name
protects them. If they were mine they would be taken before the day was
past. If we get safely back to Cairo, as Heaven willing we shall, if it
pleases you and you are satisfied with your servant's works you may give
them back to him when their work is really done."

"We shall see, Ibrahim," said Frank, smiling, and then turning serious
and resuming his part, for the Emir's men were approaching them,
evidently with some message.

The sun was now well up, and this being the time arranged for, so as to
give _eclat_ to the proceedings, trumpets and uncouth sounding horns
began to blare out, the excitement in the camp increased, and soon
after, with a certain amount of order prevailing over the barbarous
confusion, the procession was started, a dense crowd pouring out from
the city into the plain to meet them; when the faint answering sound of
trumpets arose like an echo, accompanied by the dull, soft, thunderous
boom of many drums.

At the first glance it seemed to be a grey-looking mob, all a mixture of
black and white, debouching upon the plain; but soon after there was the
glint of steel, and through the crowd a dense mass of horsemen could be
seen approaching.

This was the signal for a wild shout from the returning raiders,
trumpets were blown and drums beaten with all the force their bearers
could command, and the Emir's horsemen rode proudly onward, following
the trumpeters and drummers; and now several standards made their
appearance in various parts of the procession, around which horsemen
clustered, each looking as if he felt himself to be the hero of the
day--the triumphant warrior returning clothed with honour from the
slaughter of the enemies of the Prophet; and to a man they would have
been prepared to deal out ignominy and death to the daring teller of the
simple truth that they were nothing better than so many bloodthirsty
murderers and despoilers of the industrious builders of the villages of
the river banks.

Minute by minute the excitement grew, and the plain in front changed
from tawny golden drab to grey, black, and white, for Omdurman seemed to
be emptying itself in the desire to give the returning band a welcome.
Even the horses appeared to take part in the general feeling, for they
curvetted and pranced, encouraged by their riders, whose flowing white
headgear and robes added with the flashing of their spears to the
picturesque aspect of the scene.

In an almost incredibly short spac