eik, saying that he should
be at the Pyramids on the following morning, at nine o'clock, and that
he wished them to meet him there.

"Would you take the men with us, Edgar?"

"No, I think it would be best to leave them. They are well established
here now, and have come to be looked upon by those around them as having
left the tribe altogether and as intending to work as carriers. I should
tell one or other of them to go into the town every day, and see how
matters are going on. If your father, as I hope, decides to take no part
in any attack on the French here, he can easily send a messenger to
recall them."

Accordingly, the next morning they mounted at daybreak, rode down to
Boulak, and were, with their horses, ferried across the river; then they
mounted again and rode to the Pyramids. An hour later a cloud of dust
was seen rising to the south-west, and in a few minutes the sheik, with
fifty followers, rode up.

"What is the news?" he asked his son as he leapt from his horse. "We
heard that the people of Cairo are about to rise against the Franks, and
numbers of our people have already ridden to join them in the attack."

"The city is in a very disturbed state, father, but as yet the rising
has not begun."

"That is good, my son. We were unable to strike a blow at the Franks in
the battle here; this time we will do our share, with the aid of Allah.

"You do not think that that is well?" he broke off as he glanced at
Edgar.

"It is for you to decide, sheik," Edgar said. "For my part, I do not
believe that the rising will be successful. It is true that a large
number of the French are absent. Desaix has gone with his division to
capture the northern provinces and drive out Mourad Bey and the
Mamelukes. Kleber marched yesterday, they say, to Damietta, but there is
still a strong force here. I doubt not that the rising will be
successful at first. Many French soldiers away from their regiments will
be cut down and killed, detached parties may be attacked and
overpowered, but I believe that in the end their discipline will
triumph. Their cannon will sweep the streets, the guns of the citadel
and the new forts that they have armed will shell the town; and
although, if a really desperate defence is made, the town can hardly be
captured without great loss, Bonaparte is sure to do so sooner or later,
for, if necessary, he can call back Kleber and Desaix. It is a matter of
life and death to them. Were the country to h