e or four miles the horses were turned, and they
ambled back then towards the widespreading, drab-looking city, the white
dome of the tomb Frank had before noted standing up glistening and clear
in the bright sunshine.

And now Frank fully grasped how much more important a place Omdurman was
than he had before imagined, and a feeling of satisfaction came over him
at the thought that his ride out had not been for naught, and that it
would have been unwise to have left the place even if they could have
obtained permission.

"If I could only understand what he says," thought Frank, for his
companion was bright and excited now by the ride. His ordinary sombre,
half-sulky manner had passed off, and he chattered away volubly as they
rode on, perfectly contented that his companion was silent, as he seemed
to be explaining something and pointing away to their left over the
plain.

Frank was puzzled, but it did not seem to matter to the young Emir, who
went on, evidently giving a vivid description of something, till Frank
grasped all he meant like a flash, and rising in his stirrups he gazed
hard in the pointed-out direction, to find endorsement of the idea that
had flashed upon his brain. For there, plainly enough seen through the
clear air, and not half a mile away, were dots of white and grey and
cream colour, with overhead scores and scores of birds sailing slowly
here and there, and occasionally dipping down and disturbing others,
which rose on sluggish wing.

It was evidently the scene of the previous night's engagement, and with
a look of fascinated horror in his eyes Frank gazed hard at his
companion, who nodded eagerly, threw up his right hand to shake the
flowing white robe clear, leaned a little on one side, and flashed out
his keen sword. Then drawing back his lips from his white teeth he
uttered a fierce yell of "Allah!--Allah hu!" and increased their pace to
a gallop, cutting and thrusting savagely the while at an imaginary enemy
for a few minutes, before checking his horse again and bursting into a
savage laugh of delight, as he let the reins fall upon his beautiful
animal's neck, and taking up the skirt of his white robe made believe to
wipe the blood from his glistening sword before returning it to its
sheath.

"And I'm to look at you in a friendly way and applaud you as a brave
warrior, when I feel all the time that you are only a cruel butcher of
your fellow-creatures," thought Frank. "But I must not