"I'll sit up to-night, Mrs. Cheniston, and you must try to get some sleep. I suppose"--he broke off suddenly, remembering the position in which they stood--"I suppose some of you watch--for the enemy"--he laughed with something of an effort--"every night?"
"Yes. I don't think we any of us slept last night," said Iris quietly. "You see we are so short-handed--only Mr. Wood and Mr. Garnett and Hassan know anything about fire-arms; and Mrs. Wood and I, and Rosa, Mrs. Wood's nurse, have been busy looking after Bruce and little Molly Wood."
"Of course. Well, I think the first thing to do, after I have given Mr. Cheniston this"--he had been mixing something in a little glass as he spoke--"is to meet and hold a council of war, with a view to the most useful disposition of our forces. After all"--he spoke more lightly, so keen was his desire to see her look less anxious--"we are not by any means a force to be despised. We have four able-bodied men among us; and this place, from what I can gather, looks pretty impregnable, on one side at least."
"Yes. Even Mr. Garnett admits that the Bedouins could hardly swarm up that rocky wall," said Iris, with a slightly more cheerful air. "And of course, too, we have not got to hold out indefinitely; for if my father reaches Cairo in good time we may have the relieving force here in less than three days."
"Of course we may!" His tone was resolutely optimistic. "Now, as soon as Mr. Cheniston drinks this we'll set to work."
He approached the bed, and having with some difficulty roused Cheniston from his stupor, administered the dose deftly; after which he turned to Iris once more.
"You spoke of a nurse just now. Who is she?"
"Oh, she is only a children's nurse, and rather a broken reed at the best of times," said Iris ruefully. "She had hysterics all last night, but she's a bit more sensible to-day."
"Hysterics or no, she can keep watch for half an hour," said Anstice rather grimly. "Suppose you find her and send her to me. Would you mind?"
"I'll go at once." Iris turned towards the door, and Anstice noted with a pang at his heart that she was certainly thinner and moved with less buoyancy than of old. "You--you won't be too severe with her, Dr. Anstice? After all, she is only a young girl, and she has gone through quite a lot since yesterday morning!"