"I hope not. Stay here while I mix him a sedative. He must have sleep; and Sam, get ready cold water compresses for his head." "Cold water, sir?" said the man gravely. "Well, a bowl of water, my man. I'll bring in something to make it evaporate more quickly." The doctor went to where his case lay in a corner of his room, and rapidly prepared a sedative draught, took up a bottle, and returned to the professor, to find Sam waiting with bowl of water and cloths. "He's babbling about Harry and that plan of his," said the professor. "No wonder, poor fellow! Raise him up a little. I daresay he will drink this quietly enough." "One moment, sir," said Sam hurriedly. "Me, please," and with an eagerness evidently intended to fully disabuse the doctor's mind of all doubts regarding his fear of infection, Sam went behind the head of the couch and carefully raised the sick man's head and shoulders so that he could drink easily; and this he did with avidity. The next minute the doctor had half emptied a bottle into the water, which gave forth a peculiar, pungent odour on Sam wringing out a handkerchief; and this was spread across the poor fellow's temples and afterwards kept moist. "Just at the most unlucky time," said the professor, with a sigh, as they sat near, watching the patient, who had sunk into the desired sleep; "but we must make the best of it. Here, Sam, we must eat and drink whatever happens." "Breakfast is quite ready, sir," was the reply; "but I haven't seen anything of Mr Abrahams this morning." "Look here," said the professor angrily, "if you call the Sheikh Abraham again I shall throw something at you. Ibrahim, once more," he continued, spelling the name letter by letter. "But that's only his ignorant way of spelling it, sir," protested Sam. "He told me himself it's the same name as we read of. It's Abra--ham, as I told him myself; but he only smiled at me as if he knew better." "Well, what about him?" "He hasn't been near, sir, and his young men--and one of them's ten years older than me--say that he hasn't been back since he went out last night." "Tut--tut--tut--tut!" said the doctor. "I hope he has not fallen into any trouble now." But before the breakfast was over--a meal that was interrupted twice by the doctor's visits to the patient--Ibrahim came to the door, and was told to enter. He looked sharply at the two gentlemen, and then at the door leading into Frank's room, and back inquiringly at the doctor. "Yes," said the latter gravely; "he is ill, Ibrahim." "The heat of the sun and the dreadful trouble yesterday, Excellency," said the old man excitedly. "I feared it. The heat made even me feel ill. But he will soon be better?" "I hope so," said the doctor; and the professor broke in-- "But what of yourself, Ibrahim? You have news?" "Yes, Excellency. If you listen you can hear them coming." "Not the Egyptian Army?"