IN DISGUISE.
As long as there was a chance that the expedition might again advance
Rupert did nothing farther, and indeed was unable to come to any
decision as to his course. He had long since received an answer from
Captain Clinton to his letter written as soon as he was well enough to
sit up after arriving at Korti, with the news that Edgar had been
present with the expedition, and was now a prisoner in the hands of the
Arabs. Captain Clinton wrote in great distress himself, and said that
his wife was completely prostrated with the news. He said: "I know I
need not urge you, Rupert, to use every means to obtain some news of
Edgar. Draw upon me for any amount, however large, that may be necessary
for bribing natives to find, and if possible rescue, him. I fear that
the latter is hopeless. Still, if you see even the most remote chance of
it, let no question of expense stand in the way."
But even the promises of rewards that seemed to them to be fabulous
failed in eliciting from the spies any information as to Edgar's
whereabouts. He certainly was neither at Berber nor at Khartoum, nor had
the people he was with returned to Metemmeh; but beyond this negative
information Rupert could learn nothing. He continued to work assiduously
with his interpreter, and by the middle of May he had, after three
months' work, made such progress that he was able to converse in simple
phrases and to understand what was being said by the natives around him.
In the third week in May, on his arrival at Korti, he learned that
orders had that day been received that the whole force was to at once
retire, that even Dongola was to be abandoned, and that Wady Halfa was
to be the highest point on the river occupied. That evening he went up
to General Buller's tent. The general was still at mess, and Rupert
waited outside his tent until he returned. He had several times spoken
to the general on matters of duty.
"Who is that?" General Buller asked as he saw a figure standing in front
of his tent.
"Clinton, sir. I am particularly anxious to speak to you if you can
spare me a short time."
"Come in," the general said. "What can I do for you? Take a seat there."
"You have perhaps heard, sir, that I made the discovery at Metemmeh that
a brother of mine who had two years and a half ago run away from school
and enlisted, was the trumpeter of the Heavies who was carried off by
the Arabs close to Metemmeh."
"Yes, I heard that, Clinton, and was very sorry for you. I cannot
imagine a more distressing affair."
"It was really no fault of his that he ran away, general; he was under a
misconception altogether, and neither my father nor mother blamed him in
the slightest. I only say this to show that he did not run away from
wildness. No one could have been steadier than he was. It was a
frightful mistake connected with his birth which I need not trouble you
about. We were greatly attached to each other, and my father and mother
are completely broken down at the thought of his being a slave for life
in the hands of the Arabs. Now, sir, for the last three months I have
been working almost day and night at the language, and can get on fairly
in it."
"Yes?" General Buller put in, wondering what was coming next.
"I have come to ask you if you would be good enough to ask Lord Wolseley
to let me have six months' leave. My intention is to disguise myself,
and to go up the country with one or two friendly natives. I should pass
as being dumb; as although I can make myself understood in simple
matters I should, of course, be detected were any native to enter into a
long conversation with me. I have seen Major Kitchener to-day, and he
says that he has no doubt he could arrange with one of the sheiks for me
to go with him, and to travel about the country with him until we found
my brother. My father has authorized me to spend any money that may be
required, and I could pay high enough to make it well worth the while of
any of these natives to be faithful. I do not see any reasons why I
should not succeed. I have been speaking to one of the surgeons, and he
says that if at any time it is suspected that I am not really dumb, I
can in half a minute burn my tongue so with caustic that if I open my
mouth anyone would think I have got some disease of the tongue which
prevents my speaking. As to the disguise, I got Captain Hunter, who
sketches capitally, to make sketches of the heads of some of these
Arabs. I sent these down to a man at Cairo, and I have got up from him
a wig that will, I think, deceive anyone."
"It is a tremendous risk, Clinton," General Buller said when he
concluded; "a tremendous risk, and I don't know that Lord Wolseley would
consider himself justified in allowing you to attempt it. The idea does
you honour, but upon my word I do not know what to say to it. It seems a
mad scheme, and yet I cannot say that it might not succeed. You seem to
have worked it all out in your own mind. To carry it through will
require not only pluck but unfailing watchfulness and presence of mind.
A simple word or a gesture might betray you."
"I have thought of all that, sir; but I don't see any reason why it
shouldn't be done. I am quite sure, general, that if you had a brother a
slave among the Arabs you would not hesitate a moment about attempting
it."
General Buller did not reply, but rising put on his helmet.
"I will go to the chief and ask him," he said; "but I don't think he
will feel authorized in letting you go."
"I don't ask him to authorize it officially, sir. I only ask for six
months' leave of absence, or even for a month's leave of absence. At the
end of that time of course my name would be removed from the Army List,
but I think, if I ever return, I should be reinstated, or if not, I
might get a fresh commission granted me."
"Oh, that would be all right! the general would see to that. Wait here
until I come back."
In a quarter of a hour General Buller returned.
"Come with me to the chief's tent," he said. "I think that if you can
convince him that you have thought the matter out thoroughly, and are
prepared at all points, he will give you three months' leave, and will
get it renewed as long as there is a chance of your turning up alive."
Rupert was most kindly received by Lord Wolseley, who asked him many
questions as to his plans. After he had again explained them Rupert
said: "Major Kitchener has kindly promised that if you give me leave he
will buy for me two of the fast camels. He said there was a party came
in yesterday with two exceptionally good ones, and that no doubt they
would sell if a sufficient price were offered. Of course I should not
think of riding on either of these unless I had to run for my life, or
until I found my brother, for they would at once attract attention. The
natives could ride on them, and I should have an ordinary camel until
the time came to use the fleet ones. I have a letter from my father
authorizing me to draw to any extent; therefore no question of money
would interfere with my carrying out the plan thoroughly."
"I do not know what your father would say to me on my return to England
should you never get back, Clinton."
"I am sure that if my father were here he would approve, sir. Of course
I shall write him a long letter explaining the whole circumstances, and
I am as sure as if he stood here that he would say that I was perfectly
right in making an effort to rescue Edgar. I should never be happy again
were I to turn my face down the river now and leave him to slavery for
life among the Arabs."
"Well, I will strain a point and let you go," Lord Wolseley said. "I
don't know whether I am right in doing so, but I cannot resist your
desire to carry out your scheme for your brother's rescue. It is a noble
attempt, Clinton, and I honour you for undertaking it. When your
preparations are complete let me see you again. Consider yourself
relieved of all duty at once."
Thanking Lord Wolseley and General Buller for their kindness Rupert left
the tent and returned to his quarters. The next morning he went the
first thing to Major Kitchener's camp and told him that the question of
his leave was settled, and that he should start as soon as the camels
were procured and an arrangement could be made with one of the sheiks.
"Very well, Clinton, I will manage that for you. I expect a sheik down
in three days who has worked faithfully with us since the beginning of
the campaign. He is the man I had in my eye; he has made journeys to
Wady Halfa and to points on the Red Sea, and will know that our promises
as to payments will be kept, and that whatever sum is agreed upon would
be handed him over at any place to which he may take you. In order to
prevent any difficulty on that score, I will, before you start, give you
letters to merchants at Wady Halfa and all the ports requesting them to
pay the sum we may agree upon, upon the presentation of my letter with
your signature attached. I put it in that way because it is possible
that you may have to make your way alone into Abyssinia, and in that
case if you are satisfied with your guide you will put your name to the
letter and he may then obtain the money at whichever port he may go to.
All this of course I will explain to him. I will get the two camels this
morning. They are exceptionally good beasts, and the owner will want a
very long price for them. Camels like these are very rare, but they may
be the means of saving your life."
"I will pay whatever he wants me to, sir; I quite see the importance of
getting them. I am off duty now, and as the sheik is not to arrive for
three days I will go down to Dongola. There is one of the transport
boats starting in half an hour. I shall want to lay in a stock of dye.
Fortunately, the exact colour is not material, for the natives are any
shade between yellow and black."
When Skinner and Easton came in from an evening ride they got off their
ponies, and Skinner entered his hut. He was astonished at seeing a
native calmly sitting there with the usual wild tangled hair and a dirty
cotton cloth wrapped round him. For a moment Skinner stood astonished.
"Well, this is cheek!" he exclaimed. "Easton, look here; here is a beast
of a native squatting in my hut. Sentry, what the deuce do you mean by
letting a nigger come into my hut? Now, then, who are you? What do you
want? What do you mean by it? Out you go sharp, or I will break your
neck!"
The two young officers, for Easton had joined his friend, stood
astounded when the native broke into a yell of laughter.
"He is mad, Easton; he is a mad nigger who has escaped from a lunatic
asylum!" Skinner exclaimed. "Don't go near him; perhaps he bites, and
you might get hydrophobia. How is this, sentry?" he asked, turning to
the soldier, who had come up to the door. "How is it you let this mad
nigger come in here?"
"I did not see him come in, sir," the sentry said; "he must have slipped
in when my back was turned. I saw an officer come in half an hour ago,
but I haven't seen anyone else."
"Well, move him out, sentry; prod him up with your bayonet if he won't
go."
The sentry was about to enter the tent when Rupert gasped, "That is
enough, Skinner; order him out. You will kill me with laughing."
"Clinton!" The word broke from the lips of Easton and Skinner
simultaneously, while the sentry almost dropped his rifle in surprise at
hearing his officer thus addressed in pure English by the native.
"It is all right, sentry, you can go," Easton said, recovering himself
first from his astonishment; and then saying as soon as they were alone:
"What on earth does this masquerade mean, Clinton? have you gone out of
your mind?"
"Then you think I shall do, Easton?"
"Do!" Easton repeated, the truth dawning upon him. "You don't mean to
say that you are going to carry out that scheme you talked about a month
since?"
"Indeed I do, Easton. I have obtained the chief's permission. Major
Kitchener is making the arrangements for me, and I hope in another three
days to be out on the desert again. At any rate you will allow that as
far as appearances go I can pass fairly as a native."
Skinner had not yet spoken. He now walked round and round Rupert two or
three times, and at last gave vent to his feelings: "Well, I am
jiggered! There is no doubt about your disguise, Clinton, at least if
you are Clinton and not a nigger who has stolen his voice. Did you ever
see such a head of hair, Easton?"
"Never mind that," Easton said impatiently; "don't you understand, man,
that Clinton is going away among those Arabs to search for his brother?"
"No, I did not understand; in fact I did not hear a word that was said.
I was too much stunned to do anything but stare. And you are really
going, Clinton, old fellow?"
"Yes, I am off to-morrow at daybreak for Korti. There is a good strong
breeze blowing, and I shall go up as quickly as I came down. There was a
delay of three or four days before we could get hold of the man I am to
go with, if he will take me, so I ran down here partly to get some dyes
for my skin in the bazaar here, but principally to say good-bye to you
both. My wig, that so astonishes you, Skinner, I had made at Cairo and
sent up."
"Well, there is no fear, Clinton, of anyone recognizing you as an
Englishman. You may ride in the middle of them from here to Khartoum,
and they would never suspect you as far as looks go. You have abandoned
that idea about your tongue, I hope?"
"Yes. I have got a bottle of caustic from one of the surgeons. He put me
up to it. He says if I see that I am suspected, if I slip aside and rub
one of these little sticks of caustic over my tongue it will make such a
sight of it that I have only to open my mouth and let them look at it,
and they will believe readily enough that I have got some frightful
disease in my tongue and cannot use it. In case of necessity I can
mumble out a few words, and the state of my mouth will quite account for
any difficulty they may have in understanding me."
"Will that stuff you have got on your skin wash off?" Easton asked.
"Yes, this will with a little difficulty; but I have got some other
stuff that my interpreter tells me will only want renewing once a week
or ten days."
"Then for goodness' sake set to and get it off, Clinton, and put on your
own clothes and let us see you again as you are. I don't seem to be able
to talk to you naturally in that disguise, and it will be a long time
before we get another talk together."
Rupert at once set to work with soap, water, and a nail-brush, and in a
quarter of an hour got his face and hands tolerably white. Then he put
on his uniform.
"Now you are yourself again, Clinton. Sit down and tell us all about it.
What are your plans?"
Rupert told him the arrangements that Major Kitchener was making for
him, and both his companions greatly approved of the purchase of the
fast camels. "That is a capital idea, and if you can get a good start
with them you may laugh at Arabs who are mounted on ordinary camels or
on foot; but you must mind that there are no fellows with horses about
when you make your bolt. You see, all these fellows who led the attacks
were mounted, and I suppose you will find that a few of the principal
men in every large village have horses. Now a horse will go faster than
the fastest camel for a bit, although the camel will beat him in a
long-distance race. What are you going to do about arms?"
"I cannot take any arms, Easton; they would betray me at once."
"You cannot show any, I grant, but there is no reason in the world why
you shouldn't take a brace of revolvers. They could be stowed away
easily enough, with a couple of boxes of cartridges, somewhere in the
saddle. There is room to hide anything in one of these great clumsy
contrivances. Of course pistols would be of no use to you if you are
discovered in the middle of a tribe or a big town; but if you find your
brother, and you make a bolt for it together on these camels and are
pursued, you could make a pretty good fight against half a dozen mounted
men, and the betting is against more than that getting together, if you
had a revolver apiece. I should advise you most strongly to take them."
"I think you are right, Easton: I will certainly do so."
"Have you got a brace?"
"No, I have only one."
"Then you shall have mine, old fellow. What calibre is yours?"
"·45."
"Ah! that is the same as mine. I have got a couple of boxes of
cartridges, and as they are done up in india-rubber they are sure to be
all right. By the way, is it true that we are all going down? There was
a rumour last night that orders had come."
"Yes, we are to retire to Wady Halfa."
"What! and abandon Dongola?"
Rupert nodded.
"Then I call it a beastly shame. More than that, I call it a downright
dishonourable action!" Easton said hotly. "Here we are going to abandon
a town of some twenty thousand inhabitants to these fanatics. Not only
that, but to give up to their vengeance all the tribes between Wady
Halfa and Metemmeh who have trusted in our promises, have thrown in
their lot with us, and have for the last four months been doing all our
transport. Our fathers used to be proud to call themselves Englishmen,
but, by Jove, there is very little reason for us to be. That Boer
business was shameful and humiliating enough, but this is worse still. I
don't say that we are bound to go on to Khartoum, although it would be
the best and cheapest and most satisfactory mode in every way of
settling this Mahdi and ensuring order in the Soudan; but I do think
that we are bound to hold the river from Korti downwards to protect the
tribes that have been friendly to us, and to save this town from ruin
and desolation. Not only this town, but all the peaceful villages down
the river. Besides, so long as we are here the Arabs will see that the
Mahdi is not all-powerful, and may sooner or later rise against his
tyranny. Well, I never thought this campaign was going to end in the
disgraceful abandonment of the Nile Valley from Korti to Wady Halfa.
However," he went on, checking himself suddenly, "it is of no use
talking of that now; we have got to think about your expedition, which
to us three is a far more important business. How does your Arabic get
on?"
"Fairly well. I don't say that I can talk a great deal, but as I have
learnt it by ear I speak with a fair accent, at least so Ibrahim says. I
have taken particular pains with what you may call salutations, such as
one man gives another as they pass each other on a journey, or what one
says on entering a house or a village. I can ask for food all right,
return thanks for hospitality, ask the way, and all that sort of thing;
and Ibrahim said that in all these things I could pass very well as a
native, especially as there are slight distinctions and differences
between the language of the various tribes. They are a very mixed
people, of Arab, Egyptian, and Negro blood. So that as far as it goes my
language will pass, and of course every day I travel I shall improve. I
intend, as I have said, to pretend to be dumb whenever we come across
strong parties of strangers, and my sheik will shield me as much as
possible by sending me out to look after the camels and to gather wood
and to fetch water, or on other business, whenever we are with
strangers. I really think, Easton, I have a very fair chance of getting
through it without being found out. Major Kitchener tells me that the
sheik only has two or three of his tribesmen with him, and that he has
no doubt picked men he can trust to hold their tongues, otherwise he
would get into a mess when he went back again among his people. Of
course the men will be promised a reward also if I get safely through.
The trouble on my mind is more the difficulty there will be in finding
Edgar and getting him off than about myself. In the first place there is
no saying as to the direction in which the men who have got him have
gone. They have probably gone to some out-of-the-way place, so as to be
out of the way of the Mahdi's people.
"Ibrahim tells me that there are no people more pig-headed than these
Arabs, and if they once make up their mind to a thing nothing will turn
them. That is all the better, as far as the risk of Edgar falling into
the hands of the Mahdi is concerned, only it makes it all the more
difficult to find him. There is no saying where he may have moved to; he
may have gone far south of Khartoum, he may have pushed away near the
borders of Abyssinia, he may be within a few miles of Suakim, he may be
in the desert we crossed. I don't disguise from myself that it is likely
to be a long search; but that is nothing if I am but successful at last.
Of course the great thing will be to endeavour to pick up a clue near
Metemmeh.
"The tribe is a very scattered one, and is to be found dispersed among
other tribes all the way from Berber to Khartoum on the eastern side of
the river, and I hear that there is a branch of it who live in the
desert to the west. Well, it is likely that Edgar's master will have
stopped in some of these villages among his own people, if only for a
few hours, and it is from them I hope to get some clue as to the general
direction at least in which they were travelling. Unless they disguised
Edgar, and wrapped him up as a woman, or something of that sort, the
fact of a white prisoner passing through is certain to have caused talk.
However, it is impossible to say where or how I may find a clue.
"At any rate I shall stick to it. I shall tell my father, that as it may
take me a year to find Edgar he need not even begin to feel anxious
until the end of that time, and that as I shall be continually improving
in my knowledge of the language, the risk of detection will become less
and less every month, and that I anticipate no difficulty whatever when
the time comes in passing down to Suakim or Massowah, or should any
difficulty arise in that direction, in either working down to Wady Halfa
or through Abyssinia."
They sat and talked until far into the night, and then lay down for a
few hours' sleep, and at daybreak Rupert said good-bye to his friends
and took his place in the boat, which, spreading its sails, rapidly made
its way up stream. The two friends stood for a long time looking after
it.
"By Jove, Clinton has turned out a fine fellow," Skinner said; "a grand
fellow! I hardly thought he had it in him. Of course I knew he was
plucky, and all that sort of thing; but this is a tremendous
undertaking."
"It is," Easton said. "Of course now the die is cast I would not say a
word last night to discourage him; but the risk is tremendous. However
he is going about it in the right spirit, and somehow I feel almost
confident that he will pull through it, and that we shall shake his hand
in England again. May God protect him on his journey!"
Skinner responded with an earnest Amen, and then they walked slowly back
to the camp.
As soon as he arrived at Korti Rupert made his way to Major Kitchener's,
and was greeted with a cheery welcome by that officer.
"Things are going well, Clinton. I have bought the two riding camels. I
was a whole day haggling over the price with the chief. I had to pay a
stiff price after all, but that I expected. But it won't come quite so
heavy, because he wanted to take it out in goods, and as we don't mean
to take all the things back to the coast again, I got an order from the
chief for our quarter-master's department to sell me a lot of rugs,
cooking pots, and tin goods, and also some powder and ball and a dozen
muskets. As I get them cheap the camels won't cost you more than half
what they would if you had had to pay in silver for them. In the next
place, the sheik arrived yesterday afternoon and I had a long talk with
him. He is willing enough to undertake the business and to wander about
with you for as many months as you may choose, and to assist you in
getting off your brother if you find him, if he thinks that you can
disguise yourself well enough to pass as a native, but of that he is to
be the judge. He won't take you at any price unless you satisfy him in
that respect."
"I think I can do that, major," Rupert said. "I will go back to my tent
and dress now. I took in my two friends of the Guards, and I think I can
pass inspection even by a native." In half an hour Rupert returned in
his native get-up, carrying as usual a spear and a sword and two or
three knives stuck into his girdle. Major Kitchener was inside his tent,
and Rupert squatted down outside and awaited his coming out. When the
major issued from his tent his eye fell upon him.
"Hullo!" he said in Arabic, "what do you want? Where do you come from?"
"I am my lord's servant," Rupert replied in the same language.
"Yes, that is all very well, but I suppose you want some thing."
"I am ready to go for my lord to Khartoum, and to bring him news."
Major Kitchener shook his head. "I don't want to send anyone up at
present," he said; "we know all about it."
"Then you think I shall do, major?" Rupert said in English.
"Bless me!" the officer exclaimed; "is it you, Clinton? I did not
suspect you for a moment. You will do, lad, you will do. The sheik
himself won't know you to be white with that wonderful head of hair of
yours. It is a splendid imitation. One would think you had scalped one
of these natives and put his hair on. Come along with me. You will see
how we shall take in the sheik."
He went across to a small group of camels by the side of which a sheik
and two natives were seated talking and gesticulating violently. The
sheik rose to his feet as they came up and began to talk volubly; he
was evidently in a rage with his followers, for he pointed to them with
open hand and was complaining of their conduct. Presently they began to
interject angry denials, and then sprang to their feet and excitedly
poured out their view of the question. Rupert could not catch a word,
and had no idea of the subject of the dispute, although he saw that
Major Kitchener was listening with some amusement. The combat rose
higher and higher. At last, with a sudden gesture, the sheik, who had
looked furtively at this disguised stranger several times, seized the
two men by the arm and whirled them round until they faced Rupert, who
was leaning on his spear. "There!" he shouted. "Where are the eyes you
boast of? You say that anyone could in a moment detect a white man
through his disguises. What! are you then blind or idiots that you do
not see that this is a white man standing here?" The Arabs stood
motionless, wondering and incredulous, while the chief broke into a
triumphant laugh at his own superior sagacity.
"Is he white?" one of the men asked, turning to the major.
"Yes, this is the officer who is to travel with you."
"What is it all about, major?" Rupert asked as the three natives
proceeded to walk round him and examine him from every point.
"The sheik was declaiming against the obstinacy of his followers. He
really wants to take you, and was in vain trying to persuade his men
that such clever people as the whites could disguise themselves so that
they would not be known. The two men protested against the risk, and
maintained that anyone could tell a white from a native a mile off.
Really the sheik did not suspect you in the slightest, but I thought it
was well to let him have a triumph over his followers, and so as he was
going on I gave a little nod towards you and he caught it at once; but I
could see at first he thought he was mistaken, and while the others were
having their say I nodded to him and said, 'Yes it is he.'"
With many interjections: "It is wonderful! Can such things be! Eyes have
never seen it!" the three Arabs had continued to gaze at Rupert while
the officer was speaking.
"It is a white man," the sheik said at last; "there is more flesh on his
limbs than on those of a young Arab. But who ever saw such hair on a
white man; by what miracle did it grow thus?"
"It is what is called a wig," Major Kitchener explained. "It was made
for him at Cairo; he can take it off and on. Take it off, Clinton."
Rupert pulled off his wig and stood before them in his closely-cropped
head. The natives made a step or two backwards in astonishment and awe.
"The whites are great people," the sheik said; "they can turn a white
man into a black. They can put an Arab's hair on to their heads, so that
they can take it on and off like a turban. It is well, my lord, we will
take the young officer with us; but he must remember that though when he
is standing still he may look so like an Arab that no eyes could detect
him, it is the movements and the ways and the tongue, and not the skin
and hair only, that make a man. He will have to keep a watch always over
himself and be ever careful and prudent, for were he discovered it would
cost him his life, and would go hard with us also for bringing him as a
spy into the land."
"We know that, sheik," Major Kitchener said; "and all that has, you
know, been considered in the handsome terms we have offered you."
"If he spoke the language as you do, my lord, it would be easy."
"It will not be long before he does so, sheik; you will see that he
speaks with a fair accent already. Just suppose that you are the sheik
of a village and that he has come in to get something. Now, Clinton,
begin with the usual Arabic salutations."
Rupert at once addressed the sheik, and the usual ceremonial
salutations which precede all conversation were exchanged between them.
"I have wandered from my camp," Rupert went on; "my camel has travelled
far, and I am hungry and athirst. I would buy meal and dates for my
further journey, and a feed of grain for the camel," he continued, with
a dozen other sentences that he had committed to heart and gone over
scores of times with Ibrahim.
The sheik nodded his approval. "It is good," he said. "For a time, as
you have said, he will not talk, but will go as an afflicted one who has
lost his speech, but even now he could pass through a village with us
without exciting suspicion. We will take him. What say you?" he asked
his followers, who replied together, "We will take him."
Then there was a long discussion in Arabic between the sheik and Major
Kitchener. "He has seen your camels," the major said turning to Rupert,
"and wants them thrown into the bargain when it is all over. I have told
him that this is quite out of the question. The terms I have already
agreed upon are ten times as high as he could earn with his camels in
any other way; besides it is, as I pointed out to him, probable that you
and your brother may have to ride away alone on the camels. But I have
said that if you should arrive together at any port or place where the
sum agreed upon can be paid to him, and if you are thoroughly satisfied
with the way in which you have been treated, you will let him have them,
deducting from the amount to be paid half the sum that you have just
given for them, and as you paid for them in goods that will really be
about the price they cost you."
"That will be an excellent arrangement," Rupert said; "the hope of
getting the camels at the end of the journey will certainly be a great
inducement to him to be faithful. I know that the Arabs think as much of
these fast camels as we do of race-horses at home. And will you tell him
too that if we have to leave him and take the camels, I will see that
they are left, to be given up to him on his arrival, at some place he
may name. I think that it would be as well that he should feel that he
will get the camels anyhow in addition to payment; otherwise the
temptation to seize them might be so great that he might get rid of me
on the first opportunity."
"Yes, that would be as well, Clinton. A pair of such camels as these are
certainly a great temptation to an Arab. I have great faith in this man,
for he was very highly recommended to me by some Egyptian merchants at
Cairo who had travelled with him right down to the great lakes. At the
same time it is always better to throw no temptation in people's way. He
wanted a portion of the money down, but I would not hear of this. I said
that he knew he was certain of it when the duty was performed, and that
therefore there was no reason whatever for his making any demand
beforehand, except that he should have a sum just sufficient and no more
to enable him to pay any expenses he might incur for his own food and
that of the camels. That is little enough: dates, meal, a kid sometimes
for the men, and an occasional feed of grain for the camels, who as a
rule pick up their own living except when engaged on hard work."
What Rupert had said was explained to the sheik, who, although he showed
little outward satisfaction, was evidently pleased with the prospect of
some day owning the two fast camels. There was now a long discussion
between Major Kitchener and the sheik as to the best route to be
pursued, and the probabilities as to the course that Edgar's captors had
followed, and then the conference broke up, the sheik saying his camels
required another two days' rest, and that on the third day at daybreak
he should be ready to start. At the last moment Rupert suggested, that
as the Arabs had, they said, two spare camels before, and would now have
three, he should present them with a sufficient load of rugs, powder,
and other things they valued to form light loads for the three spare
animals. There would be nothing suspicious in their possessing such
goods, as many of the loaded camels had, especially on the night march
to Metemmeh, strayed away or fallen, and their loads had been plundered
by the Arabs. For twenty pounds he could get from the quarter-master's
stores plenty of goods for the purpose, and as these could be used for
barter it would obviate the necessity of carrying silver. The offer
added to the good temper of the sheik and his followers, and as Rupert
walked back to Major Kitchener's tent with him the latter said, "I
think, Clinton, you have won your fellows fairly over. I could see by
the way they discussed the routes to be followed, that they have got
thoroughly interested in the matter themselves, and will throw
themselves heartily into it. I really think you have a very fair chance
of getting through this business safely. I did not think so when you
first proposed it to me, but the difficulties seem to have disappeared
as we have gone on; and now that I have seen you in disguise, I think
that, unless from some unforeseen accident, or some forgetfulness on
your own part, there is no reason why you should not travel with those
Arabs from end to end of the Soudan."