32nd Pioneers, who have the reputation of
being one of the best fighting regiments in all India."

"Well, I hope so, Pertusal. At any rate, I am extremely glad I
came. I have seen what fighting is, and that under the most severe
conditions. I have proved to myself that I can bear hardships
without flinching; and I shall certainly be proud, all my life,
that I have been one in the column for the relief of Chitral--that
is to say, if we are the first."

"We shall be the first," the soldier said, positively. "It is hard
work enough getting our baggage over the passes; but it will be
harder still for the Peshawar force, encumbered with such a train
as they will have to take with them.

"Ah! Sahib, if only our food were so condensed that we could carry
a supply for twelve days about us, what would we not be able to do?
We could rout the fiercest tribe on the frontier, without
difficulty. We could march about fifteen or twenty miles a day, and
more than that, if necessary. We could do wonders, indeed."

"I am afraid we shall never discover that," Lisle said. "The German
soldiers do indeed carry condensed meat in sausages, and can take
three or four days' supplies with them; but we have not yet
discovered anything like food of which men could carry twelve days'
supply. We may some day be able to do it but, even if it weighed
but a pound a day, it would add heavily to the load to be carried."

"No one would mind that," Pertusal said. "Think what a comfort it
would be, if we could make our breakfast before starting, eat a
little in the middle of the day, and be sure of supper directly we
got into camp; instead of having to wait hours and hours, and
perhaps till the next morning, before the baggage train arrived. I
would willingly carry double my present load, if I felt sure that I
would gain that advantage. I know that the officers have tins of
condensed milk, one of which can make more than a gallon; and that
they carry cocoa, and other things, of which a little goes a long
way. Now, if they could condense rice and ghee like that, we should
be able to carry all that is necessary with us for twelve days.
Mutton we could always get on a campaign, for the enemy's flocks
are at our disposal; and it must be a bare place, indeed, where we
could not find enough meat to keep us going. It is against our
religion to eat beef, but few of us would hesitate to do so, on a
campaign; and oxen are even more common than sheep.

"It is