.

Soon afterwards orders were given that a ridge of ground sixty yards
distant on the right front should be occupied, as from that point the
ground beyond was commanded to a considerable distance, and the enemy
thus prevented from gathering for a sudden rush from that direction.
Skinner and Easton were lying down together under cover of the wall when
the order was given. Skinner was energetically denouncing the night
march and the present halt. Easton was smiling quietly, and occasionally
pointing out the difficulties which would have ensued had his
companion's view of the matter been adopted.

"It is beastly lying here doing nothing," Skinner finally grumbled.

"Well, there is no occasion for you to do so," Easton said as an officer
passed along saying that volunteers were required to carry boxes to
build a small work on the ridge.

Skinner at once jumped to his feet, ran to the pile of biscuit-boxes,
seized two of them, swung them on to his shoulders and started for the
ridge. Easton followed in more leisurely fashion, and a number of other
officers and men at once set about the work. It was not pleasant. As
soon as the concealed enemy saw what was being done they directed their
fire upon the party, and the bullets flew fast across the ground that
had to be passed over. Several men dropped, but the work was continued
vigorously, and in the course of an hour a small work was raised upon
the ridge, and a half-company placed there as its garrison. Hour after
hour went on, the fire of the enemy getting heavier and heavier, the men
dropping fast.

"Well, Easton, what do you think of it now?" Skinner asked.

"I think it is most annoying," Easton said. "I cannot think why we don't
do something. I suppose the general being hit has upset the
arrangements. If we are going to move I don't see what advantage there
is in putting it off; it isn't as if we were getting any rest here. I
hope to goodness we are not going to wait here until dark; every hour we
stop adds to the casualties. I hear two of the special correspondents
have been killed, Cameron of the _Standard_ and St. Leger Herbert of the
_Post_. The camels are being killed in scores. Another four-and-twenty
hours of this work there won't be enough men left to fight our way down
to the river. It has got to