dily as the other Soudanese battalions, against their
brethren in Khartoum. All the prisoners we have hitherto taken who are
fit for the work have done so; and, as has been shown today, are just
as ready to fight on our side as they were against us. They are a
fighting people, and it is curious how they become attached to their
white officers, whom formerly they hated as infidels."

When the matter was explained to them, the women accepted the situation
with the resignation that is natural to the Mahometan woman. Gregory
was able to assure Fatma that, in a short time, she would undoubtedly
be allowed to join Mahmud, and accompany him wherever he was sent.

"But will they not kill him?" she said.

"We never kill prisoners. Even the bitterest enemy that may fall into
our hands is well treated. Mahmud will doubtless be sent down to Cairo,
and it will then be settled where he is to be taken to; but you may be
sure that, wherever it may be, he will be well treated and cared for."

"In that case, I shall be happy," she said. "When you saved me, I saw
that the ways of you Christians were better than our ways. Now I see it
still more. To be always raiding, and plundering, and killing cannot be
good. It used to seem to me natural and right, but I have come to think
differently."

At four o'clock the troops marched. At Gregory's request, he was
allowed to remain behind and accompany the Egyptians. He had bought for
a few shillings, from the soldiers, a dozen donkeys that had been found
alive in some of the pits. These he handed over to Fatma, for her
conveyance and that of the wives of some of the emirs, who were of the
party.

The Egyptians started at half-past eight, carrying their own wounded
and those of the British. By the route by which the army had marched,
the night before, the distance was but nine miles; but there had been
some rough places to pass, and to avoid these, where the wounded might
have suffered from jolting, they made a circuit, thereby adding three
miles to the length of the march; and did not reach Umdabieh camp until
two o'clock in the morning. General Hunter, who never spared himself,
rode with them and acted as guide.

During the fight he, Colonel Macdonald, and Colonel Maxwell had ridden
at the head of their brigades, the white regimental officers being on
foot with the men, as was their custom; and it was surprising that the
three conspicuous figures had all come through the storm of fire
unsc