In that small corner of the
earth, the sergeant was of far more importance than
governor-general and commander-in-chief. In fact, it was probably
the common belief that he was somehow the head of the whole
business; and India, the war, and all that hung thereon, were
looked at and cared for only as they had served to bring him out.
So careless were the good folk about everything in the matter
except their own hero, and so wonderful were the romances which
soon got abroad about him, that Miss Winter, tired of explaining
again and again to the old women without the slightest effect on
the parochial faith, bethought her of having a lecture on the
subject of India and the war in the parish schoolroom.

Full of this idea, she wrote off to Tom, who was the medium of
communication on Indian matters, and propounded it to him. The
difficulty was, that Mr. Walker, the curate, the only person
competent to give it, was going away directly for a three weeks'
holiday, having arranged with two neighbouring curates to take
his Sunday duty for him. What was to be done? Harry might be back
any day, it seemed; so there was no time to be lost. Could Tom
come himself, and help her?

Tom could not, but he wrote back to say that his friend Hardy was
just getting away from Oxford for the long vacation, and would
gladly take Mr. Walker's duty for the three weeks, if Dr. Winter
approved, on his way home; by which Englebourn would not be
without an efficient parson on week-days, and she would have the
man of all others to help her in utilizing the sergeant's history
for the instruction of the bucolic mind. The arrangement,
moreover, would be particularly happy, because Hardy had already
promised to perform the marriage ceremony, which Tom and she had
settled would take place at the earliest possible moment after
the return of the Indian heroes.

Dr. Winter was very glad to accept the offer; and so, when they
parted at Oxford, Hardy went to Englebourn, where we must leave
him for the present. Tom went home--whence, in a few days, he had
to hurry down to Southampton to meet the two Harrys. He was much
shocked at first to see the state of his old school-fellow. East
looked haggard and pale in the face, notwithstanding the sea
voyage. His clothes hung on him as if they had been made for a
man of twice his size, and he walked with difficulty by the help
of a large stick. But he had lost none of his indomitableness,
laughed at Tom's long face, an