bout it being at length cleared, the
victorious square advanced upon the wells. The whole body of Arabs were
now in retreat, dismayed at last by the terrible slaughter amongst their
best and bravest; for the reckless heroism which is described, though
there were so many hundreds of examples of it, as to entitle it to be
fairly considered as characteristic of the race, could not, of course,
be universal, or they would be absolutely invincible, except by
extermination.

They were brave, every man and boy of them, but the vast majority were
not mad fanatics; and, indeed, a certain number of the tribes engaged
did not believe in the Mahdi at all, but joined him partly because he
was the strongest, and partly because they hated the Turks--and to them
Turks and Egyptians were all one--and their oppressive corrupt
government, and the Mahdi had thrown it off.

But they were not prepared to commit actual suicide, and did not want to
go to Mahomet's Paradise just yet. So, after a certain number were
killed without gaining any advantage, they grew disheartened, and
retired. And then the machine-guns sent their continuous streams of
bullets tearing through the dense masses, and volleys from the Martini-
Henrys ran the death list up still higher, and the retreat became
flight.

They marched steadily on. At the wells the Arab sheiks strove hard to
rally their warriors, charging alone, and, in some instances,
weaponless, to shame their men into following them. But it was no use.
"Tommy Atkins" was not flurried or excited now, success had made him
firm and confident, and there was no wild firing. Every shot was aimed
as steadily as if the charging Arab were an inanimate target and whoever
came within that zone of fire was swept into eternity.

This was an expiring effort, and when two companies of the Gordon
Highlanders had carried the last earthwork, with three guns and a
machine-gun in it, the enemy made no further resistance, but left their
camp, the huts containing the spoils of Baker Pasha's army--cut to
pieces by them a month ago--and the wells in the conquerors' possession.

A well is a grand name for a hole in the mud, but the water was fresh
and plentiful, and there were ten of them. It is difficult to keep the
bands of discipline very tight when men are flushed with victory, wild
with thirst, and water is before them. So, perhaps, there was a little
crowding which defeated its own object, causing needless delay i