oop to flatter," he said coldly. "It is the truth. Yes, you
are young, but you will soon grow older and more experienced, and train
my men till they have all the speed of yours. Do you tell me that you
could not drill and teach my soldiers?"

"Oh no, I do not tell you that," I said frankly, "because I could."

"Yes; of course you could, and it will be a proud position for you."

"What! as a British officer in the service of a rajah?"

"Yes; I could tell you of a dozen cases where an English soldier has
drilled his master's forces as you will drill them, for I must have
large troops of horse artillery like you had. You shall be in command."

I looked hard at him, for even then I felt that he must be joking with
me, the proposal seemed to be so out of all reason, and I had so small
an estimate of my own powers, that there were moments when I felt ready
to laugh, and felt sure that if Brace, serious as he was, had heard it,
he would have burst into a hearty fit of mirth.

But the rajah's face was grave and stern, and his words were full of the
calm conviction that I was the very person to take the command of his
men and train them as he wished.

As he sat gazing at me, waiting for me to accept his proposal, I tried
to treat it in all seriousness, as if quietly discussing the matter with
him.

"Do I understand you rightly?" I said; "that you wish me to be your
chief artillery officer?"

"Yes, that is it," he said, "to arrange everything, and above all to get
up as quickly as possible three or four troops of horse artillery. You
know exactly how it should be done, and could teach the men till they
were as quick and dashing as your own."

"It would require Englishmen then," I thought, for I could not see that
it was possible with Indians.

"Would it take very long?" he said. "You could start with men from the
cavalry, and so only have to teach them gun-drill."

"Yes, it would take very long," I said.

"Never mind; they would get better every day. I should be satisfied,
for I know what you can do."

"Why do you wish to have these troops?" I said, more for the sake of
keeping back my reply than for anything else.

"Why? To make me strong," he cried excitedly. "With men like that, and
the quick-firing guns, I shall be more powerful than any of the rajahs
near. But you hesitate; you do not say yes."

I looked at him sadly.

"Come," he continued, "at your age there should not be any hanging back.
H