d the
bullet went out across the desert as he muttered, 'Spoilt my aim. There
aren't any more cartridges. We shall have to run home.' He put his hand
to his head and brought it away covered with blood.

'Old man, you're cut rather badly,' said Torpenhow. 'I owe you something
for this business. Thanks. Stand up! I say, you can't be ill here.'

Throughout the night, when the troops were encamped by the whale-boats,
a black figure danced in the strong moonlight on the sand-bar and
shouted that Khartoum the accursed one was dead,--was dead,--was
dead,--that two steamers were rock-staked on the Nile outside the city,
and that of all their crews there remained not one; and Khartoum was
dead,--was dead,--was dead!

But Torpenhow took no heed. He was watching Dick, who called aloud to
the restless Nile for Maisie,--and again Maisie!

'Behold a phenomenon,' said Torpenhow, rearranging the blanket. 'Here
is a man, presumably human, who mentions the name of one woman only. And
I've seen a good deal of delirium, too.--Dick, here's some fizzy drink.'

'Thank you, Maisie,' said Dick.

CHAPTER III

So he thinks he shall take to the sea again
For one more cruise with his buccaneers,
To singe the beard of the King of Spain,
And capture another Dean of Jaen
And sell him in Algiers.--A Dutch Picture.--Longfellow

THE SOUDAN campaign and Dick's broken head had been some months ended
and mended, and the Central Southern Syndicate had paid Dick a certain
sum on account for work done, which work they were careful to assure him
was not altogether up to their standard. Dick heaved the letter into
the Nile at Cairo, cashed the draft in the same town, and bade a warm
farewell to Torpenhow at the station.

'I am going to lie up for a while and rest,' said Torpenhow. 'I don't
know where I shall live in London, but if God brings us to meet, we
shall meet.

Are you starying here on the off-chance of another row? There will be
none till the Southern Soudan is reoccupied by our troops. Mark that.

Good-bye; bless you; come back when your money's spent; and give me your
address.'

Dick loitered in Cairo, Alexandria, Ismailia, and Port Said,--especially
Port Said. There is iniquity in many parts of the world, and vice in
all, but the concentrated essence of all the iniquities and all the
vices in all the continents finds itself at Port Said. And through the
heart of that sand-bordered hell, where the mirage fl