l not be necessary to follow
closely all our hero's doings during the next fortnight; and we shall
therefore rest content with describing, as briefly as possible, the
movements of the force during that period of time which preceded its
coming in actual contact with the enemy.

Starting again on the afternoon of the thirty-first of December, the
column pushed forward with occasional halts, until, early on the
morning of the second of January, Gakdul was reached, and the wells
occupied without resistance. Leaving the Guards and Engineers to
garrison the place, the rest of the column marched the same evening on
the return journey to Korti, to collect and bring on the remaining
troops and stores necessary for continuing the advance to Metemmeh.
Ten days later, the remainder of the force arrived at Gakdul; and after
a day spent in watering and attending to arms and ammunition, a start
was made on the afternoon of the fourteenth in the direction of Abu
Klea. Soon after sunset the column halted, and resuming the march
early on the following morning, by five o'clock in the evening had
reached Jebel-es-Sergain, or the Hill of the Saddle, which was to be
the resting-place for the night.

The men lay down as usual, with piled arms in front and camels in rear;
the order for perfect silence was hardly needed; the sandy
water-channels made a comfortable couch for wearied limbs; and the
tired warriors were glad enough to wrap themselves in their blankets,
and enjoy a few hours of well-earned repose.

In spite of the long and fatiguing day through which he had just
passed, Jack did not fall asleep at once, like the majority of his
comrades. Ever since his meeting with Valentine, his mind had been
continually going back to the days when they were at school together;
and now, in the solemn stillness of the desert, as he lay gazing up at
the bright, starlit sky, his thoughts flew back to Brenlands, and he
pictured up the dear face that had always been the chief of the many
attractions that made the place so pleasant. He almost wished now that
he had written to her before leaving England. She knew where Valentine
was, and every morning would glance with beating heart at the war
headings in the newspaper. It would have been a great satisfaction to
feel confident of having a share in her loving thoughts. Since
Christmas Day, our hero had only caught an occasional glimpse of his
cousin, but that was sufficient to revive his old love