FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104  
105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   >>   >|  
ink that I should be justified in allowing you to undertake it." "I really do not think that there will be any great danger, sir. If there were no great object to be gained, it would be different; but in view of the great importance, as you said this evening, of learning Mahmud's intentions, the risk of one life being lost, even were it great, is nothing. As you say, the Sirdar's plans might be greatly affected by the course Mahmud adopts; and in such a case, the life of a subaltern like myself is a matter scarcely to be considered. "From childhood I have been preparing to go among the Dervishes, and this is what I propose doing, as soon as Khartoum is recaptured. Therefore sir if, by anticipating my work by a few months, or possibly a year, I can render a service to the army, I would gladly undertake it, if you will give me permission to do so." The General was, for a minute or two, silent. "Well, Hilliard," he said at last, "on thinking it over as you put it, I do not know that I should be justified in refusing your offer. It is a very gallant one, and may possibly meet with success." "Thank you, sir! I shall be really glad to enter upon the work I have looked forward to. Although it may have no direct bearing upon the discovery of my father's fate, it will be a start in that direction. Do you think that I had better go mounted, or on foot?" "I should say certainly on horseback, but there is no occasion for any hasty determination. Every step should be carefully considered, and we should, as far as possible, foresee and provide for every emergency that may arise. Think it over well, yourself. Some time tomorrow I will discuss it again with you." Gregory went straight back to his hut. "Come in, Zaki, I want to speak to you. "Light the lamp, and shut the door. Now sit down there. Do you know the country between this and Metemmeh?" "Yes, master; I travelled there with my father, six years ago." "Is it difficult to find the way?" "It is not difficult. There are many signs of the passage of caravans. There are skeletons of the camels of the English expedition; there are very many of them. It would not be difficult, even for one who has never passed them, to find the way." "And there are wells?" "There are wells at Howeyat and Abu Halfa, at Gakdul and Abu Klea, also at Gubat." "That is to say, water will be found nearly every day?" "Quite every day, to one on horseback. The longest distan
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104  
105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

difficult

 

justified

 

considered

 
possibly
 
undertake
 

Mahmud

 
horseback
 

father

 

tomorrow

 

discuss


mounted
 

straight

 

Gregory

 

occasion

 

longest

 
emergency
 

distan

 

foresee

 

provide

 
carefully

determination

 
expedition
 

English

 

passage

 

caravans

 

skeletons

 

camels

 
passed
 

Gakdul

 

Howeyat


country

 

travelled

 

master

 

Metemmeh

 

thinking

 

matter

 

scarcely

 

subaltern

 

adopts

 

childhood


Khartoum

 

recaptured

 

propose

 

preparing

 

Dervishes

 

affected

 
greatly
 

gained

 

importance

 

object