and four killed and wounded, out of one thousand and seventy
combatants.

The force marched in at noon, the next day; and were received with
great joy by the garrison. They bivouacked round the castle and, on
the following day, the Kashmir garrison came out and camped with
them; rejoicing much at the change from the poisoned atmosphere of
the fort. They were mere walking skeletons.

Some days later the 3rd Brigade under General Gatacre arrived,
followed by General Low and the headquarter staff.

The day after their arrival at Chitral, one of Kelly's orderlies
came into the line and enquired for Mutteh Ghar. A short time
before, Lisle had noticed Gholam Singh leave the colonel's tent;
and guessed that he had been sharply questioned, by the colonel, as
to the name he had gone under in the regiment. He at once followed
the orderly to the tent.

"This is a nice trick you have played us, Lisle," the colonel said,
as he entered. "To think that while we all thought you on your way
down to Calcutta, you were acting as a private in the regiment! It
was very wrong of Gholam Singh to consent to your doing so; but I
was so pleased to know that you were here that I could not bring it
in my heart to blow him up as he deserved. Unquestionably, he acted
from the respect and affection that he felt for your father.

"What put the idea into your head?"

"I had quite made up my mind to go with the regiment, sir; and
should have come as a mule driver or a coolie, if I had not got
into the ranks."

"Well, it is done and cannot be undone. Lieutenant Moberley has
reported most favourably of your conduct in the last fight, and
Gholam Singh says that your conduct as a private has been
excellent. You have become a great favourite with the men, by the
cheerfulness with which you bore the hardships of the march; and
kept up the spirits of the men by your jokes and example.

"But of course, this cannot go on. You must again become one of us
and, on the march down, do officer's duty. I shall not fail to
report the matter, and shall recommend you for a commission. I feel
sure that, as the son of Captain Bullen, and for the services you
have rendered during the campaign, together with your knowledge of
the language, my recommendation will be effective.

"But I don't know what we can do about clothes. We are all
practically in rags, and have only the things that we stand in."

"I have brought a suit with me in my kit, sir; and as we have h