’I，’saidavoice’Iwillgo——butthereisnogoingfromthecamp。’
　　’Fool！Iknowthatacamelcanbreakhisknee-halter，andthesentriesdonotfireifonegoesinchaseTwenty-fivepoundsandanothertwenty-fivepoundsButthebeastmustbeagoodBisharin；Iwilltakenobaggage-camel。’
　　Thenthebargainingbegan，andattheendofhalfanhourthefirstdepositwaspaidovertothesheik，whotalkedinlowtonestothedriver。
　　Dickheardthelattersay：’AlittlewayoutonlyAnybaggage-beastwillserveAmIafooltowastemycattleforablindman？’
　　’AndthoughIcannotsee’——Dickliftedhisvoicealittle——’yetIcarrythatwhichhassixeyes，andthedriverwillsitbeforemeIfwedonotreachtheEnglishtroopsinthedawnhewillbedead。’
　　’Butwhere，inGod’sname，arethetroops？’
　　’UnlessthouknowestletanothermanrideDostthouknow？
　　Rememberitwillbelifeordeathtothee。’
　　’Iknow，’saidthedriver，sullenly’StandbackfrommybeastIamgoingtosliphim。’
　　’NotsoswiftlyGeorge，holdthecamel’sheadamomentIwanttofeelhischeek。’Thehandswanderedoverthehidetilltheyfoundthebrandedhalf-circlethatisthemarkoftheBiharin，thelight-builtriding-camel。
　　’ThatiswellCutthisonelooseRemembernoblessingofGodcomesonthosewhotrytocheattheblind。’
　　Themenchuckledbythefiresatthecamel-driver’sdiscomfiture。
　　Hehadintendedtosubstituteaslow，saddle-galledbaggage-colt。
　　’Standback！’oneshouted，lashingtheBiharinunderthebellywithaquirtDickobeyedassoonashefeltthenose-stringtighteninhishand，——andacrywentup，’Illaha！Aho！Heisloose。’
　　WitharoarandagrunttheBiharinrosetohisfeetandplungedforwardtowardthedesert，hisdriverfollowingwithshoutsandlamentation。
　　GeorgecaughtDick’sarmandhurriedhimstumblingandtrippingpastadisgustedsentrywhowasusedtostampedingcamels。
　　’What’stherownow？’hecried。
　　’Everystitchofmykitonthatblasteddromedary，’Dickanswered，afterthemannerofacommonsoldier。
　　’Goon，andtakecareyourthroat’snotcutoutside——youandyourdromedary’s。’
　　Theoutcriesceasedwhenthecamelhaddisappearedbehindahillock，andhisdriverhadcalledhimbackandmadehimkneeldown。
　　’Mountfirst，’saidDickThenclimbingintothesecondseatandgentlyscrewingthepistolmuzzleintothesmallofhiscompanion’sback，’GooninGod’sname，andswiftlyGood-bye，GeorgeRemembermetoMadame，andhaveagoodtimewithyourgirlGetforward，childofthePit！’
　　Afewminuteslaterhewasshutupinagreatsilence，hardlybrokenbythecreakingofthesaddleandthesoftpadofthetirelessfeetDickadjustedhimselfcomfortablytotherockandpitchofthepace，girthedhisbelttighter，andfeltthedarknessslidepastForanhourhewasconsciousonlyofthesenseofrapidprogress。
　　’Agoodcamel，’hesaidatlast。
　　’HewasneverunderfedHeismyownandcleanbred，’thedriverreplied。
　　’Goon。’
　　Hisheaddroppedonhischestandhetriedtothink，butthetenorofhisthoughtswasbrokenbecausehewasverysleepyInthehalfdozeinseemedthathewaslearningapunishmenthymnatMrsJennett’s。
　　HehadcommittedsomecrimeasbadasSabbath-breaking，andshehadlockedhimupinhisbedroomButhecouldneverrepeatmorethanthefirsttwolinesofthehymn——
　　WhenIsraeloftheLordbelievedOutofthelandofbondagecame。
　　HesaidthemoverandoverthousandsoftimesThedriverturnedinthesaddletoseeiftherewereanychanceofcapturingtherevolverandendingtherideDickroused，struckhimovertheheadwiththebutt，andstormedhimselfwideawakeSomebodyhiddeninaclumpofcamel-thornshoutedasthecameltoileduprisinggroundAshotwasfired，andthesilenceshutdownagain，bringingthedesiretosleep。
　　DickcouldthinknolongerHewastootiredandstiffandcrampedtodomorethannoduneasilyfromtimetotime，wakingwithastartandpunchingthedriverwiththepistol。
　　’Isthereamoon？’heaskeddrowsily。
　　’Sheisnearhersetting。’
　　’IwishthatIcouldseeherHaltthecamelAtleastletmehearthedeserttalk。’
　　ThemanobeyedOutoftheutterstillnesscameonebreathofwindItrattledthedeadleavesofashrubsomedistanceawayandceased。
　　A
　　handfulofdryearthdetacheditselffromtheedgeofarailtrenchandcrumbledsoftlytothebottom。
　　’GoonThenightisverycold。’
　　ThosewhohavewatchedtillthemorningknowhowthelasthourbeforethelightlengthensitselfintomanyeternitiesItseemedtoDickthathehadneversincethebeginningoforiginaldarknessdoneanythingatallsavejoltthroughtheairOnceinathousandyearshewouldfingerthenailheadsonthesaddle-frontandcountthemallcarefully。
　　CenturieslaterhewouldshifthisrevolverfromhisrighthandtohisleftandallowtheeasedarmtodropdownathissideFromthesafedistanceofLondonhewaswatchinghimselfthusemployed，——watchingcriticallyYetwheneverheputouthishandtothecanvasthathemightpaintthetawnyyellowdesertundertheglareofthesinkingmoon，theblackshadowofacamelandthetwobowedfiguresatop，thathandheldarevolverandthearmwasnumbedfromwristtocollar-bone。
　　Moreover，hewasinthedark，andcouldseenocanvasofanykindwhatever。
　　Thedrivergrunted，andDickwasconsciousofachangeintheair。
　　’Ismellthedawn，’hewhispered。
　　’Itishere，andyonderarethetroopsHaveIdonewell？’
　　Thecamelstretchedoutitsneckandroaredastherecamedownwindthepungentreekofcamelsinthesquare。
　　’GoonWemustgetthereswiftlyGoon。’
　　’TheyaremovingintheircampThereissomuchdustthatI
　　cannotseewhattheydo。’
　　’AmIinbettercase？Goforward。’
　　Theycouldhearthehumofvoicesahead，thehowlingandthebubblingofthebeastsandthehoarsecriesofthesoldiersgirthingupfortheday。
　　Twoorthreeshotswerefired。
　　’Isthatatus？SurelytheycanseethatIamEnglish，’Dickspokeangrily。
　　’Nay，itisfromthedesert，’thedriveranswered，coweringinhissaddle。
　　’Goforward，mychild！Wellitisthatthedawndidnotuncoverusanhourago。’
　　ThecamelheadedstraightforthecolumnandtheshotsbehindmultipliedThechildrenofthedeserthadarrangedthatmostuncomfortableofsurprises，adawnattackfortheEnglishtroops，andweregettingtheirdistancebysnap-shotsattheonlymovingobjectwithoutthesquare。
　　’Whatluck！Whatstupendousandimperialluck！’saidDick’It’s“justbeforethebattle，mother。”Oh，Godhasbeenmostgoodtome！
　　Only’——theagonyofthethoughtmadehimscrewuphiseyesforaninstant——’Maisie。’
　　’Allahu！Wearein，’saidtheman，ashedroveintotherearguardandthecamelknelt。
　　’Whothedeuceareyou？Despatchesorwhat？What’sthestrengthoftheenemybehindthatridge？Howdidyougetthrough？’askedadozenvoicesForallanswerDicktookalongbreath，unbuckledhisbelt，andshoutedfromthesaddleatthetopofaweariedanddustyvoice，’Torpenhow！Ohe，Torp！Coo-ee，Tor-pen-how。’
　　Abeardedmanrakingintheashesofafireforalighttohispipemovedveryswiftlytowardsthatcry，astherearguard，facingabout，begantofireatthepuffsofsmokefromthehillocksaroundGraduallythescatteredwhitecloudletsdrewoutintothelonglinesofbankedwhitethathungheavilyinthestillnessofthedawnbeforetheyturnedoverwave-likeandglidedintothevalleysThesoldiersinthesquarewerecoughingandswearingastheirownsmokeobstructedtheirview，andtheyedgedforwardtogetbeyonditAwoundedcamelleapedtoitsfeetandroaredaloud，thecryendinginabubblinggruntSomeonehadcutitsthroattopreventconfusionThencamethethicksobofamanreceivinghisdeath-woundfromabullet；thenayellofagonyandredoubledfiring。
　　Therewasnotimetoaskanyquestions。
　　’Getdown，man！Getdownbehindthecamel！’
　　’NoPutme，Ipray，intheforefrontofthebattle。’DickturnedhisfacetoTorpenhowandraisedhishandtosethishelmetstraight，but，miscalculatingthedistance，knockeditoffTorpenhowsawthathishairwasgrayonthetemples，andthathisfacewasthefaceofanoldman。
　　’Comedown，youdamnedfool！Dickie，comeoff！’
　　AndDickcameobediently，butasatreefalls，pitchingsidewaysfromtheBisharin’ssaddleatTorpenhow’sfeetHisluckhadheldtothelast，eventothecrowningmercyofakindlybulletthroughhishead。
　　Torpenhowkneltundertheleeofthecamel，withDick’sbodyinhisarms。
　　TheEndVolumeVIITHESTORYOFTHEGADSBYS
　　PrefaceToTHEADDRESSOF
　　CAPTAINJMAFFLIN，DukeofDerry’sPinkHussars。
　　DEARMAPFLIN，-YouwillrememberthatIwrotethisstoryasanAwfulWarningNonethelessyouhaveseenfittodisregarditandhavefollowedGadsby’sexample-asIbettedyouwouldI
　　acknowledgethatyoupaidthemoneyatonce，butyouhaveprejudicedthemindofMrsMafflinagainstmyself，forthoughI
　　amalmosttheonlyrespectablefriendofyourbachelordays，shehasbeendarwazabandtomethroughouttheseasonFurther，shecausedyoutoinvitemetodinnerattheClub，whereyoucalledme“awildassofthedesert。”andwenthomeathalf-pastten，afterdiscoursingfortwentyminutesontheresponsibilitiesofhousekeepingYounowdriveamail-phaetonandsitunderaChurchofEnglandclergymanIamnotangry，JackItisyourkismet，asitwasGaddy’s，andhiskismetwhocanavoid？DonotthinkthatIammovedbyaspiritofrevengeasIwrite，thuspublicly，thatyouandyoualoneareresponsibleforthisbookInotherandmoreexpansivedays，whenyoucouldlookatamagnumwithoutflushingandatacherootwithoutturningwhite，yousuppliedmewithmostofthematerialTakeitbackagain-wouldthatIcouldhavepreservedyourfetterlessspeechinthetelling-takeitback，andbyyourslipperedhearthreadittothelateMissDeercourtShewillnotbeanythemorewillingtoreceivemycards，butshewilladmireyouimmensely，andyou，Ifeelsure，willlovemeYoumayeveninvitemetoanotherverybaddinner-attheClub，which，asyouandyourwifeknow，isasafeneutralgroundfortheentertainmentofwildassesThen，myverydearhypocrite，weshallbequits。
　　Yoursalways，RUDYARDKIPLING。
　　PS-OnsecondthoughtsIshouldrecommendyoutokeepthebookawayfromMrsMafflin。
　　POORDEARMAMMA
　　Thewildhawktothewind-sweptsky，Thedeertothewholesomewold，Andtheheartofamantotheheartofamaid，Asitwasinthedaysofold。
　　GypsySong。
　　SCENE-InteriorofMissMINNIETHREEGAN’SBedroomatSimlaMissTHREEGAN，inwindow-seat，turningoveradrawerfulofthingsMissEMMADEERCOURT，bosom-friend，whohascometospendtheday，sittingonthebed，manipulatingthebodiceofaballroomfrock，andabunchofartificialliliesofthevalleyTime，5：30PMonahotMayafternoon。
　　MissDEERCOURTAndhesaid：“Ishallneverforgetthisdance。”and，ofcourse，Isaid：“Oh，howcanyoubesosilly！”Doyouthinkhemeantany-thing，dear？
　　MissTHREEGANExtractinglonglavendersilkstockingfromtherubbish。YouknowhimbetterthanIdo。
　　MissDOh，dobesympathetic，Minnie！I’msurehedoesAtleastIwouldbesureiihewasn’talwaysridingwiththatodiousMrs。
　　Hagan。
　　MissTIsupposesoHowdoesonemanagetodancethroughone’sheelsfirst？Lookatthis-isn’titshameful？Spreadsstocking-heelonopenhandforinspection。
　　MissDNevermindthat！Youcan’tmenditHelpmewiththishatefulbodiceI’verunthestringso，andI’verunthestringso，andIcan’tmakethefulnesscomerightWherewouldyouputthis？
　　Wavesliliesofthevalley。