ed serious and shook his head. "Bad job that!"
said he. "They're a poisonous crowd when you put 'em in a corner. What
I mean, we never expected to see you alive; and we're very glad to pull
any of you out of the fire. The most we hoped was that we might revenge
you."

"Any other Englishman with you?" "Archer is with the flanking party.
He'll have to come past, for I don't think there is any other way
down. We've got one of your chaps up there--a funny old bird with a
red topknot. See you later, I hope! Good day, ladies!" He touched his
helmet, tapped his camel, and trotted on after his men.

"We can't do better than stay where we are until they are all past,"
said the Colonel, for it was evident now that the men from above would
have to come round. In a broken single file they went past, black men
and brown, Soudanese and fellaheen, but all of the best, for the Camel
Corps is the _corps d'elite_ of the Egyptian army. Each had a brown
bandolier over his chest and his rifle held across his thigh. A large
man with a drooping black moustache and a pair of binoculars in his hand
was riding at the side of them.

"Hulloa, Archer!" croaked the Colonel.

The officer looked at him with the vacant, unresponsive eye of a
complete stranger.

"I'm Cochrane, you know! We travelled up together."

"Excuse me, sir, but you have the advantage of me," said the officer.
"I knew a Colonel Cochrane, but you are not the man. He was three inches
taller than you, with black hair and----"

"That's all right," cried the Colonel, testily. "You try a few days with
the Dervishes, and see if your friends will recognise you!"

"Good God, Cochrane, is it really you? I could not have believed it.
Great Scott, what you must have been through! I've heard before of
fellows going grey in a night, but, by Jove----"

"Quite so," said the Colonel, flushing. "Allow me to hint to you,
Archer, that if you could get some food and drink for these ladies,
instead of discussing my personal appearance, it would be much more
practical."

"That's all right," said Captain Archer.

"Your friend Stuart knows that you are here, and he is bringing some
stuff round for you. Poor fare, ladies, but the best we have! You're an
old soldier, Cochrane. Get up on the rocks presently, and you'll see a
lovely sight. No time to stop, for we shall be in action again in five
minutes. Anything I can do before I go?"

"You haven't got such a thing as a cigar?" asked the Colon