n that
case if you are satisfied with your guide you will put your name to the
letter and he may then obtain the money at whichever port he may go to.
All this of course I will explain to him. I will get the two camels this
morning. They are exceptionally good beasts, and the owner will want a
very long price for them. Camels like these are very rare, but they may
be the means of saving your life."

"I will pay whatever he wants me to, sir; I quite see the importance of
getting them. I am off duty now, and as the sheik is not to arrive for
three days I will go down to Dongola. There is one of the transport
boats starting in half an hour. I shall want to lay in a stock of dye.
Fortunately, the exact colour is not material, for the natives are any
shade between yellow and black."

When Skinner and Easton came in from an evening ride they got off their
ponies, and Skinner entered his hut. He was astonished at seeing a
native calmly sitting there with the usual wild tangled hair and a dirty
cotton cloth wrapped round him. For a moment Skinner stood astonished.

"Well, this is cheek!" he exclaimed. "Easton, look here; here is a beast
of a native squatting in my hut. Sentry, what the deuce do you mean by
letting a nigger come into my hut? Now, then, who are you? What do you
want? What do you mean by it? Out you go sharp, or I will break your
neck!"

The two young officers, for Easton had joined his friend, stood
astounded when the native broke into a yell of laughter.

"He is mad, Easton; he is a mad nigger who has escaped from a lunatic
asylum!" Skinner exclaimed. "Don't go near him; perhaps he bites, and
you might get hydrophobia. How is this, sentry?" he asked, turning to
the soldier, who had come up to the door. "How is it you let this mad
nigger come in here?"

"I did not see him come in, sir," the sentry said; "he must have slipped
in when my back was turned. I saw an officer come in half an hour ago,
but I haven't seen anyone else."

"Well, move him out, sentry; prod him up with your bayonet if he won't
go."

The sentry was about to enter the tent when Rupert gasped, "That is
enough, Skinner; order him out. You will kill me with laughing."

"Clinton!" The word broke from the lips of Easton and Skinner
simultaneously, while the sentry almost dropped his rifle in surprise at
hearing his officer thus addressed in pure English by the native.

"It is all right, sentry, you can go," Easton said, recovering himsel