I should greatly prefer to stay out here, for a few years, until I had obtained such a position as would make me absolutely independent of them." "I can quite understand that," Captain Keppel said.

"Poor relations seldom get a warm welcome, and as you were born in Alexandria, they may be altogether unaware of your existence.

You have certainly been extremely fortunate, so far; and if you preferred a civil appointment, you would be pretty certain of getting one when the war is over.
"There will be a big job in organizing this country, after the Dervishes are smashed up; and a biggish staff of officials will be wanted.

No doubt most of these will be Egyptians, but Egyptian officials want looking after, so that a good many berths must be filled by Englishmen; and Englishmen with a knowledge of Arabic and the Negro dialect are not very easily found.

I should say that there will be excellent openings, for young men of capacity." "I have no doubt there will," Gregory said.