The Baggara went away without a word to the Hakim, but signed to the
Sheikh to follow him.

Meanwhile the rest of the sufferers came or were carried to take their
turn before their surgeon, who was busy with his two aides, easing
bandages, and where necessary redressing the wounds; while to the
professor's surprise two of them, instead of being carried or supported
away by their comrades were helped into the large tent.

In all seven were placed there, and just as the long line of sufferers
had been gone through, the Sheikh returned and said that the chief's
orders were that the worst sufferers were to stay at the tent so as to
be under the Hakim's eye.

The doctor's was evidently to be no sinecure appointment, but he took it
quite complacently, giving a few orders for the comfort of his staying
patients, and without further incident the night fell, when a small
hand-lamp was placed in the little tent, and the doctor announced that
he was going to watch beside the young chief for the night.

Accordingly a rug was placed for him, as well as such requisites as
might be needed for his patient, and saying good-night, and refusing all
offers to share his vigil, the doctor glanced inside the larger tent to
see that all was going on right there, and then stood in the open for a
few minutes to breathe the cool night air and listen to the low murmur
going on in the camp, before entering the smaller tent and starting
slightly.

"You here, Frank?" he said quickly.

"Yes, I am going to share your watch."

"There is no need, my dear boy," said the doctor warmly. "Go and get a
good night's rest. You must be tired."

"I have not done half the work you have," was the reply, and after a
little further argument the doctor gave way, and the watch was
commenced, first one and then the other taking the lamp to bend over the
insensible man, and make sure that he was breathing still.

It was about an hour after midnight that Frank's turn had come, and as
he had done some three times before, he took the lamp from where it
stood, shaded from the sufferer's eyes, and went behind him, to kneel
down and watch for the feeble pulsation, breathing deeply himself with
satisfaction as he found that the respiration still went on, when as he
rose, lamp in hand he nearly let it fall on finding himself face to face
with a tall figure in white robes, who looked at him sternly, took the
lamp from his hand, and bent over in turn.

Frank neith