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"She was killed, Master," Zaki said sorrowfully. "I thought possibly it would be so. The Dervishes did not carry off old women. They killed them, and the little children. I had never hoped to see her again; but I did think, when we entered Omdurman, that my sisters might be here." "What are they going to do?" "They will go down to Berber.
"I don't think we could find a better place, Zaki," Gregory said, when, having completed their shelter and thrown their blankets over it, they lay down in the shade. "No doubt we shall soon be joined by others; but as we are the first comers on this spot, it will be for us to ask questions of them, and, after, for them to make enquiries of us.
"I know a little Arabic, but not much." "I suppose most of the Arab tribes in the Soudan speak a dialect very much like the Baggara?" "Yes; it is everywhere Arabic, and there is but little difference. They can all understand each other, and talk together. May your servant ask why you put these questions?" "Yes, Zaki, but you must not mention what I tell you to a soul."
Zaki thought that it would be unwise to wander from Mahmud's encampment, and he accordingly sat down by his tent. Presently, one of the slaves came out, with a large dish of food that Mahmud had sent him.
"I should say certainly on horseback, but there is no occasion for any hasty determination. Every step should be carefully considered, and we should, as far as possible, foresee and provide for every emergency that may arise. Think it over well, yourself. Some time tomorrow I will discuss it again with you." Gregory went straight back to his hut. "Come in, Zaki, I want to speak to you.
He at once told Zaki to pitch his little tent, which he had already shown him how to do, while he went to see if there were any orders at headquarters. He found the staff were just sitting down to a rough breakfast.
Near the door the floor was littered with rubbish of all kinds. "What is your name?" "Zaki." "Well, Zaki, the first thing is to clear out all this rubbish, and sweep the floor as clean as you can. I am going down to the river to get my baggage up. Can you borrow a shovel, or something of that sort, from one of the natives here? Or, if he will sell it, buy one. I will pay when I return.
Turning sharply off, he recrossed the crest of the hill and, keeping close to it, continued his flight until well past the end of the camp. The alarm had by this time spread everywhere, and a wild medley of shouts rose throughout the whole area of the encampment. He turned now, and made for the spot where he had left Zaki and the horses. In five minutes he reached it. "Is that you, my lord?"
"There is no fear of their straying, I suppose, Zaki?" "No, Master. They are always turned loose at night. As there are plenty of bushes here, they will not go far." After another meal, they both lay down to sleep; and, as soon as it was light, Zaki fetched in the camels and they continued their journey. In an hour, they arrived at a village.
Gregory found Zaki still lying where he left him, head downward and arms thrown forward; in so good an imitation of death that he feared, for a moment, the lad had been shot after he left him. At the sound of his master's voice, however, the native sprang to his feet. "You have saved my life, Zaki," Gregory said, taking his hand.
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