give you an advantage over applicants who can only
speak Arabic.

"I shall see Lord Cromer at ten, and shall probably be with him for an
hour. You may as well be outside his house, at half-past ten; possibly
he may like to see you. At any rate, when I come down, I can tell you
what he says."

With grateful thanks, Gregory returned home.

Chapter 4: An Appointment.

Soon after ten, next morning, Gregory took up his place near the
entrance to Lord Cromer's house. It was just eleven when Mr. Murray
came down.

"Come in with me," he said. "Lord Cromer will see you. He acknowledged
at once, when I told him your story, that you had a strong claim for
employment. The only point was as to your age. I told him that you were
past sixteen, and a strong, active fellow, and that you had had a good
physical training."

They had now entered the house.

"Don't be nervous, Hilliard; just talk to him as you would to me. Many
a good man has lost an appointment, from being nervous and embarrassed
when he applied for it."

"You want to go up to the Soudan?" Lord Cromer said. "Mr. Murray has
told me your reasons for wanting to go. Though I fear it is hardly
likely that any new light can be thrown upon the fate of Hicks Pasha,
and his officers, I feel that it is a natural desire on your part."

"It was my mother's last wish, sir, and she took particular pains in my
training, and education, to fit me for the work."

"You speak Arabic, and the tongue of the Negro blacks, almost as well
as English?"

"Yes, sir. Arabic quite as well, and the other nearly as well, I
think."

"What sort of post did you hope to get, Mr. Hilliard?"

"Any post for which I may be thought fit, sir. I do not care at all
about pay. My mother saved sufficient to keep me for two or three
years. I would rather enlist than not go up at all, though I fear I am
too young to be accepted; but I am quite ready to turn my hand to
anything."

"If it concerned the Egyptian government, or a civil appointment, I
would certainly exert my influence in your favour; but this expedition
is in the hands of the military. However, if you will take a seat in
the anteroom, and do not mind waiting there for an hour or two, I will
see what can be done."

"Thank you very much indeed, sir."

Mr. Murray, as they went out together, said:

"I think that you have made a good impression. He told me, before, that
it was a matter for Sir Herbert Kitchener, and that he was exp