rcise. Perhaps the men
concluded that the experiment was not worth trying, and presently left
him to himself, and entered into an animated conversation together.

When it became dark they insisted on tying Edgar's legs, and to this he
made no objection, for he understood that here they were only obeying
the orders of the sheik. A few minutes later he was sound asleep, and
did not wake once until he was roused by the Arabs stirring; they untied
his feet, and at once started on their way. In less than half an hour
they were at the spot the sheik had named; in a few minutes he came up
with six of his men mounted on camels and four spare animals. The two
Arabs and Edgar mounted three of these, and the journey was continued.
They struck off from the river and journeyed all day among sand-hills,
among which they camped for the night. They had brought water-skins with
them, and Edgar received his share.

They started at daybreak again, and travelling the whole day came down
at night upon a small village at a short distance from the river. Here
the sheik had evidently friends, for he was warmly greeted as they
entered. By the conversation at the camp on the previous evening Edgar
had gathered that the rest of the party had gone off to villages to
which they belonged in that neighbourhood, and that those with the sheik
belonged to the village of Bisagra, near Khartoum, that word being
frequently repeated. Before entering the village a short stay had been
made, while some pieces of wood were burned, and Edgar was again rubbed
over with charcoal.

When they arrived at the house at which the sheik intended to stop,
Edgar was directed to follow him, while the rest looked after the
camels. On entering the house he was told by the sheik to go into a
little court-yard, where a negro presently brought him a dish of boiled
meal and some water. He heard a great talk inside the house, but could
understand nothing of what had been said. Half an hour later two of the
Arabs came in, and lay down beside him as before, and in addition his
feet were firmly tied. The next morning the party still further divided,
the sheik with two men and Edgar starting alone.

He felt sure that they were now some distance above Khartoum, as the
city lay less than eighty miles from Metemmeh; they had made, he
calculated, fully fifteen the first night. They had walked at least
five-and-twenty on the second, and had ridden thirty, he calculated, on
each of the