the position changed; as news came
that Berber was being evacuated by the Dervishes. The information was
telegraphed to the Sirdar, who at once ordered that a force of the
friendly Arabs, escorted by a gunboat, should go up to Berber to find
if the news was true. One gunboat had already arrived, and General
Hunter decided on going up in her himself. Two hundred of the Arabs,
under Ahmed Bey, were to ride along the bank. They were to be mounted
on the fastest camels that could be picked out; so that, if they
encountered the Dervishes, they would have a fair chance of escaping,
and getting under cover of the gunboat's fire.

"Mr. Hilliard," the General said, "I shall be obliged if you will
accompany Ahmed Bey. The Arabs are always more steady, if they have an
English officer with them. They will be ready to start in an hour. A
signaller from the 11th Soudanese shall go with you; and you can
notify, to us, the approach of any strong party of the enemy, and their
direction; so that the gunboat can send a shell or two among them, as a
hint that they had better keep out of range."

As his baggage camel was by no means a fast one, Gregory at first
decided to leave it behind in charge of Zaki; but on going across to
the Arab camp, Ahmed Bey at once offered to place a fast one at his
disposal. He accordingly sent his own animal into the transport yard,
committed the heavy wooden case, with the greater portion of his
remaining stores, to the charge of the sergeant of the mess, retaining
only three or four tins of preserved milk, some tea, four or five tins
of meat, a bottle of brandy, and a few other necessaries. To these were
added half a sheep and a few pounds of rice. These, with his tent and
other belongings, were packed on the Arab camel; and Zaki rode beside
it with great satisfaction, for he had been greatly cast down when his
master first told him that he would have to remain behind. All the
preparations were made in great haste, but they were completed just as
Ahmed Bey moved out of his camp, with his two hundred picked men and
camels.

Five minutes later, a whistle from the steamer told them that General
Hunter, and the party with him, were also on the point of starting. The
distance to be traversed to Berber was a hundred and thirty miles, and
the expedition was undoubtedly a hazardous one. Even if the news was
true, that the five thousand Dervishes who had been holding Berber had
evacuated the town, it was quite po