the British Army out here. We are all
majors or colonels in the Egyptian Army, but most of us are subalterns
in our own regiments. It is good training for us. At home a subaltern
is merely a machine to carry out orders; he is told to do this, and he
does it; for him to think for himself would be a heinous offence. He is
altogether without responsibility, and without initiative and, by the
time he becomes a field officer, he is hidebound. He has never thought
for himself, and he can't be expected to begin to do so, after working
for twenty years like a machine.

"You will see, if we ever have a big war, that will be our weak point.
If it wasn't for wars like this, and our little wars in India, where
men do learn to think and take responsibility, I don't know where our
general officers would get their training.

"Well, you must be going. Goodbye! We shall often meet. There are so
few of us here, that we are always running against each other. I won't
ask you to dine with us, for a few days. No doubt you would like to get
accustomed to headquarters mess first. Of course, Hunter and the
brigade staff dine together; while we have little regimental messes
among ourselves, which I prefer. When there are only three or four of
us, one can sit down in one's shirt sleeves, whereas at the brigade
mess one must, of course, turn up in uniform, which in this climate is
stifling."

The meal was a more pleasant one than Gregory had anticipated. On board
the steamer he had, of course, dined with the other officers; and he
found little difference here. Ten sat down, including the principal
medical officer and a captain--the head of the station intelligence
department, Major Wingate, being at present at Wady Halfa. Except for
the roughness of the surroundings, it was like a regimental mess, and
the presence of the General commanding in no way acted as a damper to
the conversation.

General Hunter had, before sitting down, introduced him to all the
members with a few pleasant words, which had put him at his ease.
Gregory had, on his way up, learned a good deal as to the officers who
were down at Cairo for their health; and he was able to say who were
convalescent, and who had sailed, or were on the point of sailing, for
England.

The table was formed of two long benches, and had been constructed by
the engineers. It was laid under a large tent, of which the walls had
been removed to give a free passage of air.

Although scarcely up