▁across ▁an ▁Af rik an er ▁South ▁African ▁officer , ▁Captain ▁van ▁der ▁Po el , ▁who ▁car ries ▁a ▁large ▁pack , ▁to ▁which ▁he ▁seems ▁very ▁attached . ▁After ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁shows ▁An son ▁two ▁bott les ▁of ▁g in ▁in ▁his ▁back pack , ▁van ▁der ▁Po el ▁persu ades ▁An son ▁to ▁let ▁him ▁join ▁their ▁drive ▁to ▁the ▁safety ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁lines ▁in ▁Alexand ria , ▁Egypt . ▁ ▁En ▁route , ▁the ▁group ▁meets ▁with ▁various ▁obst acles , ▁including ▁a ▁mine field , ▁a ▁broken ▁susp ension ▁spring ▁( d uring ▁its ▁replacement , ▁van ▁der ▁Po el ' s ▁great ▁strength ▁saves ▁the ▁group ▁when ▁he ▁supports ▁" K aty " ▁on ▁his ▁back ▁when ▁the ▁jack ▁col laps es ), ▁and ▁the ▁dangerous ▁terrain ▁of ▁the ▁Q att ara ▁De pression . ▁After ▁Sister ▁Den ise ▁N orton ▁is ▁killed ▁by ▁a ▁German ▁pat rol , ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁bl ames ▁himself ▁and ▁his ▁drink ing , ▁An son ▁v ows ▁not ▁to ▁drink ▁any ▁alco hol ▁until ▁he ▁can ▁have ▁an ▁" ice ▁cold ▁l ager ▁in ▁' Alex ' ". ▁ ▁Tw ice ▁the ▁group ▁enc oun ters ▁motor ised ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁adv ancing ▁A frika ▁Kor ps ; ▁in ▁one ▁encounter ▁they ▁are ▁fired ▁upon , ▁and ▁N orton ▁is ▁fat ally ▁wounded . ▁Van ▁der ▁Po el , ▁who ▁claims ▁to ▁have ▁learned ▁German ▁while ▁working ▁in ▁South ▁West ▁Africa , ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁talk ▁the ▁Germ