essor merrily, "so you had better make the best of it."

The doctor did not pause to reply, but gravely prepared to receive the
fresh patient, shaking his head solemnly at Frank the while.

"It looks bad," he said. "The poor fellow seems to be beyond help."

The Baggara appeared to be a finely built, manly young fellow as he was
allowed to subside into his followers' arms, and then borne to where the
Hakim waited. There they laid him upon a rug which Frank dragged ready
for his reception, to leave their burden lying flat upon his back, while
the bearers drew back, but the horse advanced, to lower its soft muzzle
and sniff at its rider's face, before raising its head and uttering a
shrill neigh.

The four men stood looking at the Hakim, as much as to say, "He is dead,
but you must bring him to life."

The doctor's broad white brow was as a rule wonderfully free from lines,
but as Frank glanced at him it was to see them gather now as straight
and regular almost as if they had been ruled, from his eyebrows high up
to where the hair had been shorn away.

But no time was wasted, and no search was needed. The young chief--for
such he seemed to be--had received a terrible thrust from a spear just
below the collar-bone, and to all appearance he had bled to death.

But as the doctor busily did what was necessary to the frightful wound,
a slight quivering about the eyelids announced that life still lingered,
and as the busy hands checked all further effusion and administered a
restorative, the failing spirit's flight was for the time being stayed,
though whether this would be permanent was more than the Hakim dared to
say.

"He must have been bleeding all the night," the doctor said, "and
jolting about on a horse. The man's constitution is wonderful, or he
would have died long before now."

"Can you save him?" asked the professor.

"I fear not, but I'll do all I can. Ask the men how this happened,
Ibrahim."

The information was soon obtained.

"It was in a skirmish, Hakim, a day's journey from here. The men who
joined us last night came in contact with a body of mounted men armed
with spears, and from their description they seem to have been English
troops. Many of the Baggara were killed, others wounded, and this man,
their leader, was as you see. He will die, Excellency, will he not?"

"It all depends on the way in which he is treated," replied the doctor.
"He is in a dying state, but no dangerous part is