That will be very useful, for though we all speak Arabic, few speak the Negro language, which is more commonly used here.
"Your father fell with Hicks Pasha, I am told, and you have joined us with the object of obtaining news as to the manner in which he met his death ?" "That is so, sir.

It was always my mother's wish that I should, when I was old enough, come up to the Soudan to make enquiries.

As my father was a good Arabic scholar, my mother always entertained a faint hope that he might have escaped; especially as we know that a good many of the Egyptian soldiers were not killed, but were taken prisoners, and made to serve in the Mahdi's army." "Yes, there are several of them among the Khalifa's artillerymen, but I am very much afraid that none of the officers were spared.

You see, they kept together in a body, and died fighting to the last." "I have hardly any hopes myself, sir.

Still, as my father was interpreter, he might not have been with the others, but in some other part of the square that was attacked." "That is possible; but he was a white man, and in the heat of the battle I don't think that the Dervishes would have made any exception.
You see, there were two correspondents with Hicks, and neither of them has ever been heard of; and they must, I should think, have joined in that last desperate charge of his.
"Well, for the present I must make you a sort of extra aide-de-camp, and what with one thing and another, I have no doubt that I shall find plenty for you to do.