ch a jerk against the stem of a
mimosa, that the owner lost his grip of it, and the same jerk landed him
clear of the bush.

"Be quiet, my jewel, till I pick up your shooting-iron," said Grady, who
wanted to take back the rifle as a prize and a trophy, but feared that
his nimble captive would escape him while he reached for it.

So he knelt on the Arab's back, he lying on his face, and taking a piece
of twine out of his pocket, he tied his elbows together. Then he
reached out and got the rifle, and slung it over his shoulder.

"And will ye plaze to get up?" he said. "You must excuse me if I am a
thrifle rough, but it's owing to the resistance ye make;" and as Grady,
a very powerful man, was the stronger, his captive found himself on his
feet and emerging into the open, without any volition of his own.

"Sure, and it's in mighty good luck ye should estame yourself, to fall
into the hands of a tender-hearted boy like meself, who lets the dirty
life stop in your haythen carcase. By all the laws of your warfare, I
am bound to put my bayonet into your stomach instead of making ye a
prisoner, just as if ye were a respectable sodger, who gave and took
quarter like a Christian. Get along wid ye! Ye are as bad to drive as
a pig, and not a hundredth part the value of him, nor such good company
either. Get on, I say, or they'll be thinking you've took me, and not
that I've took you. Ye've got to go before the captain, and tell him
what he chooses to ask you, so where's the use of struggling, making us
both so uncomfortable this warm day? It's proud ye should be to have
spache with a real gentleman and a British officer, ye poor haythen
vagabond!"

It may be observed that the last sentence was uttered in the possible,
though not the certain and obvious hearing of the officer alluded to.

"Why, Grady, what have you been up to?" was the question which greeted
him.

"Sure and I've made an important capture; look at the clothes of him!
How do you know that it is not the Mahdi himself?"

Here the officer commanding the detachment rode up.

"Well done, Grady," he said; "we were wanting a prisoner, and may get
some valuable information out of this one. A very neat thing indeed; I
shall remember it."

Grady saluted, and went to his camel.

The prisoner had his arms freed, and was given another camel, as he
seemed quiet and philosophical, and had a couple of friendly natives for
companions to pump him. And the convoy