l going
to form a procession and march through the town to camp in the groves on
the other side. It's to be a triumphal what-do-they-call-it? and the
Baggara chief is going to show off all his prisoners and plunder, and
we're to make the principal part of the show. I say, Ben, do wake up;
the coffee's nearly ready, and you ought to do a bit o' blacking, for
the back of your neck where the jacket doesn't reach is getting quite
grey with the sun burning it so much."

Procession--show--triumph--coffee--and the rest of it, made not the
slightest impression upon Frank's torpid brain; but those words about
the black stain and the bleaching caused by the scorching sun somehow
suggested the risk he might run of being discovered, and that meant the
frustration of his plans to rescue his brother. In a moment now his
brain began to work.

"Is that you, Sam?" he cried hastily.

"I suppose so, sir, but there are times when I get pinching my leg to
wake myself, expecting that I shall start up to find myself back in my
pantry. But I don't, even when I make a bruise which turns blacker than
your arms, and with a bit of blue touched up with yellow outside. I
say, are you awake now?"

"Yes, yes, of course; but the sun is not up yet."

"No, he ain't as industrious as we are out in these parts, and doesn't
get up so early. Now you understand about looking your best?"

"Yes, yes, I understand, Sam."

"But do you really, Ben? Don't deceive me, and go to sleep again. If
you do I know how it will be."

"How it will be?" said Frank impatiently.

"You'll say that I didn't call you. Come, now, recollect where you are,
and what we've got to do. Mr Abraham--"

"Ibrahim, man! I've told you so half a dozen times before."

"Then it's all right, Ben Eddin. You are wide awake."

"Yes, yes, of course. But what about the Sheikh?"

"He says we are to go to the Emir's palace."

"Emir's palace? What Emir--what palace?"

"That fierce old chap as had such a bad arm. He's an Emir. Mr
Imbrahim says he's just heard, and that an Emir's a great gun out here.
Sort of prince and general all in one, I suppose. He told me his name,
but I forget what it is. It's very foreign, though, and there's a good
lot of it. He's a great friend, and a sort of half brother of the other
fellow."

"Other fellow? What other fellow?" said Frank, half angrily.

"Oh, you know, sir, the other big man that followed the Mahdi in taking
the Soudan."