“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?”
“No, no, Excellency, not yet. But spies keep coming in, all bringing the same news, that British forces are slowly and surely coming up the river to Khartoum, and the Khalifa is sending out his people to gather in more and more of the wild troops. They are crowding into the city and camping about outside. There will be war before long.”
“There must not be till we have escaped, Ibrahim,” said the professor. “We being respectable singing birds must not be caught in the net along with the black dervish daws.”
“If the British and Egyptians win the battle, Excellency,” said the Sheikh gravely. “We must not shut our eyes to the fact that these wild tribes are very brave, while the Egyptians—well, Excellency, we know that they have not made a very brave stand in the past.”
“But our British force will be up here in strength?”
“Yes, Excellency, and if it depended entirely upon them I should not fear.”
“Then you do fear?” said the doctor gravely.