eba all the daytime. And from men on
foot they had nothing to fear, let them get the shortest of starts.
There was the cavalry which had hunted Strachan, but they were but a
handful. And the route to Shebacat was open desert, so far as the eye
could reach from the balcony, with but few mimosas or black rocks.

When he had quite settled his plans he felt easier, and returned to the
others. The two juniors had shown Strachan what little hospitality was
in their power, including an iron tea-cupful of muddy water for himself
and a pint for his horse, who asked for more, poor fellow! With all the
earnestness of Oliver Twist in the workhouse.

"Are you Strachan of the Blankshire?" asked Grant.

"Yes," said Strachan.

"Were you not wounded at Tamai last spring?"

"Yes, I was; but I soon got all right."

"Is not Edwards in your battalion?"

"Yes, he is; do you know him?"

"Very well; we were at Sandhurst together."

And this discovery of a common friend made these two feel like comrades
at once.

"Well, Strachan," said Reece, coming up, "are you ready to pilot us to-
night?"

"Perfectly ready, sir," replied Strachan.

"Well, then, we will be off directly after sun-down. Since Khartoum has
fallen, the troops before it will be set free, and the country perhaps
will be flooded with them. This may be our best chance."

"Certainly."

The three officers of camelry had to prepare their men for the start,
and see that they got the saddles and other packages, which had been
piled together to make an inner defence, separated and placed in proper
position for instant adjustment.

Tom Strachan, left alone, wandered off to the watch-tower, to have a
look at it and mount to the balcony. On his way across he met a
soldier, who advanced his rifle and brought his right-hand smartly
across in salute, whom he recognised.

"Kavanagh!" he cried.

"Yes, sir, here I am," replied Kavanagh. "No, please don't shake hands
now or here," he added, hurriedly. "I do not want to be recognised at
all. My captain has not remembered being with me at Harton, I am glad
to say."

"I have your sword still," said Strachan.

"Yes, and did good work with it at Tamai," replied Kavanagh.

"I am glad of that."

"It is a good one, indeed," said Strachan; "but I don't know that I have
done anything wonderful with it!"

"Oh, yes, I read about it in the papers. You were mentioned in
despatches."

"They were very kind, because I was w