have no difficulty in
getting money to pay the sheiks; but after all it is only a question of
a week or two's delay at the most. I have letters from my father
authorizing me to draw upon him for any amount, and if we cannot get it
at Massowah we shall only have to send up to the officer in command at
Suakim; he would cash a draft out of the pay-chest; or if he could not
do it that way, would get some merchant there to do it."

They no longer hurried, but made moderate marches, stopping only at
small villages. There was no difficulty in obtaining food and shelter,
as Rupert's conductor had brought on with him a sufficient store of
merchandise to pay their way down to the coast. On these occasions Edgar
and Rupert kept in the background looking after the camels, while Yussuf
waited upon the sheiks, and afterwards cooked a meal for the two
Englishmen. He did most of the talking with the poorer villagers,
gossiped with them about the state of the country, the chance of peace
being re-established, and retailed all sorts of wonderful stories of the
doings of the Mahdists.

Both branches of the Nile were crossed in their journey, but no incident
of any kind occurred until they had passed the eastern arm. They were
now getting into a more dangerous country. Bodies of the Mahdi's troops
going to and from Kassala, which had, they learned, at last surrendered,
were encountered, and questions were asked as to where they were going
and what was the object of their journey.

Upon these occasions Ben Ibyn acted as spokesman and represented that
they had friends among the Hadendowah tribesmen, and wished to learn
whether any trade could be opened with the coast. When within a day's
march of Kassala they met a number of camels laden with spoil from that
town on their way to Khartoum, accompanied by a number of foot soldiers
and ten or twelve horsemen. Riding twenty or thirty yards behind the
sheiks Edgar saw one of the horsemen look earnestly at El Bakhat, and
then spur forward to speak to the others who were a short distance
ahead.

"That fellow has recognized El Bakhat!" he exclaimed; "ride on, Rupert!"

They both shook the halters and the heiries broke into a trot.

"Ride, sheiks!" Edgar exclaimed as he came up to the others; "one of the
horsemen has recognized El Bakhat."

A minute or two later they heard a shout behind them, but paid no
attention.

"We have got four or five hundred yards start," Rupert said, looking
back,