rs, that I recognized your
voice at once.

"Then the wonder that we felt about you ceased. It seemed for a
moment impossible, for I had seen you go off with the sick convoy.
Then it seemed to me that it was just the thing that Captain
Bullen's son might be expected to do. You would naturally want to
see fighting, but I did wonder how you managed to come back and get
enlisted into the regiment. I remember, now, that I wondered a
little the first night you joined. You were in uniform and, as a
rule, recruits don't go into uniform for some time after they have
joined. It was therefore remarkable that you should turn up in
uniform, rifle and all."

"It was the uniform of the original Mutteh Ghar," Lisle said. "My
servant had managed to get it; and the story that I was the man's
cousin, and was therefore permitted to take his place, was natural
enough to pass."

"But some of our officers must have helped you, sahib?"

"Well, I won't say anything about that. I did manage to join in the
way I wanted, and you and your comrade were both very kind to me."

"That was natural enough, sahib. You were a young recruit, and we
understood that you were put with us two old soldiers in order that
we might teach you your duty. It was not long, however, before we
found that there was very little teaching necessary for, at the end
of a week, you knew your work as well as any man in the regiment.
We thought you a wonder, but we kept our thoughts to ourselves.

"Now that we know who you are, all the regiment is proud that your
father's son has come among us, and shared our lot down to the
smallest detail. I noticed that you were rather clumsy with your
cooking, but even in that respect you soon learned how things
should be done.

"I suppose, sahib, we shall lose you at the end of the campaign?"

"Yes; I shall have to start for England, at once; for in order to
gain a commission, I must study hard for two or three years. Of
course, I shall then have to declare myself to the officers, in
order to get my discharge. I am afraid that the colonel will be
very angry, but I cannot help that. I am quite sure, however, that
he will let me go, as soon as he knows who I am. It will be rather
fun to see the surprise of the officers."

"I don't think the colonel will be angry, sahib. He might have
been, if you had not done so well; but as it is, he cannot but be
pleased that Captain Bullen's son should have so distinguished
himself, even in the