naged, unnoticed, to crawl up to one of the largest tents, and lie
down against it. He heard the chatter of the women in an adjoining
tent, but there was no sound in that against which he lay.

For an hour all was quiet. Then he saw two white figures coming from
Mahmud's camp, which lay some fifty yards away. To his delight, they
stopped at the entrance of the tent by which he was concealed, and one
said:

"I can well understand, Ibrahim Khalim, that your brother Mahmud is
sorely vexed that your father will not let him advance against the
Egyptians, at Merawi. I fully share his feelings; for could I not, with
my cavalry, sweep them before me into the river, even though no footmen
came with me? According to accounts they are but two or three thousand
strong, and I have as many horsemen under my command."

"That is so, Osman Azrakyet. But methinks my father is right. If we
were to march across the desert, we would lose very many men and great
numbers of animals, and we should arrive weakened and dispirited. If we
remain here, it is the Egyptians who will have to bear the hardships of
the march across the desert. Great numbers of the animals that carry
the baggage and food, without which the poor infidels are unable to
march, would die, and the weakened force would be an easy prey for us."

"That is true," the other said, "but they may come now, as they came to
Dongola, in their boats."

"They have the cataracts to ascend, and the rapid currents of the Nile
at its full to struggle against. There is a strong force at Abu Hamed,
and our Governor at Berber will move down there, with all his force,
when he hears that the Egyptians are coming up the cataracts. Should it
be the will of Allah that they should pass them, and reach Berber, we
shall know how to meet them. Mahmud has settled this evening that many
strong forts are to be built on the river bank here, and if the
infidels try to advance farther by water, they will be all sunk.

"I agree with you and Mahmud, and wish that it had been otherwise, and
that we could hurl ourselves at once upon the Egyptians and prevent
their coming farther--but that would be but a partial success. If we
wait, they will gather all their forces before they come, and we shall
destroy them at one blow. Then we shall seize all their stores and
animals, cross the desert to Dongola, march forward to Assouan, and
there wait till the Khalifa brings his own army; and then who is to
oppose us? We