The Anglo-Egyptian Army Had Not Formed A Quadrilateral Camp, As On Other Nights, But Had Lain Down To Rest In The Formation For Attack They Had Assumed In The Afternoon.

Every fifty yards behind the thorn-bushes were double sentries.

Every hundred yards a patrol with an officer was to be met. Fifty yards in rear of this line lay the battalions, the men in all their ranks, armed and accoutred, but sprawled into every conceivable attitude which utter weariness could suggest or dictate. The enemy, twice as strong as the Expeditionary Force, were within five miles. They had advanced that day with confidence and determination. But it seemed impossible to believe that they would attack by daylight across the open ground. Two explanations of their advance and halt presented themselves. Either they had offered battle in a position where they could not themselves be attacked until four o'clock in the afternoon, and hoped that the Sirdar's army, even though victorious, would have to fight a rear-guard action in the darkness to the river; or they intended to make a night attack. It was not likely that an experienced commander would accept battle at so late an hour in the day. If the Dervishes were anxious to attack, so much the worse for them. But the army would remain strictly on the defensive - at any rate, until there was plenty of daylight. The alternative remained - a night attack.

Here lay the great peril which threatened the expedition. What was to be done with the troops during the hours of darkness?

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