nd a
pouch filled with cartridges. This gun had been found strapped on to one
of the camels that had been captured, and the sheik had appropriated it
for his own use, concealing it in one of the bales, so that Edgar had
not noticed it when the camels were unloaded.

"I do not understand it," the sheik said; "it is much stranger to me
than our guns would be to you. I tried to put these brass things with
the bullet sticking out into it, but they would not go into the barrel.
You shall show me how to use it, but if the dervishes come I will hand
it to you, for you understand it and will do much better with it than I
should; but show me how it works."

The sheik's astonishment was great when Edgar pushed the lever, opened
the breech, inserted a cartridge, and closing the breech said that it
was now loaded and could be fired at once.

"Fire at that rock," he said, "and then load again as quickly as you
can."

Edgar did so, and in a few seconds was again ready to fire.

"Inshallah!" the sheik exclaimed, "but it is wonderful. No wonder that
they tell me that the roar of the guns was like never-ceasing thunder,
and that the sound of one shot could not be heard from another. Can you
take out the cartridge without firing?"

Edgar showed him how this was done, and the sheik then repeatedly loaded
and unloaded the gun until he could manipulate it quickly. "And what is
this thing?" he asked, touching the back sight.

Edgar explained to him that the sight was raised or lowered according to
the distance of the object to be aimed at.

"The Franks are wonderful men," the sheik said gravely; "if they had but
the true faith, and Allah was with them, no one could stand against
them. When the ammunition is used up can you make more?"

Edgar shook his head.

"If I had caps to fit in here and a mould for the bullets I could refill
these cases two or three times, but after that they would be useless.
Powerful machinery is used for making these cases. It might be possible
to have them made by hand by a skilled worker in brass in Khartoum, but
it would be very expensive, and I am afraid, sheik, when the ammunition
is gone the gun would be useless unless you can procure some more
cartridges from traders in Egypt; unless, indeed, my countrymen have
retaken Khartoum, in which case I could obtain for you any quantity of
cartridges."

"Your countrymen have retired to Korti," the sheik said.

Edgar gave a cry of disappointment. He had f