In the Mahdi's Grasp Part 39

"Yes," said Frank, "he is sure to return on account of his son. Then we must wait."

"Yes, and as patiently as we can, my lad."

"And have as good an account to give the father as we can on his return," said the doctor, who had been listening in silence. "It is very trying, Frank, to be checked like this, and so soon; but one thing is certain, the Baggara chief means to keep us to attend to his wounded, and this being a warlike excursion it will sooner or later come to an end, and we shall be taken pretty swiftly in the direction we want to go."

"I'll try to think as you do," said Frank sadly, "and murmur as little as I can."

"Fortunately we shall have very little time for brooding over our troubles," said the doctor, "for I can see nothing but hard work for days to come."

"Yes," said the professor grimly; "you are getting far more professional duty, though, than we bargained for."

As the day wore on there was little change visible in the young chief, who seemed to be alive, and that was all; but the Hakim was satisfied, and the other patients had certainly improved.

The Sheikh reported having talked to the head of their guard, but he was far from communicative. He would not say anything about his chief's proceedings, nor even allow that he would return, but told the Arab sternly that no one must stir from the little camp; at the same time, though, he showed Ibrahim that he was left with a supply of provisions for many days to come, and that he was ready to furnish the Hakim's party with meat and corn.

"Then we must wait, Ibrahim," said Frank wearily.

"Yes, Excellency," replied the old man, "and have patience. These people have it in their power to turn us back, or make slaves and prisoners of us; while if we resist--well, Excellency, I need not tell you what would come. They are masters, and if a servant does not do their bidding, the sand drinks up his blood, and he is no more. They look upon us now, though, as their friends, and sooner or later the Baggara chief will return, if he does not encounter some of the English troops and have his people scattered."

"Which is hardly likely yet," said the professor decisively.

"No, Excellency, not yet; and I feel sure that after he has swept the country round of everything worth taking he will retreat south."

"Where?" said Frank quickly.

"There are but two places at all likely, Excellency," replied the old man; "Omdurman and Khartoum, one of which will be the headquarters of the new Mahdi's force, and that is where you wish to be."

As had been said, there was too much to do for the English party to have much time for brooding. The Hakim was deeply interested in his patients, forgetting everything in the brave fight he made to save every life; and Frank strove manfully to hide the heart-sickness and despair which attacked him as he worked away over what soon settled down into field hospital work, being conscious all the while that he and his friends were carefully watched, but not in a troublesome way, for the Baggara guard had formed a little camp of their own and kept rigorously to themselves, their duty being to mount guard night and day and see that the prisoners and patients were supplied with all that was needed.

And so the time glided by, with Frank daily growing more careworn and silent. He did not even revert to the object of their journey unless it was mentioned by his companions, but worked away, helping the doctor, and having the satisfaction of seeing first one poor helpless wreck become convalescent and then another. For there was no s.h.i.+rking or making the worst of wounds or sickness, the men being only too ready to leave the hospital tent with its occupants, so as to join the guard in their little camp.

Consequently as the days sped quickly by the number of patients rapidly decreased, while the princ.i.p.al sufferer, after lying as if between life and death for a week, began to mend, his terrible wound healing rapidly, and signs of returning strength gradually appearing.

At first he lay quiet and sullen, submitting to all that was done for him, watching the Hakim with what appeared to be a suspicious dread, for his mind did not seem to grasp the possibility of this Frankish physician wis.h.i.+ng to save his life. He scowled, too, at the professor, and at first gave the dumb, black slave Frank fierce looks whenever in his ministrations he approached and touched him. But during the course of the second week, as his strength began to return, he appeared more grateful, and once or twice smiled and nodded after being lifted or fed, or having his position changed.

One day when the Sheikh came to the tent the patient began to speak, and asked him questions about the Hakim--why he was there, and what payment he would require for all he had done; and looked surprised when told that the learned Frankish physician did everything for the sake of doing good.

It was a problem that lasted him till the next day, when he signed for something, and the professor found that they could make one another comprehend after a fas.h.i.+on, enough for the Englishman to grasp that the wounded man wanted Ibrahim, who was summoned.

It was for a mere trifle. He wanted to question him about Frank--how he came to be the Hakim's slave, and why he could not speak, the old Arab making up the best explanation he could over the first, and referring to the professor for an explanation as to the latter, the young chief being evidently under the impression, and bluntly expressing the belief, that the Hakim had cut out the young slave's tongue so that he should not reveal any of the secrets of the magic by whose means he performed his cures.

There being visible proof afforded, to Frank's disgust, that the Hakim had not treated his slave in this barbarous way, the young chief felt certain that the silence was the result of some magic spell, and he began to display a certain amount of pity for the young man, and lay and watched him curiously.

From that day Frank found that he was an object of interest to the young chief, who noted every movement with a sort of pitying contempt, while at the same time, in spite of the result of the Hakim's ministrations, he displayed an unconcealed dislike for him that was manifested in morose looks and more than one angry scowl.

This was talked over when the friends were alone, and the doctor smiled.

"It does not matter," he said. "I shall not be jealous, Frank. It is all plain enough to read. The poor fellow is weak as a child mentally as well as bodily, and I expect that as soon as he gets better he will be offering you your freedom from the cruel slavery to which you have been reduced."

"Yes, that's it," said the professor, laughing; "but don't you listen to the voice of the charmer, my boy. There is an old proverb about jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire."

"It may all work for good," said the doctor, "and there is no harm in making a friend; but it is of no use to try and foresee what will happen. A sick man's fancies are very evanescent. Go on as you have done all through. One thing is very evident: he is mending fast, and can be moved when his father returns."

"If he ever does," said the professor drily. "The lives of these fighting men are rather precarious, and if we never see him again I shall not be surprised."

Another week glided by, and the large tent was taken down by the Baggara guard and set up again in their own camp, for the last of the Hakim's patients had expressed a wish to join his fellows, though far from being in a condition to leave, so that the young chief was the only sufferer left, while he was now sufficiently recovered to watch what went on around. But for the most part his eyes were fixed upon the desert, his gaze bespeaking the expectation of his father's return, though he never suggested it in his brief conversations with the Sheikh--brief from their difficulty, the old Arab confessing his inability to understand much that was said.

But if the young chief was watching in that expectation he fixed his eyes upon the distant horizon in vain. The clouds appeared every morning, to hang for hours in the east along the course of the far-off river, and then die away in the glowing suns.h.i.+ne, while to north and south and west there was the s.h.i.+mmering haze of heat playing above the sand, till Frank began to be in despair.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

FOR A FRESH START.

One evening after the young chief had lain watching the desert in vain he signed for the Sheikh to come to him, and in a stronger voice bade him fetch the leader of the men left on guard.

The man came, and a conversation ensued, the result of which was that the Baggara went away to join his companions, with whom a long consultation was held, followed by certain unmistakable movements which brought the Sheikh to his friends.

"They are going to march," he said. "Their tents are being struck, and everyone is preparing. I saw four men seeing to the water-skins; others are packing, and soon after midnight they will leave."

"And what about the young chief? He is not fit to go, eh, doctor?"

"Unless he is carried," was the reply.

The Sheikh smiled.

"They are preparing a camel for him so that he can share it with one of the wounded men--a litter such as they use for the women. They can almost lie, one on either side, Excellencies. I expect that they will say nothing, but that we shall wake in the morning and find that we are alone."

The Sheikh had hardly spoken when the party saw the head of the Baggara guard approaching.

As the man came within reach he signed to the Sheikh to join him, and his words were very few before he turned upon his heel and strode away.

"What does this mean, Ibrahim?" said Frank. "Did he tell you that they are going?"

"Our tents are to be struck, Excellency, and everything loaded upon our camels before daylight."

"Ah!" said Frank eagerly; "to march to the south?"

"Yes, Excellency. His orders from the chief were that if he did not return in the number of days now pa.s.sed we were to be taken south."

"Whereto?"

"Omdurman, Excellency. He has been waiting for the young chiefs speaking to say that he was strong enough to go. The time was past the day before yesterday. The young man told him an hour ago that he could bear it now."

"Then the suspense is over!" cried Frank eagerly.

"Mind, Excellency!" said the Sheikh, laying his hand upon the young man's arm; "the young man is trying to look round this way. He must not see your lips moving, nor hear you speak."