than all
the hospitals and physic in Egypt can do. Come, let us go on. I'm
better now."

Rising and putting a long arm round the shoulders of each of his new
friends, the trooper slowly brought up the rear of the touching
procession which had already passed them on its way to Suez.

In the vessel which had brought those unfortunate men from Suakim, Miles
and his comrades soon found themselves advancing down that region of
sweltering heat called the Red Sea. The sight of the disabled men had
naturally, at first, a depressing effect on the men; but the influence
of robust health, youth, strong hope, and that light-hearted courage
which makes the British soldier so formidable to his foes, soon restored
to most of them their wonted free-and-easy enjoyment of the present and
disregard for the future. Even the serving out of cholera-belts and
pocket-filters failed to allay their exuberant spirits.

The _Loch-Ard_, although doubtless a good ship for carrying coals, was
very ill-suited to convey troops. But in times of war, and in distant
lands, soldiers lay their account with roughing it.

They soon found that a little of the physic which is supposed to be
"rough on rats" would have been of advantage; for the very first night
many of the men were awakened by those creatures nibbling at their toes!
Everything on board was dirty: the tin pannikins were rusty, the
biscuit was mouldy and full of creatures that the captain called weevils
and Macleod styled wee-deevils. Some of the biscuit was so bad that it
had to be thrown away, and the remainder eaten, as Moses said, with
closed eyes!

"It's an ill wind that blaws naebody guid," said Macleod to Moses Pyne,
as he came on deck to enjoy a pipe after their first dinner on board.
"What d'ee think that queer cratur Flynn is doin' doon below?"

"Nothing very useful, I daresay," said Moses.

"Ye're wrang for ance. He's lyin' in ambush there, makin' war on the
rats--ay, an' he's killed twa or three a'ready!"

"You don't say so! I'll go and see the fun."

So saying Moses went below, but had just reached the foot of the ladder
when a boot caught him violently on the shins.

"Hi! hallo! ho!" shouted Moses.

"Och! git out o' the line o' fire wid ye! There's another!" growled
Flynn, as he fired a second boot, which whizzed past the intruder, and a
sharp squeak told that it had not been fired in vain!

Moses beat a hasty retreat, and the Irishman continued the fight with