t; but he could hardly have reached their quarters
before the firing broke out again, certainly nearer and fiercer than
before.

"He spoke too soon!" cried Harry excitedly. "We shall beat the savage
wretches yet!"

The firing rose and fell, and rose again, and to the hearers the
suspense grew unbearable, Frank and his brother feeling that at all
risks they must try by some means to get tidings of how the battle
fared.

Again there was a cessation and a long interval of silence.

Once more the dull thudding of the artillery was heard above the roar of
rifle volleys and the snarling rattle of the machine guns; and when this
ceased there was a hurried sound, mingled with wailing, within the walls
of the Emir's house; two of the guards passed quickly by the windows of
the Hakim's quarters, and the Sheikh's men were seen hurrying towards
the door, where they were met by the chief of the guard, who rushed by
them, to shout in a stern voice to Ibrahim--

"Quick! to your camels! We leave here now."

That was enough. No trumpet-blast could have announced in clearer tones
that the fight was won, and as he passed out a strange murmurous roar
arose from the streets of the great mud city, a mingling of excited
voices, those of the fugitives and those of the more resolute who
elected to stay.

There was a stern look in the officer's eyes as he stood, drawn sword in
hand, looking on while the final preparations were made, and within ten
minutes the prisoners were mounted on horse and camel and assembled in
the well-guarded court, where the women and slaves of the Emir's
household were already waiting.

Directly after the long train moved out through the gateway with their
watchful guards; and it was none too soon, for before they had passed
down a couple of streets, a yelling mob of savage-looking armed men made
for the Emir's palace, spreading through to loot and carry off
everything that took their eye.

It was the same throughout, for the first deed of about three thousand
of the dervish army which had fled, routed from the field, was to make
for the palaces of the Khalifa, and those of his chief Emirs, on plunder
bent, while, where they dared, the ordinary dwellers of the city joined
in to bear off the garnered stores of corn.

Frank and his companions knew nothing of this as they were hurried along
through the tortuous ways of the vast stretch of hovels, tents, and mud
huts, till they reached the outskirts, and th