As we came past
him, he made me a sign. I did not return it. I shall return it on the
day when we escape."
"He will wait?"
"For a month. We must manage on one night during that month to escape
from the House of Stone. We can signal him to bring help. A passage
might be made in one night through that wall; the stones are loosely
built."
They walked a little farther and came to the water's edge. There amid
the crowd they spoke again of their escape, but with the air of men
amused at what went on about them.
"There is a better way than breaking through the wall," said Trench, and
he uttered a laugh as he spoke and pointed to a prisoner with a great
load upon his back who had fallen upon his face in the water, and
encumbered by his fetters, pressed down by his load, was vainly
struggling to lift himself again. "There is a better way. You have
money?"
"Ai, ai!" shouted Feversham, roaring with laughter, as the prisoner half
rose and soused again. "I have some concealed on me. Idris took what I
did not conceal."
"Good!" said Trench. "Idris will come to you to-day or to-morrow. He
will talk to you of the goodness of Allah who has brought you out of the
wickedness of the world to the holy city of Omdurman.
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