"Thirsty?" said the Sheikh, smiling.

"Well, pretty tidy. I shall be worse soon. But if you come to that, I've been thirsty ever since I came to Egypt. I mean I feel as if I'd come down to a cheap circus, and we were going into a country town where the big tent had been set up, and that by and by we should be all riding round the ring doing Mazeppa and the Wild Horse, or Timour the Tartar; stalls a shilling covered with red cloth; gallery thruppence."

The Sheikh stared wonderingly, and then shook his head.

"I do not understand, Mr Samuel," he said.

"Of course you don't, sir. How can you, seeing that you've picked up what you know by accident like, and not had a regular English education?

There, it's all right. It was only a growl, and I'm better now."

"But you said you were ashamed of the Hakim."

"I said so, but I ain't, Mr Abrahams. He's splendid ain't he?"

"He is grand," said the Sheikh earnestly. "His power, his knowledge--it is wonderful!"

"That's right, old man, so it is."

"And I hope when all the work is done, and we have taken Mr Frank's--"

"Steady there: Ben Eddin's."

"Yes, Ben Eddin's brother safely back to Cairo, that I may have an accident."

"An accident?" said Sam, staring.

"Or a bad illness, so that the great Hakim may cure me. Hah! what a physician! It is n.o.ble--it is grand!"

"I say, do you mean all that?" said Sam.

"Mean it?" said the Sheikh wonderingly. "I have been seventy years in the world, and for forty of those years I have been taking travellers to see the wonders of my land; but I have never met another man like the Hakim, whom I could look up to as I do to him."

"You do mean it?" said Sam, whose eyes glistened and looked moist.

"Thank you, Mr Abrahams. You and me's the best of friends for saying that. He is what you say--grand. You like him, and don't half know him."

"I know him to have a great heart, Mr Samuel," said the old man warmly.

"Great heart, yes, and a big, broad chest; but it ain't half big enough to hold it. Why, when my poor old mother was bad--dying of old age she was--I made bold to ask the doctor to go down to see her, meaning to pay him out of my savings, and feeling as I'd like the dear old girl to have the best advice. Down in the country she was, forty miles away."

"How sad!" said the old Sheikh. "Two very long days' journey."

"Get out!" cried Sam, laughing. "England ain't the Soudan. Forty miles by the express means under one hour's ride, Mr Abrahams."

The Sheikh looked at him gravely.

"Mr Samuel," he said, "the barbers in Egypt and Turkey and Persia always have been famous for telling wonderful stories. I thought now you were speaking seriously."

"So I was, and about the doctor being so good to my poor old mother.

Twice a week he kept on going to see her till she died, and when I wanted to pay something, he laughed at me and said he had done it all for a faithful servant and friend who was a good son. That's why I'm out here to look after him, Mr Abrahams. He's splendid, and you're right. Just you tumble off your camel and break a leg or a wing, or crack your nut, and let him put you right. I'll nurse you, and so will Mr Frrrr--Ben Eddin."

"Hah! I think I will," said the Sheikh, "when we have done; only I must not break too much for I am growing old. But two long days' journey in an hour, Mr Samuel? The Cairo railway never does anything like that."

"The Cairo railway!" said Sam scornfully. "Don't talk about it. Why, I went down into the country with the Hakim once, and we rode part of the way nearly twice as fast as I said. Not eighty miles an hour, but seventy; that's a fact. Hullo! what's going on now? They look as if they're going to eat us."

"It is only their way of showing joy, Mr Samuel."

"But they're a-shouting, 'Hay--keem! Hay--keem!'"

"They have heard how the Hakim saved the Emir's and his son's lives and cured so many more. Hark they are saying that a great prophet is come, and they are crying aloud for joy."

"Prophet!" said Sam grimly, as he made an atrocious joke; "not much profit for him, poor chap. Why, they'll bring all the sore places out of the town for him to cure."

"Yes, he will be a great man here."

"And him sitting so cool and quiet there on his camel in his robes and turban, looking like one of Madame Tussaud's wax figures out for the day."

For the excitement had been rapidly increasing, as the returning party were met and pa.s.sed through the crowd, who had shouted themselves hoa.r.s.e by way of welcome to the warriors, their chiefs, and to their plunder.

The wild music, the sight of the fighting men and the spoil, had done much; but the news, which had spread like fire through tow, of the Hakim and his powers seemed to drive the excitable, wonder-loving people almost wild. It was another prophet come into their midst, and had the procession lasted much longer the Hakim's career in Omdurman would have commenced with a long task of healing the injured who had been crushed by the crowd.

Fortunately for all, the English party and the people themselves, the two lines of mounted men helped to keep back the rush of the crowd who pressed forward to see the great man of whose deeds they had just heard, and the length, the intricacy, and narrowness of the streets played their part in lessening the gathering; but it was a weary journey--one which grew slower and slower, till the city was completely traversed, and the mounted men rode off to one side, leaving the Hakim's followers to pa.s.s through the rough gateway of a high mud wall, over which were seen the pleasantest objects of the morning's ride.

For over the wall rose the broad leaves of palms, and as the party rode into and under the greenery of a large enclosure, they found themselves in sight of the Emir's palace, with the camel litter just in front--a palace of sun-baked mud, at whose entrance-gate a dozen mounted men were placed to keep back the crowd, among whom were already several applicants for help from the Hakim. But these were driven away at once, for the doctor's attention was required for the Emir's son.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

FREEDOM OF ACTION?

The doctor's patient needed his help badly, for the exertion of the journey and triumphant entry had taxed his strength too much, and once more he was fully under the Hakim's charge, and was carried by his orders to the quarters a.s.signed to the party and their following, on one side of the low, rambling place, and quite distinct.

It was while the doctor was busily tending the sufferer in the shady room looking out on the greenery of the court, that the Emir himself, freshly dismounted after seeing to the bestowal of the trophies of the incursion, came in, to stand gravely aside, _waiting_ patiently till the Hakim, satisfied that he could do no more, left the coa.r.s.e divan upon which the patient lay, and signed to the father that he might approach.

The doctor and his a.s.sistants drew back with the Sheikh, who stayed in the rough chamber to act as interpreter, the professor's Arabic being only an unsatisfactory mode of conversation, and all save the Hakim looked away.

But there was no need for the latter's watchfulness, the Emir seeming to have a perfect knowledge of what was necessary, and full confidence in the great man's power. Hence it was that he contented himself with going down on one knee by his son's side and laying a hand upon the insensible man's brow for a few minutes before rising, and turning to the Sheikh--

"Ask the Hakim if he will live," he said stoically.

The answer was given directly. "Yes, but the recovery has been thrown back."

The Emir uttered a low, deep sigh, and bowed his head. Then turning to the Hakim he took a great, clumsy-looking ring from one finger, and, bending low, he offered it to his prisoner.

To his surprise it was declined, but in a grave and smiling way, accompanied too with gestures which seemed to say, "I need no payment; I am beyond such trifles as these."

The effect was striking, for the Emir stood for a few moments gazing at his captive with something like awe. Then, catching at the Hakim's hand, he pressed it for a moment against his forehead, and strode out of the room.

"Humph!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the professor, as soon as they were alone. "I almost wish you had taken that ring, old fellow. It was curiously antique."