ICE, BUT IT CANNOT BE RUPERT!"]

The strangers came rapidly up, and as they approached the sheik saw that
they were an Arab trader and a wild-looking native. As they came up
they reined in their camels and the trader gave the usual Arab
salutation, which was responded to by the sheik. Two or three of the
usual ceremonial sentences were repeated on both sides.

"My brother's name is El Bakhat?" the new-comer said.

"My name is my own," the sheik replied, "and is no concern of
strangers."

"I come as a friend," the Arab said. "I arrived at El-Obeid yesterday
and heard that a body of horsemen had set out in pursuit of you.
Yesterday evening some returned with a prisoner, who said that your
party had separated and that you were travelling north. Two parties of
horsemen were ordered to start at daybreak. Thinking that you might make
for Khartoum, I set out at once to warn you."

By this time the wild-looking young native had slipped from his camel
and walked up to Edgar, staring fixedly at him. Edgar, not knowing what
to make of the movement, shifted his rifle forward, when the native gave
a wild cry, "Edgar!"

Edgar gazed at him with stupefaction. It was Rupert's voice; but how
could this wild figure be Rupert? how could he be here?

"Edgar, do you not know me? I am Rupert!"

Edgar could doubt no longer. He flung himself from his camel and rushed
into his brother's arms.

"Am I mad or dreaming?" he exclaimed, as he still failed altogether to
recognize Rupert in his disguise. "It is Rupert's voice surely, but it
cannot be Rupert."

"It is me, sure enough, Edgar; and you are neither mad nor dreaming."

"But this hair?" Edgar said, still bewildered, gazing at the wild,
unkempt locks.

"It is a wig, neither more nor less, Edgar, made for me at Cairo; and a
first-rate job too."

Edgar could doubt no longer, but with the certainty and joy a strange
weakness seemed to come over him, and he would have fallen had not
Rupert seized him.

"Stand up, old boy; it is all right, and natural enough. We heard at
Metemmeh of your having been carried away, and as of course I wasn't
going to let you remain a slave among these fellows, I got leave of
absence from Wolseley, got a disguise and a first-rate guide, and, thank
God, I have come to you at last."

The surprise of El Bakhat at seeing this meeting between Muley and this
young native was much greater than that of the other Arab, who had heard
at El-Obeid the evening be