the three old friends settled
themselves comfortably under one of them. "I don't know when I have
seen such beeches."

"Very condescending of you to admire anything in England, such a
traveller as you have been," said Strachan. "And you have been to
Egypt? I envy you; I have always longed to see Egypt."

"There are more unlikely things than that when you are in the Line.
Things are not settled there yet."

"Why, Arabi's insurrection is completely quelled, and he is a prisoner.
And the Government will have nothing to do with the Soudan business,
they say."

"Who is _they_? One set of _theys_ say so, and another set of _theys_
say we can't help having to do with it, let the Quakers say what they
will. For my part, I hope all will be quiet," said Forsyth.

"Quiet!" cried Strachan. "Why, if there is no war there will be fewer
vacancies, and I am less likely to get my commission in the Line!"

"Modest youth! So you want some tens of thousands of fellow-creatures
to be slaughtered, palms and fruit-trees to be destroyed, and a whole
country made desolate and miserable for years, and millions upon
millions of pounds drained from the British tax-payer, in order that you
may get your commission with a little less trouble! You remind me of
the reasonable prayer in the poem--

"`Oh, gods! Annihilate both Time and Space
To make two lovers happy.'"

"Oh, bother! I don't look so deep into things as that," said Strachan;
"I can't declare a war, and I would not take the responsibility if I
could; but if it comes and does me good, I can't help liking it. It is
like winning a wager--I am sorry the other chap should lose, but I am
consoled by the reflection that I win."

"Exactly," said Harry; "and I strongly expect that I should lose by any
disturbance in the Soudan, and that Kavanagh would too. It is a long
story; but you are such an old friend that it won't bore you, Strachan,
though it does not concern you personally. You both know all about the
will and its mysterious disappearance, so I need not recapitulate that.
Well, I have been to Ireland and seen the lawyers--Burrows and Fagan. I
could not make much of Burrows, who is a duffer; but Fagan has his wits
about. He had never had to do with that branch of the business, but now
the credit of the firm was at stake he busied himself in making
searching and pertinent inquiry. A sharpish boy-clerk was certain that
the will was left at the office, and kept in