theories
at Kot Ghazi.

Turning his head, he shouted to Surgeon-Captain Digby-Soames,
R.A.M.C., his passenger and pupil:--

"Vultures on the left-front or starboard bow. 'Invariable battle-field
sign of wounded man. Note spot if unable to land and rescue. Call up
stretcher-party by signal--_Vide_ page 100 of Decies' great work,'
what?"

"By Jove, it is a wounded man," replied Captain Digby-Soames, who was
using field-glasses. "Damned if it isn't a Sahib, too! Out shikarring
and sprained his ankle, I suppose. Dead, I'm afraid. Poor devil!"

"Vultures aren't _at work_, anyhow," commented Colonel Decies. "Can't
land anywhere hereabouts, and I'm afraid 'calling up the stretcher
party' isn't in the game here."

"Nothing nearer than Kot Ghazi and that's a good thirty miles,"
replied Captain Digby-Soames as the aeroplane hovered and slowly sank.

"Let's see all we can and then find the nearest landing-place. Search
all round for any sign of a tent or encampment. There may be a
dak-bungalow somewhere down in the plains, too. The river-bed down on
the right there, marks the border."

Captain Digby-Soames "scoured" earnestly with his glasses.

"Camel on the port-bow, at the foot of the hills," he announced. "What
may be a dak-bungalow several miles away ... a white square dot,
anyhow ... Camel saddled up, kneeling ... His, no doubt. Wonder where
his shikarri is--"

As the aeroplane approached, the disappointed vultures departed,
misliking the size, shape and sounds of the strange fowl. As it passed
over him, and the Major shouted, Dam opened his eyes.

This must be pretty well the end--when he heard the voice of some one
he knew well, and saw a flying-machine just above him. He would see
blocks of ice and cascades of cold water in a moment, doubtless, and
hear Lucille calling.

A flying-machine in Ghazistan! The voice of an old, old friend to whom
he could not, for the moment, give a name ... Why couldn't the
cowardly brutes of vultures begin their business, and end his? What
was that familiar voice calling:--

"Hold on a bit, we'll soon be with you! Don't give up. We can't land
just here. If we drop anything can you crawl and get it?"

"He opened his eyes," said Captain Digby-Soames, "but I doubt if he's
conscious. He must have come a frightful cropper. You can see there's
a compound fracture of the right femur from here, and one of his feet
is fairly pointing backwards. Blood from the mouth, too. Anyhow he's
a