He knew that it was impossible to get near Mahmud himself, for he had his own bodyguard of picked men.

The night, however, was dark and, enveloping himself from head to foot in his black blanket, he crawled out until well beyond the line of tents, and then very cautiously made his way towards them again.

He knew that he should see the white figures of the Dervishes before they could make him out; and he managed, unnoticed, to crawl up to one of the largest tents, and lie down against it.

He heard the chatter of the women in an adjoining tent, but there was no sound in that against which he lay.
For an hour all was quiet.

Then he saw two white figures coming from Mahmud's camp, which lay some fifty yards away.