ve battle until they
were refreshed, for it is ill fighting on an empty stomach. So
breakfast was got ready, the troops of the Mahdi gathering round the
while, like the masses of a thunder-cloud.

Presently it burst forth, with rifle flashes for lightning, and a deadly
leaden hail. Vainly the men piled up camel furniture, barrels, sacks,
sand-bags, for protection; the bullets came amongst them in a storm, and
they fell in all directions. And then a rumour ran through all the
ranks which spread, not dismay, indeed, nor consternation, but a stern
tightening of the heart-strings and bracing of the muscles, with a
desire to shoot straight and strike home. The general was hit! Yes,
the noble Stewart was down!

Sir Charles Wilson now took command. A redoubt was constructed by the
Royal Engineers on the right of the zereba, and manned by fifty-five
Life Guardsmen and Scots Greys under Lord Cochrane, and by this means
the enemy's fire was somewhat held in check.

At length the longed-for opportunity for vengeance came; the square left
the zereba and advanced upon the foe. Straight it went for the sandy
ridge held by the enemy, who came charging down with their accustomed
reckless courage.

But this time they did not get up to the square. The ground was too
open, the zone of fire too unimpeded, the shooting too steady. Down
they went in hecatombs. At one hundred yards their pace was checked,
those behind embarrassed by the heaps of dead and dying blocking their
path. Still they struggled on to get to close quarters with the
English, but at thirty yards the withering volleys were too deadly even
for their supernatural bravery, and they broke and fled. Steadily
advanced the English troops over the ridge of sand, firing carefully
while the fugitives were within range; then down to the Nile at Gubat,
near Matammeh, victorious indeed, but having paid a high price for
victory.

"If them Arabs takes to shooting straight, and won't come on any more,
it strikes me we shall be in a hole," said Thomas Dobbs to Grady.

"True for you, me boy," replied the Irishman.

"Or at any rate we shall not be able to go about in square for them to
get all round and blaze away into the brown of us." And there were some
of higher rank who began to entertain the same misgivings.

To resist a rush, the square was excellent, but for a long-continued
fire without coming to close quarters it was impossible. Many of the
more sanguine, ho