and are
liable for even a comparatively small fault to be sent down again into
the ranks. This being the case, they seldom venture to make themselves
obnoxious to the men who were but lately their comrades, and may be
their comrades again before a week is out. Corporal North, however, lost
no opportunity of making himself disagreeable in a small way to Edgar.
More than that he could not venture upon, for the men would at once have
taken the lad's part.

The regiment had been for some little time first on the list for foreign
service, and there was no surprise when the news ran round the
barrack-rooms that the order had come to prepare for embarkation. It was
supposed that as a matter of course India would be their destination;
but it was soon known that the regiment was for the present to be
stationed in Egypt. Most of the men would rather have gone direct to
India, where soldiers are better off and better cared for than
elsewhere. Edgar, however, was pleased at the thought of seeing
something of Egypt, and it seemed to him, too, that there was a chance
of active service there.

"It seems to me," he said, talking it over with several of his chums,
"that sooner or later we must have some fighting in Egypt. I cannot
understand how it is that some of the regiments there have not long ago
been sent down to Suakim. We have smashed up the Egyptian army, and it
seems to me that as we are really masters of the place we are bound to
protect the natives from these savage tribes who are attacking them down
on the Red Sea and up in the Soudan. The Egyptians always managed them
well enough until we disbanded their army. If Hicks Pasha had had, as he
asked for, an English regiment or two with him, he would never have been
smashed up by the Mahdi's people; and it seems to me awful that the
garrisons of Sinkat and Tokar should be deserted when we have a lot of
troops lying idle at Cairo, while Baker is trying in vain to get up a
native force to march to their relief. I wish, instead of going to
Egypt, we were going straight down to Suakim to help him. There is one
thing, if Baker fails and Sinkat and Tokar fall into the hands of the
natives, there will be such indignation that government will have to do
something. So I think there is a very good chance of our seeing some
active service there, which will be a thousand times better than
sweltering in hot barracks in Cairo."

"Right you are, Smith," one of the others said. "I don't go