"He says we shall be in port to-morrow, and have to shift on to the rail again, and in a few hours be in Cairo on the River Nile." "That's quite correct, Sam," said Frank, smiling; "and then our work will begin." "And a good job too, sir; I want to be at it. But my word! it seems wonderful. Me only the other day in my pantry, Wimpole Street, W., and to-morrow in King Pharaoh's city where there were the plagues and pyramids." "And now hotels and electric lights, and the telegraph to communicate with home." "Yes, sir, it's alarming," said Sam. "Pity it don't go right up to Khartoum--that's the place, ain't it, sir?" "Yes, Sam." "So as we could send a message to Mr Harry: `Keep up your spirits; we're on the way.'" "Ah, if we could, Sam!" said Frank, with a sigh. "Never mind, sir; we're not losing much time. But who'd ever think it! I used to fancy that foreign abroad would look foreign, but it don't a bit. Here's the sea and the sky looking just as it does off the Isle o' Wight when you're out o' sight o' land; and only when we saw the mountains with a morsel of snow on their tops did the land look different to at home. I suppose it will be a bit strange in Egypt, though, sir, won't it?" "Oh, yes. Wait a few hours longer," said Frank, "and then you'll see." Sam came to him the next night when they were settled in the European hotel, where the professor was welcomed as an old friend. "I've put out all you'll want, sir," said the man. "Is there anything else I can do?" "No, Sam; I'm just going to bed so as to have a good night's rest ready for work to-morrow. Well, does this seem foreign?" "Foreign, sir? Hullo! there's another of 'em."--_Slap_.--"Missed him again! Have they been at you yet, sir?" "What, the mosquitoes? Yes. I just brushed one off." "They seem to fancy me, sir. I expected they'd be great big things, but they're only just like our gnats at home." "Indeed! What about their bite!" "Oh, yes, they bite sharper, sir. I expect it's because they're so precious hungry, sir. But foreign? Oh, _yes_, this'll do, sir. It's wonderful, what with the camels and the donkeys. My word! they are fine 'uns. I saw one go along cantering like a horse. Yes, sir, this'll do. But I suppose we're not going to stay here long?" "Only till the professor can make his preparations for the start, and then we're off right away into the desert." "Right, sir; on donkeys?" "On camels, Sam." "H'm! Seems rather high up in the air, sir. Good way to fall on to a hard road." "Road--hard road, Sam?" said Frank laughing. "If you fall it will be on to soft sand. There are no roads in the desert." "No roads, sir? You mean no well-made roads." "I mean no roads at all; not even a track, for the drifting sand soon hides the last foot-prints." Sam stared. "Why, how do you find your way, sir?" said Sam, staring blankly. "Either by the compass, as one would at sea, or by trusting to the Arabs, who know the landmarks."