In the Mahdi's Grasp Part 63

"Who can say?" said Frank, as his friends turned questioning eyes towards him. "I can't talk now; I feel weak as a child. I only know I could not do it again to save my life."

"But we are in agony to know," said the doctor. "Pray try and tell us something of your plans."

The appeal gave the young man strength, and he told all that had pa.s.sed.

"But what will follow?" said the professor, whose voice trembled from the excitement he suffered. "Will Harry--can he carry out your plan?"

"Yes," said the doctor. "He is as firm when put to the test as Frank here."

"Ah!" groaned Frank; "firm? I am as weak as water now. I am trembling with the horrible thought that the chief saw through the subterfuge, for he smiled cruelly; and if he did--what of poor Harry's life? I shall have slain him by what I did, for they have no mercy on an escaping slave."

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

THE BREAKDOWN.

There was a fresh patient for the Hakim in the morning.

He was awakened by Sam, whose face was full of consternation.

"Do get up and come to Mr Frank, sir," he said in a hurried whisper.

Morris sat up at once.

"What is it?" he said in the calm, matter-of-fact way of a doctor who always feels that a sudden awakening means a call upon him for aid.

"I went to tell him it was time to rouse up, sir, and he began talking nonsense."

"What do you mean?" said the doctor, dressing hurriedly.

"Called me a white-faced dog; and then 'The stirrup,' he says, 'the stirrup: can't you see it's too short?'"

"Ah?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the doctor.

"'Stirrup?' I says, 'what stirrup, sir?' and then he went on: 'You English are not fit even for slaves. Be quick! Can't you see that your lord and his friends are waiting to see me ride?' he says, 'and don't defile those red reins with your dirty white hands!' Of course I knew he was dreaming, and I shook him, but only made him burst out into a lot more stuff--telling me I was to fall ill and ask for the Hakim to cure me, and then we should be all together again. But that ain't the worst of it, sir."

"No? Then what is?" said the doctor, fastening up his long robe calmly.

"He's quite off his head, sir, and his tongue's running nineteen to the dozen. If you can't stop it we shall have all the Emir's people noticing it. Hadn't you better pretend as you've cured him, sir, and made him speak? If you don't we shall be having the cat let out of the bag, and all be scratched to death."

"Let's see, Samuel," said the doctor quietly, and he followed his man into the next room, to find Frank talking wildly.

He seemed to recognise his friend directly, and caught him by the arm.

"Look here," he said, "I have no time to advise you, Hal. Be thrown from a horse; cut your forehead, or your leg. Do something that they can see looks bad--something that will stain your white things with blood. They will believe it then, and beg that you may be taken to the Hakim.--Ah, what are you doing here? Why are you not curing the Baggara's white slave?"

The doctor had taken his young friend's wrist and laid a cool hand upon his burning, throbbing brow, with excellent effect, for Frank's loud talking grew broken, then indistinct, and rapidly sank into a low, incoherent babbling, as he closed his eyes.

"Hah!" said Sam softly; "it's wonderful, sir. To do that with just a touch of your hands. But what is it, sir? One of those horrible African fevers? 'Tain't catching, is it?" he added excitedly.

"If you feel alarmed," replied the doctor coldly, "keep away from the room. Mr Landon and I will nurse him."

Sam turned upon him with a reproachful look.

"Likely, sir!" he said scornfully, and he bent over the angareb and began giving little touches to the pillow, making a point of pa.s.sing his hand over Frank's face and leaning quite close so as to feel his breath play upon his cheek, before laying a hand upon the sufferer's. "I don't care if it is ketching," he said; "I'm not going to leave Master Frank in a hole like that. If I get it he'll get better and help me.

Breath's hot, sir, but it don't smell nasty and fevery. P'r'aps it's only being too much in the sun, after all."

"Thank you, Samuel," said the doctor, in his quiet, grave way, and he patted the man gently on the shoulder.

"Thank me, sir?--Oh, here's Mr Landon, sir."

"Hullo, there!" said the professor, hurriedly entering; "what's the matter? Don't say Frank's ill!"

"He is saying it for himself, my dear Fred," replied the doctor. "You have had some experience of this sort of thing out here. Look at him.

He is calmer now, but he was talking wildly at random a few minutes ago."

"What! Oh! Saint George and the Dragon! he mustn't begin to talk,"

cried the professor excitedly. "That would spoil all."

There was a pause while the professor bent over and examined the sufferer.

"Well," he said, "I'm not a doctor, but my journeys out here made me dabble a bit, and quack over my own ailments and those of my followers when there was no medical man to be had. I don't know, Robert, old friend, but I should say it was a touch of brain fever, consequent upon yesterday's excitement in the sun."

"Ah-h-h!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Sam, with a sigh of relief.

"You be quiet," said the professor sharply. Then turning to the doctor, "Well, what do you think?"

"The same as you do. Poor lad! His anxiety was horrible, and what he went through was enough to prostrate a man twice as strong."

"But you don't think he is going to be seriously ill?"

"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."