eared that when the news of
Gordon's death was known the expedition might be abandoned; but he had
still retained some hope that it might advance to Khartoum. The news
that they had already fallen back to Korti came as a shock.

"How did you learn the news, sheik?" he asked presently. "You did not
say that you had spoken to anyone."

"Yes, we went a little way into the fields in hopes of catching sight of
Hamish, and came upon two peasants who were gathering the crop. They had
seen nothing of the negro. Upon questioning them as to what was going on
at Khartoum they said that the Mahdi was still all-powerful; that the
Kaffirs had fallen back from Metemmeh and were scattered along the river
between Korti and Dongola; and that the Mahdi had announced that his
forces would ere long advance, conquer Egypt, and destroy the Kaffirs."

"Do you mean to wait for the attack of the Mahdi's men here or to go to
meet them?" Edgar asked after a long pause.

"If they come here too numerous to fight we must fly; but if they are
not too strong we will give them battle here. Why should we go to meet
them?"

"It is for you to decide," Edgar said. "I know nothing of your Arab ways
of fighting. But it seemed to me that it might be better, if they are
not altogether too strong, to meet them as near the other wells as we
can."

"But why so, Muley? They would have water close to them and we should
have none. If one was wounded he would have to be carried a long
distance. Why do you advise that we should fight them there?"

"You told me, sheik, that the existence of this well was only known to
you and your people and a small section of the tribe."

"That is so, Muley. It is a secret that has been well guarded. The wady
has served as a retreat many times in our history."

"If they come on and any of them go back again the secret will be a
secret no longer," Edgar said. "It is for this reason that I thought
that we had better go out and meet them. There is but one man with them
who knows the way hither, and against him our balls should be all
directed. If we kill him they would be without a guide and would be
unable to find the way, for they would never venture into this desert
knowing that if they failed to find our well they might all perish for
want of water."

"You speak well," the sheik said. "I had not thought of this; but I see
that your plan is a good one. As soon as I learn that they have arrived
at the wells we will set out t