ase. The pashas have no
experience in war, while the French have the best generals in Europe.
The Turks are badly disciplined, while the French are veteran soldiers
with perfect confidence in themselves and in their leaders. Still, in
any case, this will greatly increase Napoleon's difficulties; he will
have to send the greater portion of his army to meet the Turks, at the
same time will have to keep Egypt in subjection. The British government
will be blind if they do not see that the opportunity is a grand one for
striking a blow at the French, and I should think that they would ere
long send an army out here, though they may not do so unless they see
that the Turks alone can do nothing against them."

Later Edgar heard that columns of French cavalry had gone out into the
desert and had driven away the bodies of Arabs that had assembled again
a few miles off the Nile. They had, however, been unable to gain any
advantages over them, as the Arabs had always fallen back upon their
approach, and the French, finding pursuit useless, had returned to the
city. Once or twice a few Arabs had been killed when the cavalry had
been so closely followed by a battery of artillery that the Arabs were
unaware that the French had guns with them, and had therefore contented
themselves with keeping beyond carbine shot, their first intimation of
their presence having been when the cavalry rode rapidly to the right
and left, leaving the guns exposed.

Even then their loss had been slight, for the slight undulations of the
desert afforded shelter, and riding at full speed along some hollow they
were almost out of range before the artillery could limber up after the
first discharge of their guns and advance to a position whence they
could see their flying foes.

By the end of the three weeks the sheik was strong enough to walk up and
down for some time in front of the tomb, and he declared himself quite
able to make the journey. Edgar had some doubt on the subject, but he
knew that the Arabs were so thoroughly at home on their horses that they
scarcely felt the slightest inconvenience after the longest day's
journey, and Zeila's pace was so easy and smooth that he hoped the chief
might not suffer from it.

At two o'clock on the morning of the day when the band would be awaiting
them at the Pyramids the party started. All, save the sheik, were in
their peasant disguises. He was in his Arab dress, disdaining, however
great the occasion, to