for a long time."

The next day, Zaki aided in carrying his sisters' goods down to the
river bank, and saw them on board one of the native craft, which
carried also fifteen or twenty other fugitives.

"Now, Mr. Hilliard," General Hunter said, that morning, "you can devote
yourself to the object for which you came here. Unquestionably, there
must be many among the prisoners who fought at El Obeid. You may gather
all particulars of the battle, from their lips.

"The greater portion of the white troops will march down the country,
at once. Of course, I don't know what your plans may be; but unless you
have a very good reason to the contrary, I should certainly advise you
to retain your position in the Egyptian army. A great deal of work will
have to be done, before matters are quite settled down; and then civil
administration of some sort will, of course, be formed, under which you
would certainly obtain a far better post than you could hope to get, at
home."

"I have quite made up my mind to do so, sir. Certainly, when I left
Cairo, I had no idea of remaining permanently in the service; but I
have been so exceptionally fortunate, owing largely to your kindness,
that I have been seriously thinking the matter over; and am quite
determined that, if I can obtain an appointment, I will remain here. I
have no ties, whatever, either in Lower Egypt or in England; no way of
earning my living there; and possibly, as I have begun so early, I may
rest, in time, in what will no doubt become an important branch of the
Egyptian administration."

"I am glad to hear that you take that view. We all grumble at the
Soudan, and yet there are few of us but would be sorry to leave it; and
there can be no doubt whatever that, under our administration, it will,
in time, become a magnificently rich and fertile province."

Being relieved from other duty, at present, Gregory went to the great
yard near the mosque, called the Praying Square, where the majority of
the Dervish prisoners were confined. Addressing a man of some
five-and-forty years, he asked him, in Arabic, whether many among the
prisoners had fought against Hicks, at El Obeid.

The man hesitated.

"I am not asking on the part of the Sirdar," Gregory said; "and you may
be sure that, if no punishment is inflicted against those who have
fought against us now, there can be no thought of punishment, for a
thing that happened so many years ago. My father was, I believe, one of
the