_here_!" exclaimed the soldier in surprise.
"Well, that _is_ a view o' the case that don't seem quite plain."

"Plain enough if you open your eyes wide enough. See here: If you was
in camp now, with your present notions, and was to determine to give up
drink, you'd have to face and fight two most tremendous devils. One
devil is called Craving, the other is called Temptation, and all the
Arabs in the Soudan rolled into one are not so terrible or so strong as
these two when a man is left to fight them by himself. Now, is it not a
sign of our Father's love that he has, by bringing you here, removed the
devil Temptation entirely out of your way, for you can't get strong
drink here for love or money. So, you see, you have only got Craving to
fight, and that's encouraging, ain't it?"

"D'ye know, I believe you are not far wrong," said Simkin, gravely; "and
it _is_ encouraging to know that Temptation's out o' the way, for I feel
that the other devil has got me by the throat even now, and that it's
him as has weakened me so much."

"That's it, friend. You've got the truth by the tail now, so hold on;
but, at the same time, don't be too hard on Craving. It's not _his_
fault that he's here. You have poured liquor down your throat to him
daily, and cultivated his acquaintance, and helped him to increase his
strength regularly, for many months--it may be for years. I don't want
to be hard on you, lad, but it's of no use shiftin' the burden on to the
wrong shoulders. It is not Craving but _you_ who are the sinner. Now,
as to advice: do you really want it?"

"Well," replied Simkin, with a "humph!" "it will be time enough for you
to shut up when I sound the `cease firing!'"

"My advice, then, is that you go down on your knees, plead _guilty_
straight off, and ask for grace to help you in your time of need."

"What! go down on my knees here before all them Arabs? If I did, they'd
not only laugh at me, but they'd soon rouse me up with their spears."

"I'm not so sure about that, Simkin. Arabs are accustomed to go on
their own knees a good deal in public. It is chiefly Christians who,
strange to say, are ashamed to be caught in that position at odd times.
But I speak not of ceremonies, but of realities. A man may go on his
knees, without bending a joint, any time and everywhere. Now, listen:
there is this difference between the courts of men and the court of
heaven, that in the former, when a man pleads guilty, his s