gyfy that too much butter warn't good for a boy's innards,
and she'd listen and say nothing till the next slice was cut, and blest
if he didn't lay it on thicker than her. Argyfyin' ain't in it against
sense."

Ahmed was growing impatient under the rifleman's garrulity, though he
took a certain pleasure in hearing his mother tongue again. The name
"Jimmy" had caught his ear, and he remembered that he had himself been
called by that name in those distant years of childhood that seemed like
existence in another world. But meanwhile the night was passing; his
news was yet untold; and he was meditating a flight from these English
soldiers when he heard the tread of men marching, and in a few moments
there came up a lieutenant going the rounds with a squad to see that the
men of the outposts and pickets were attending to their duty.

"Who's this, sergeant?" said the lieutenant, observing Ahmed. "You know
the rules: no visitors allowed?"

"Yes, sir, and he ain't exactly a visitor, that is we didn't invite him
and didn't know he was coming; in fact, he came on us all of a heap
like, and nearly knocked the breath out o' my body by falling right on
top of me, sir. He asked for Hodson Sahib, sir, and I was just
explaining that he'd come to the wrong shop."

"Brought khabar, eh?" said the lieutenant. "Take him to Mr. Hodson," he
added, turning to one of his men, and Ahmed was forthwith conveyed along
the Ridge until he reached his commander's tent. Hodson was in bed, but
on hearing that a native had asked for him, he had Ahmed brought into
the tent.

"Who are you?" he said, not recognizing his trooper in the bearded man
before him.

"I am Ahmed Khan, sahib, and I come from Delhi with news."

"By Jove!" cried Hodson, "your get-up is first-rate." Then he laughed.
"You are no doubt the man Fazl Hak wrote about; a simple trader, he
said, who was no good at all for our job. Well, what have you got to
say?"

He listened attentively as Ahmed told his story.

As his manner was, he questioned and cross-questioned him searchingly;
it was no easy matter, as a rule, to sift out the bare truth from the
natives' reports; but Ahmed's account was so simple and direct that he
was speedily satisfied, and then he got up, and flinging on a long
military cloak, went off to tell General Barnard in person what he had
learnt.

"You are wet through," he said before he went, noticing Ahmed's
bedraggled appearance. "My servant will give you som