66th--all of senior standing to
himself--had placed Will Gale at the top of the list of lieutenants
and, as several officers were disabled by wounds, he was now
performing captain's duty, and was in charge of a company. There
were, indeed, but three companies now in the 66th Regiment; so
great having been the loss, that the whole of the survivors now
made up but this number.

Among the other duties of the troops was that of protecting the
many houses which had been left vacant, by the hasty retirement of
many of the native merchants and traders, at the approach of
Ayoub's force. Colonel Primrose--anxious to lessen the number of
mouths to be fed--encouraged the exodus; promising to take charge
of all property left behind. This duty proved a troublesome one, as
the lower class--which still remained in the city--were constantly
endeavoring to break into, and loot, the houses thus left vacant by
their proprietors. In order to protect these as much as possible,
many of the officers were directed to move from their quarters in
the barracks, and take up their residence in them; an order which
was gladly obeyed, as the exchange, from hot confined quarters to
the roomy dwellings of the merchants, was a very pleasant one.

Will Gale was one of those who so moved and, with Yossouf and two
native followers, had been quartered in the house of a wealthy silk
merchant. One night, he was aroused from sleep by Yossouf.

"Sahib!" the latter whispered, "I hear people moving below. I think
there are thieves in the house."

Will rose noiselessly, slipped on his trousers and shoes and--taking
up a revolver in one hand, and a sword in another--stole downstairs;
followed by Yossouf, with his long Afghan knife in his hand. The door
of the warehouse was open; and within it Will saw, by the faint light
of a lamp which one of them carried, four Afghan ruffians engaged in
making up silks into large bundles, in readiness to carry off. His
approach was unnoticed; and on reaching the door he leveled his pistol,
and shouted to the Afghans to surrender, as his prisoners.

In reply, they dropped the lamp, and made a sudden rush at him. He
fired his pistol hastily in the darkness but, in an instant, the
Afghans were upon him. The first man he cut down, but he was
knocked over by the rush of the others. Two fell upon him; but
Yossouf bounded upon them like a tiger, and buried his knife to the
hilt in their backs, in quick succession. The last of the