From him, too, they learned that the new Mahdi had reached the neighbourhood with a force of the finest fighting men led by Emirs of great repute; and he added through Ibrahim that there could be no doubt of the result, for the Egyptian army, the scouts declared, were weak and trembling, ready to desert or throw down their arms, while the white men had half perished by disease, and the other half were unfit to fight. "But," said the Hakim through his interpreter, "we have had such reports as these before, and they were not true." "No, they were lies--all lies; but these words are true." "And you think the Khalifa will conquer?" "Oh, yes," said the man, with a look of calm satisfaction; "he cannot fail." "How do you know all this?" "From the Emir my master," said the man proudly. "Ah! You have seen him?" "Yes: he rode in last night to see if all was well." "What! The Emir came here?" "Yes, and praised thy servant for all that he had done. He gave him, too, other commands. That the Hakim and his people were to be protected at all costs, for they were friends; and that if there was danger from the wild and fierce dervishes who might attack the palace because it was not strongly enough guarded, the Hakim and his people were to be mounted upon camels and were to be taken away." "Where to?" said the doctor. "To Khartoum, with the Emir's wives and slaves." The officer returned to his duties, and soon after Ibrahim announced that he was making preparations, two score of camels being got in readiness for instant flight if the danger should come. "Can we escape in the confusion?" said the professor. "We will try, Excellency. I have, as you know, everything ready, and now I will go and learn all I can about the Egyptian army's advance up the river, for there is no doubt about its being near. Whether sick or not I cannot say." "Sick or well, they will fight," said Harry, with a warlike flash of the eyes. "I pray so, Excellency," said the Sheikh, and he too left. But the day glided by and the night had come, a day and night of wild turmoil and anxiety; and in this great emergency the Sheikh did not return. His absence at this extremely critical time came upon the party like a shock, for it was only now that they fully realised the full value of the services he had rendered, and surmises as to the cause of his absence were discussed one after the other. One of the first things proposed when night closed in was to consult the officer of the guard. But here a difficulty arose at once--their interpreter was missing. The professor's knowledge of Arabic was extensive and he had picked up a few words of the dialect used by the Baggara; but he got on with the guard with the greatest difficulty, and the Sheikh's young men were completely wanting in the lingual powers of their chief. "You must let me question him," said Harry. "He seems to have no suspicion of our having been friends."