they had shown him, and by the manner in which his
fellow sub-officers always spoke to him with a certain air of
respect. This, however, did not worry him. He felt certain that
they would keep the secret; and at the end of the campaign he must,
of course, disclose himself and obtain his discharge. Until then,
no one would have time to think much of the matter, still less find
any opportunity of reporting it to Colonel Kelly.

He wondered how the colonel would take it, when he went up to say
who he was. He did not think he would be very seriously angry,
though probably he would wig him sharply. At any rate he had not
done badly, and had brought no discredit to the regiment.

He had unconsciously adopted the regimental belief that he was a
lucky man, and should get through the campaign unhurt. He was
particularly anxious that he should do so as, were he confined in
hospital for a few days, he would have no opportunity of renewing
his stain; in which case he would undoubtedly be detected. They had
advanced so far now, however, that even if he were discovered, they
could hardly send him back before he got to Chitral. He might, of
course, be detained at Reshun, which would be a horrible nuisance.

One night his camp mate said to him:

"You ought to be with the officers, Bullen sahib. It is not right
for you to be working as we do."

"Why do you call me Bullen Sahib, Pertusal?"

"Everyone knows it, sahib. Little by little we nave found you out.
We had some suspicions from the first, but now we are sure of it.
Only your father's son would have fought as you did on the hill
and, when we came to look very closely at you, we all recognized
you, in spite of your dye."

"Then I wish I hadn't fought quite so hard, Pertusal, for I had
hoped that I had altogether escaped recognition. I thought that I
could have gone through the campaign without anyone suspecting who
I was."

"We did not suspect at first, sahib. We quite took you for one of
ourselves. No, the cheerfulness with which you bore your hardships,
and your readiness to assist anyone, surprised us. You were so
different from us all that we could not help wondering who you
were; but I don't think any of us really suspected that you were
Captain Bullen's son, till that fight. I know that when I was busy
fighting, sorely pushed as we were, I wondered when I heard you
shout in English; and I had heard you call out so often, when you
were playing cricket with the office