"We expected some pretence."

"Pretence!" said Harry Frere bitterly. "You do not know the Baggaras.
They are keenness itself. It is real enough, but I am well paid for the
pain."

"But your hurt?" said the doctor eagerly.

"My left arm."

"What, kicked?"

"No," said the sufferer, perfectly calm now. "I broke it myself."

A deep silence fell upon the group, save that the old Sheikh uttered a
low groan, and then the doctor was himself again. This was real--real
suffering to allay, and a word brought the professor to his side, just
as Sam came hurriedly to the inner door, fresh from Frank's angareb.

"Hush! Not a word," said the doctor sternly; "only help me here.
Quick! my case, lint, bandages, and splints."

But Sam did not move. He stood as if turned to stone, gazing where the
light shone upon Harry Frere's thin, worn face, and reading recognition
in the eyes fixed full upon his.

"Oh!" he cried, with a sob, and forgetting everything he sprang to the
side of the litter and dropped upon his knees. "Mr Harry at last!"

The doctor could not speak, as he saw his old companion raise his right
hand and lay it upon the servant's shoulder, while the professor uttered
a strange sound, which, if it had escaped a woman's breast would have
been termed a sob. Then the doctor spoke.

"That will do," he said sternly. "Obey my orders at once. The rest
must wait till we are safe."

Sam sprang up to fetch what was required, and the professor made an
effort to recover his composure, the demand made upon him by his old
school-fellow's condition rousing him to action.

"One word only," said the prisoner faintly. "You said my brother--"

"He is yonder," said the doctor quietly; "ill, but not seriously. You
must not see him now. His _ruse_ has succeeded, and we have you here.
Now I must see to your arm."

"No, no, not now," said Harry excitedly; "we must make some plan or
another about escaping. You must not stay here--you will be
discovered."

"Leave that to us," said the doctor sternly.

"No, no," cried his new patient. "I have nearly been driven mad during
my long imprisonment, but if aught happens to you all I shall go quite
out of my mind in my despair."

"Silence!" said the doctor sternly. "You are badly hurt, and your
injury is telling upon your brain. I will not have you dwell upon our
position. Look here, you can trust us. We have found our way here,
found you, and had you brought to us. G