of your own, had been a sore trial and a grief to all of
us. No doubt existed in our minds that you had been cut to pieces,
and you seem to have almost come back from the dead."

The other officers then crowded round him, shaking his hand and
congratulating him on his escape.

"Now, come in and tell us how this miracle has come about. We can
understand that you have been held as a hostage, but how is it that
you are here?

"Now, do you get up on a chair, and give us a true and faithful
account of all that happened to you, and how it is that you
effected your escape."

"I did not effect my escape at all," Lisle said, as he mounted the
chair; "I was released without any terms being made and, for the
past three months, have been treated as an honoured guest by the
Afridi chief into whose hands I fell."

"Well, tell the story from the beginning," the colonel said; "what
you have said only adds to our wonder."

Lisle modestly told the story, amid frequent cross questioning.

"Well, there is no doubt that you were lucky, Lisle," the colonel
said, when he had brought his story to a conclusion. "The pluck of
your action, in getting Colonel Houghton off and staying yourself,
appealed strongly to the Afridis; and caused their chief to decide
to retain you as a hostage, instead of killing you at once. I do
not suppose that he really thought that he would gain much, by
saving you; for he must have known that we are in a hurry to get
down through the passes, and must consider it very doubtful whether
we should ever return. Still, no doubt he would have detained you
and, in the spring, sent down to say that you were in his hands;
and in that way would have endeavoured to make terms for your
release. But your assistance when he was attacked, and your
readiness to take part with his people, entirely changed his
attitude towards you.

"However, I don't suppose he will lose by it. The general is sure
to send back a handsome present to him, for his conduct towards
you.

"Have you seen Houghton yet?"

"Yes, sir; I have been with him for the past hour. He has been more
than kind to me and, as he has no near relations, has been good
enough to say that he will adopt me as his heir. So I have indeed
been amply rewarded for the service I did him."

"I congratulate you most heartily," the colonel said; "you have
well earned it, and I am sure that there is not a man in the army
who will envy your good fortune. There is only one th