Looking round he could
see he was in a small room. An Egyptian of the better class, in
buttoned-up frock-coat and light trousers, and with a scarlet fez on his
head, was standing looking down at him, and was apparently giving
instructions to the native, who was endeavouring to staunch one of his
wounds. As soon as he took this in, the thought of his comrades flashed
across his mind, and pushing the man's hand back from his forehead he
struggled into a sitting position.

"Hurrah, Jack! I was afraid that they had done for you," a voice said,
and he saw Tucker and Hill sitting propped up against a wall.

Two of the natives now took hold of him, dragged him along the floor,
and placed him by the side of the others. Then the Egyptian said, "You
keep quiet, I save your lives. If you move or make noise we kill you at
once."

The lads were all faint from loss of blood, and half stupefied from the
heavy blows they had received; and after a word or two of thankfulness
at finding themselves all together and alive, they lay quiet. There were
two or three natives in the room, and from time to time one went out or
came in with news as to what was passing in the streets. Each time there
was much talk among their guards, and it was evident that they were
dissatisfied with the result. The outbreak, indeed, had not been, as the
boys supposed, universal; had it been, the whole European population
would probably have been destroyed. It was confined to a portion only of
the lower part of the town. Whether it was planned or not beforehand is
a disputed point.

It began in a quarrel between some Maltese and natives; but this quarrel
seemed to be accepted by the latter as a signal for a general attack,
and they rushed from their houses armed with heavy sticks and knives and
attacked the Europeans. Rumours had for some time been current among
them that the Christians intended to conquer Egypt and to put down the
Mahomedan religion, and in their excited state a spark caused an
explosion. It was perhaps fortunate that it came when it did, and was
confined to a comparatively small part of the town; for had it spread
over the whole city the loss of life would have been great indeed, for
the natives had entirely their own way from three o'clock in the
afternoon until seven in the evening.

The police made no attempt whatever to put down the riot. The English
and Italian consuls, immediately they heard what was going on, drove
together to the