their
own camels and the seventeen camels of the dervishes, all were to be
loaded up to the extent of their power with the bundles of forage that
had done such good service as the basis of the fort, for the supply at
the wady had been very nearly all cut down, and food would be required
for the camels until a fresh supply sprang up.

The wady was reached at sunset, and a messenger was at once sent off to
the spot where, in accordance with the sheik's orders, the women and
children with the camels were halted until news should arrive of the
result of the fight. It was six miles away, and it was midnight when the
party arrived. Great fires had been lighted, and there was a scene of
the liveliest rejoicing as the women and children arrived. There was no
thought of sleep that night. The story of the battle was told over and
over again, every incident being rehearsed with appropriate gesture, and
even the friends of the six who had fallen restrained their grief for
the time, partly from pride that they had died so honourably, partly
because any show of grief would have been out of place amid the
rejoicings for so great an exploit.

With the exception of the children Edgar was the only occupant of the
douar who closed an eye that night. He had waited up until the return of
the camels and women, had assisted to unload the animals with the
sheik's tent and baggage, and to put things into something like order,
and had then withdrawn himself from the groups of excited talkers by the
fire, and thrown himself down among the bushes some distance away.

He had had but little sleep from the time the party had marched to meet
the dervishes. It was upon his advice that they had gone, and he felt
himself to some extent responsible for the result. During the time the
siege had lasted scarce half an hour had passed without his rising to
see that the sentries were vigilant, and to assure himself that the
silence of the desert was unbroken. The night before he had not thought
of sleep. He had no doubt that the Arabs who were coming to their
assistance would do their best to arrive at the right moment; still,
something might occur to detain them a little, and although the Arabs
had behaved with great bravery hitherto, he felt sure that in a fight in
the open they would be no match against the fanatical dervishes, who
always fought with a full assurance of victory, and were absolutely
indifferent as to their own lives. He had seen them three