oudan
and seek safety in Egypt.

Gordon believed that if the Soudan were given up to the Mahdi, there
would presently be no limit to the tyrant's power. All the slavery and
misery from which Gordon had tried to free the land would be worse than
ever before. Egypt and Arabia might also, before long, take as their
king the Mahdi who ruled the Soudan.

He held that at all costs Khartoum must be defended, and not handed
over to the Mahdi, as Colonel Coetlogan and many others advised.

In England this belief of General Gordon, who knew more about the
Soudan than any other living man, soon became known.

All his plans for going to the Congo were made, and he had gone to
Brussels to take leave of the King of the Belgians when a telegram came
to him from the English Government.

"Come back to London by evening train," it said. And, leaving all his
luggage behind him, Gordon went.

Next morning he interviewed Lord Wolseley and some members of the
Cabinet. He was asked if he would undertake a mission to the Soudan,
to try to resettle affairs there, to bring away the Egyptian garrisons,
and to divide, if possible, the country amongst the petty sultans whom
he thought strong and wise enough to keep order.

Gordon was ready to go, and, to go at once. "I would give my life for
these poor people of the Soudan," he said.

Late that afternoon he started.

Lord Wolseley has told the story of his going:--

"There he stood, in a tall silk hat and frock coat. I offered to send
him anything he wanted.

"'Don't want anything,' he said.

"'But you've got no clothes.'

"'I'll go as I am!' he said, and he meant it.

"He never had any money; he always gave it away. I know once he had
L7000. It all went in the establishment of a ragged school for boys.

"I asked him if he had any cash.

"'No,' was his calm reply. 'When I left Brussels I had to borrow L25
from the King to pay my hotel bill with.'

"'Very well,' I said, 'I'll try and get you some, and meet you at the
railway station with it.'

"I went round to the various clubs, and got L300 in gold. I gave the
money to Colonel Stewart, who went with him: Gordon was not to be
trusted with it. A week or so passed by, when I had a letter from
Stewart. He said, 'You remember the L300 you gave me? When we arrived
at Port Said a great crowd came out to cheer Gordon. Amongst them was
an old Sheikh to whom Gordon was much attached, and who had become poor
and blind.