the amber sky.

"How long shall we stay here?" said Brace, sadly, as he repeated my
question. "Who can tell? Perhaps for a year--perhaps for a month.
Till we are wanted to crush out some mad attempt on the part of a chief
to assert his independence, or to put down a quarrel between a couple of
rajahs hungry for each other's lands."

CHAPTER TEN.

It was a delightful change, for the country was grand, the English
society pleasant and hospitable, and the chief of the district most
eager to be on friendly terms with the officers of our troop, and of the
foot regiment stationed in the lower part of the town, so that the
months soon glided by, and whenever any of us could be spared from duty,
we were off on some expedition.

Brace cared little for sport, but he used to join the shooting-parties
got up by the nawab; and gloriously exciting beats we had through the
jungle; those when Brace was my companion being far more enjoyable than
when Barton had leave. For the latter's sole idea was to slay
everything; while Brace, who was a dead shot, and who laid low several
tigers during our stay, always seemed to be fonder of studying the
habits of the birds and smaller animals that we came across. As for
myself, I believe I shared to some extent the tastes of both; but to me
the whole expedition, with its elephant-ride and train of picturesque
servants, and the tiffin in the tent set up by the nawab's people, was
the great attraction.

It was a merry life we all led, with some festivity always on the way,
from hunting-parties down to lunches at the different civilians', and
then up again to dinner-parties and balls, given by the mess of the
artillery, or the sepoy regiment, which had an excellent band.

The officers of this black regiment were as pleasant and sociable a's
could be, and the colonel as fine a specimen of an English country
gentleman as could be found. There was quite an emulation as to which
corps should be the most soldierly and perfect in their evolutions.

The colonel took to me, and we were the best of friends. He told me
why.

"Because of your seat in the saddle, boy. I used to be passionately
fond of hunting at home, and my heart warmed to you the first day I
watched you in a gallop. However did you learn to ride like that?"

"I suppose it came almost naturally to me," I said, laughing. "My
father always insisted upon my having a pony, and spending several hours
a day in the saddle."