She and Allan by H. Rider Haggard

So I went and was conducted by Billali, the old chamberlain, for such seemed to be his office, who had been waiting patiently without all this while, back to our rest-house. On my way I picked up Hans, whom I found sitting outside the arch, and found that as usual that worthy had been keeping his eyes and ears open.

"Baas," he said, "did the White Witch tell you that there is a big _impi_ encamped over yonder outside the houses, in what looks like a great dry ditch, and on the edge of the plain beyond?"