it
looked simply impossible for any living thing to make the ascent. Now
for the first time Harry Forsyth became an active hypocrite, for he had
only been a passive one up to this. He busied himself about to select a
good commanding spot in which to ensconce himself with his rifle with an
energy which delighted his uncle extremely. And so much was thought of
his shooting that he was sure not to be interfered with.

"Not a man of them can ever pass the Rackabit el Gamel by water, and
they can as soon take these rocks as scale the heavens. Here the
freedom of the Soudan will be worked out; the authority of the Mahdi
established!" exclaimed the sheikh. Rackabit el Gamel, or the Camel's
Neck, is the name of the gorge by Dulka Island.

When the sun rose on the tenth of February, eighteen hundred and eighty-
five, Harry Forsyth, from his lofty position on the heights of Kirbekan,
strained his eyes in the direction from which the British force was
expected to come. Nothing yet; yes, those red ants, as they seem in the
far distance, what are they? And there were larger black ants in rear
of them.

And now in the clearer light grey ants aligned with the red. The red
ants, had he known it, were the Black Watch, going into action in their
red coats and kilts; the grey were the men of the South Staffordshire
Regiment; the large black ants in rear were the guns. He did not know
these details, but he recognised English troops, not seen now for a long
time by him, and his heart beat high with excitement and hope. Now was
his chance of escape. Unless he were killed during the assault, or
taken prisoner and shot before he had time to explain himself, he would
surely be able to get away in the confusion of fight. Even if the
English were repulsed, he could feign pursuit and so come up with them.

Suddenly he saw both red and grey masses scatter out from their centres,
as they broke into extended order, and at the same time what he could
now distinguish as cavalry swept round to the right. It was a beautiful
sight. While he was gazing at it his uncle passed him in a state of
great enthusiasm.

He waved a rifle with his right-hand, and a banner, with texts from the
Koran inscribed upon it, with his left, and cried, "They come! They
come! The Lord hath delivered them into our hands at last!" And it was
with difficulty that he could restrain himself from forfeiting the
advantages of the strong position, and rushing down