ey would not interfere with it were
it headed by a sheik with armed followers. Therefore I will go to fetch
them. My son will ride fast, and take possession again of our home, lest
some of our neighbours, finding it deserted, should occupy it, and then
trouble would follow."

Accordingly, the next morning at daybreak the troop divided and rode off
in different directions. The greater part of the gathering had scattered
the evening before, and determined to return home and wait events. Four
days' rapid travelling took Sidi and his companions back to the oasis,
which they found exactly as they had left it, the tribes in the
neighbourhood having been all too busy in following the French army, and
picking up baggage left behind by the break-down of the horses, to
attend to other matters.

The next day Sidi and Edgar rode into Alexandria Everything there was
going on as peacefully as usual; French soldiers lounging about the
streets, a number of labourers, under the direction of French officers,
were at work restoring the fortifications on the sea face of the town,
the shops were all open, the markets were as well supplied as usual. To
Edgar's surprise a good many French sailors were to be seen in the
streets.

"Their fleet cannot have sailed," he said to Sidi. "Let us ride out
through the East gate to Ramleh. It may be, of course, that there is a
despatch-boat lying in the port, though I did not see one. I can hardly
fancy that the French admiral would have kept his fleet here, for Nelson
must sooner or later get the news of what has taken place, and it is
certain that when he does he will hurry back at full speed."

From the elevation of Ramleh, however, the French fleet could be made
out, lying in Aboukir Bay in a long line.

"Hurrah!" Edgar exclaimed; "there they are. I mean to see this battle,
Sidi, if I have to stop here a month. It cannot be long before Nelson
arrives. I cannot think why the French admiral should have risked being
caught in a trap like this, when a defeat would cut the French army off
from Europe altogether."

"But what will you do?"

"I shall go into the town, and buy three or four of your Arab blankets,
and put up a little tent here."

"I will share it with you," Sidi replied. "I will send one of our two
men back and tell him to return with two more. There will be four of
them to look after the horses, and to fetch things out from the town as
we may require them. I should like to see the b