184 The Light That Failed be in readiness. The Keneu had telegraphed to Cairo for horses; Cassavetti had stolen a perfectly inaccurate list of troops that would be ordered forward, and was reading it out amid profane interruptions, and the Keneu introduced to Dick some man unknown who would be employed as war artist by the Central Southern Syndicate. “It’s his first outing,” said the Keneu. “Give him some tips — about riding camels.” “Oh, those camels!” groaned Cassavetti. “I shall learn to ride him again, and now I am so much all soft! Listen, you good fellows. I know your military arrangement very well. There will go the Royal Argalshire Sutherlanders. So it was read to me upon best authority. A roar of laughter interrupted him. “Sit down,” said the Nilghai. “The lists aren’t even made out in the War Office.” “Will there be any force at Suakin>?” aid a voice. Then the outcries redoubled, and grew mixed, thus: “How many Egyptian troops will they use? — God help the Fellaheen! — There’s a railway in Plumstead marshes doing duty as a fives-court. — We shall have the Suakin-Berber line built at last. - Canadian voyageurs are too careful. Give me a half-drunk Krooman in a whale-boat.— Who commands the Desert column? — No, they never blew up the big rock in the Ghineh bend. We shall have to be hauled up, as usual. — Somebody tell me if there’s an Indian contingent, or I'll break everybody’s head. — Don’t tear the map in two. — It’s a war of occupation, I tell you, to connect with the African companies in the South. — There’s Guinea-worm in most of the wells on that route.” Then the Nilghai, despairing of peace, bellowed like a foghorn and beat upon the table with both hands. “But what becomes of Torpenhow?” said Dick, in the silence that followed.