you not?"

"Yes."

"I know his staff all mess together. I shall be very glad to have you
with me. It is lonely work, always messing alone.

"My boat is the Zafir, you know. You had better come on board before
eight o'clock, tomorrow morning. That is my breakfast hour."

Gregory needed but little time to make his arrangements. The transport
department took over Zaki's horse and camel, and gave him a receipt for
them; so that, when he returned, those or others could be handed over
to him. One of the staff, who wanted a second horse, was glad to take
charge of his mount. The tent, and the big case, and his other
belongings were handed over to the stores.

Zaki was delighted, when he heard that he was going up in a gunboat
that would probably shell Metemmeh, and knock some of the Dervish
fortifications to pieces.

"What shall I have to do, master?" he asked.

"Not much, Zaki. You will brush my clothes, and make my bed, and do
anything that I want done; but beyond that I cannot tell you. I am
really taking you, not because I think you will be of much use, but
because I like to have you with me. Besides, I sha'n't have much to do,
and the English officer who commands will have plenty to look after, so
that I shall be glad to talk, occasionally, with you.

"However, as I know the gunboats carry Maxim guns, and each have two
sergeants of the marine artillery, I will hand you over to them, and
ask them to put you in the Maxim crew. Then you will have the
satisfaction of helping to fire at your old enemies."

Zaki's eyes glistened at the prospect.

"They killed my mother," he said, "and carried off my sisters, and
burned our house. It will be good to fire at them. Much better this,
bey, than to load stores at Merawi."

Gregory was much gratified, that evening after mess, at the kindly
manner in which the members of the staff all shook hands with him, and
said that they were sorry that he was going to leave them. General
Hunter was dining with the Sirdar. The next morning, when Gregory went
to say "Goodbye" to him, he said:

"I was telling Sir Herbert Kitchener, yesterday evening, that you were
transferred to the naval branch. He said:

"'The gunboats will all take up troops, and there will be native
officers on board. It is a rule in our army, you know, that all white
officers have the honorary rank of major, so as to make them senior to
all Egyptian officers. Will you tell Mr. Hilliard that I authorize him
to ca