ful fields."

"Judges have been appointed to settle that matter," said the Governor.
"They will presently come in steamers and hear the witnesses."

"Wherefore? Did the Judges kill the Emirs? We would rather be judged by
the men who executed God's judgment on the Emirs. We would rather abide
by your decision, O Excellency Our Governor."

The Governor nodded. It was a year since he had seen the Emirs stretched
close and still round the reddened sheepskin where lay El Mahdi, the
Prophet of God. Now there remained no trace of their dominion except the
old steamer, once part of a Dervish flotilla, which was his house and
office. She sidled into the shore, lowered a plank, and the Governor
followed his horse aboard.

Lights burned on her till late, dully reflected in the river that tugged
at her mooring-ropes. The Governor read, not for the first time, the
administration reports of one John Jorrocks, M.F.H.

"We shall need," he said suddenly to his Inspector, "about ten couple.
I'll get 'em when I go home. You'll be Whip, Baker?"

The Inspector, who was not yet twenty-five, signified his assent in the
usual manner, while Abu Hussein barked at the vast desert moon.

"Ha!" said the Governor, coming out in his pyjamas, "we'll be giving you
capivi in another three months, my friend."

* * * * *

It was four, as a matter of fact, ere a steamer with a melodious
bargeful of hounds anchored at that landing. The Inspector leaped down
among them, and the homesick wanderers received him as a brother.

"Everybody fed 'em everything on board ship, but they're real dainty
hounds at bottom," the Governor explained. "That's Royal you've got hold
of--the pick of the bunch--and the bitch that's got, hold of you--she's
a little excited--is May Queen. Merriman, out of Cottesmore Maudlin, you
know."

"I know. 'Grand old betch with the tan eyebrows,"' the Inspector cooed.
"Oh, Ben! I shall take an interest in life now. Hark to 'em! O hark!"

Abu Hussein, under the high bank, went about his night's work. An eddy
carried his scent to the barge, and three villages heard the crash of
music that followed. Even then Abu Hussein did not know better than to
bark in reply.

"Well, what about my Province?" the Governor asked.

"Not so bad," the Inspector answered, with Royal's head between his
knees. "Of course, all the villages want remission of taxes, but, as far
as I can see, the whole country's stinkin' with fox