ounded. Have you heard anything of
the missing will, or Harry Forsyth?"

"Not a word; but I hope for better times still," he replied.

"So do I, Reginald, with all my heart. You have found life as a private
soldier a severe trial, I fear."

"Not out here, campaigning," replied Kavanagh. "At home it was
certainly trying at first. But the sergeant is waiting for me."

And he saluted again and passed on, leaving his old chum very serious
and meditative, which was not by any means his accustomed state of mind.

Presently Hump came up to make friends, and, when Strachan met Grant
again he learned the story of the dog and his excursions to the well,
and how Thomas Dobbs had made him fetch water.

"You were saying you did not know the name of this place," cried
Strachan, laughing; "you should call it after him. _Bir_ is the Arabic
I believe for a well; you should name it _Bir-Hump_."

The suggestion was repeated, adopted, and spread, and the entire company
always alluded to the place as _Bir-Hump_ from that hour forward.

The day waned; the camels were saddled and loaded as quietly as might
be, Strachan tightened the girths of his horse, and when the sun had set
and the after-glow faded into darkness, all mounted, and the camels, led
by Strachan, defiled out of the zereba like a string of ghosts.

Every man had his rifle in his hand, ready to sell his life as dearly as
he could; but the Arabs did not issue from their cover, and they sped on
at a sharp trot unmolested, Strachan keeping a correct course by a
compass he had, with an ingenious phosphorescent contrivance, by which
he could distinguish the north point. When an hour had elapsed they all
began to breathe more freely, for it is uncanny work expecting to be
attacked every minute in the dark. But still strict silence was
maintained.

During the long night tramp, with no jingling of accoutrements, beat of
hoofs, light laugh, or homely talk to break the stillness, nothing but
the light _brushing_ sound, more like the whisper of sound than sound
itself, caused by the movement of the camels' feet over the sand, the
minds of the most thoughtless could not avoid reflection, and probably
there was not one of all that company who did not think of Gordon. And
of him there was not a little to think. The long waiting, month after
month; never disheartened or beaten; trying every device, every
stratagem, to keep the foes which environed him at bay; maintaining wel