e know next to nothing at home."

During dinner no questions were asked, but after the cloth had been
removed and the decanters were placed upon the table, he said:

"Now, Mr. Blagrove, we shall be glad if you will give us details of how
you came to be left behind, of your personal adventures, and what you
yourself witnessed, and your opinion of the situation in Egypt. This is
desirable, not only as a matter of general information, but because it
will be really useful to me to understand the situation fully, for the
purposes of my mission."

Edgar began his story, but was interrupted almost at the outset by Sir
Sidney asking him how he came to be so intimate with these Bedouins. He
was therefore obliged to relate how he had rescued the sheik's son from
an attack by two of the lowest class of Europeans in Alexandria. Edgar
told the story modestly, making as little as possible of his share in
it.

"And were these fellows armed, Mr. Blagrove?"

"They had their knives, but they had not time to use them. These fellows
have no idea of boxing, and a straight hit is a mystery to them. The
thing was all over in less than a minute."

"Then, I suppose, you can box?" Sir Sidney said, with a smile.

"I was taught it in England, sir. My father thought that it would be
useful, for the population of Alexandria is a rough one."

Sir Sidney said no more, and Edgar told his story without further
interruption, and then answered many questions as to the proceedings of
the French, the rising in Cairo--of which Sir Sidney now heard for the
first time, and the prospect of a general insurrection.

"I don't think that there is much chance of that, sir. The defeat of the
Mamelukes led them to believe that the French were invincible. The
destruction of their fleet showed that this was not the case, and led to
the rising at Cairo, but their easy defeat there, and the terrible
slaughter inflicted upon them, will certainly cow them for a long time,
and as long as the whole French army remains there, I don't think there
will be much further trouble, but if a portion were to march away, no
doubt they might muster up courage to attack those that remained. Mourad
Bey, with a considerable force of Mamelukes, still keeps the field, and
the Arab tribes would certainly join him if they saw a chance of
defeating the invaders."

"And the two men you had that trouble with, have you ever come across
them again, Mr. Blagrove?" the first lieutenant aske