relieved he was not altogether surprised
when at last the uproar quieted down, and his captors returned into the
court-yard and barred the door behind them.

In a short time an argument broke out, almost as furious and no less
loud than that which had taken place outside. The sheik had evidently
his own opinion and was determined to maintain it. Two or three of his
followers sided with him, but the rest were evidently opposed to it.
From the few words Edgar could catch in the din he gathered that the
sheik was determined to carry him off as his own particular slave, while
the bulk of his followers were in favour of handing him over to the
Mahdi's officers. All Arabs are obstinate, but the sheik happened to be
exceptionally obstinate and determined even for an Arab. Had the
Mahdi's officers recognized his right to the captive, and offered him
some small present in return for his slave, he would probably have
handed him over willingly enough; but that they should threaten him, and
insist on his handing over his property, was, he considered, an outrage
to his dignity and independence.

Was he, an independent sheik, to be treated as if he were a nameless
slave, and ordered to surrender his own to the Mahdi or anyone else?
Never! He would slay the slave and stab himself to the heart rather than
submit to be thus trampled on. If his followers did not like it they
were free to leave him and to put on white shirts and follow the Mahdi;
he could do without such men well enough. What would the Mahdi do for
them? He would send them to be shot down by the Kaffirs, as they had
been shot down at Abu Klea and outside the town, and someone else would
possess their wives and their camels and their fields. If they liked
that they could go, and he went to the gate, unbarred and threw it open,
and pointed to the street. The effect was instantaneous. The Arabs had
no desire whatever to become soldiers of the Mahdi, and they at once
changed their tone and assured the sheik that they had no idea of
opposing his wishes, and that whatever he said should be done, pointing
out, however, that in the morning the Madhists would assuredly come and
take the prisoner by force.

The sheik was mollified by their submission, and ordering Edgar to close
and bar the gate again seated himself by the fire.

"By to-morrow," he said, "we will be far away. I am not a fool; I am not
going to fight the Mahdi's army. As soon as the town is still we will
make o