all sorts of nuisances.

"Anyhow, I shall always be glad I have had my share in this
expedition. I have learned what campaigning is; and I must say
that, under such circumstances as we have gone through, it is not
quite so pleasurable as I had expected. Half one's friends are dead
or invalided home; and one never knows, when one wakes in the
morning, whether one may not be down with cholera before night. The
fighting is all well enough but, after all, that takes up but a
very small portion of one's time; and marching and, I may say,
living generally in this hot, sweltering climate, with its six
months of rain, is not enviable work. However, I have gone through
one regular campaign, and that as severe a one as British troops
have ever performed; and above all, old man, I have met you, and we
have come to be great friends, and I have learned what one fellow
will do for another."

"I am sure I am very glad to have gone through it, too. I have been
fortunate, indeed, in never having been laid up for a single day;
and there is no doubt that having served on the staff will be of
great advantage to me, even as a trader. I own that I should like
to have retired a captain. Of course, promotion has been
tremendously fast, owing to the death vacancies, but I have still
two lieutenants over me."

"You are sure to get the step, Stanley. You have been in general
orders twice, besides that notice you got for my rescue. Also, the
doctors say that a number of the men who have been sent down to the
coast are not likely to live many weeks and, as five of your
seniors have been invalided, you may get your step, in the natural
course of things, at any moment.

"If I were you, I should ask for three months' leave before
rejoining your regiment. There will be no difficulty about that,
after you have been upwards of two years in constant work; and the
general will certainly not refuse. Before the end of that time you
will have seen your uncle, and talked matters over. Then, if you
choose to resign your commission, you can of course do so but, as
you are pretty sure to get your step, by death, before the end of
the three months; and as the general's despatches strongly
recommend your services, you may get your brevet majority before
your resignation reaches England. A man who has been mentioned two
or three times in despatches, and is specially recommended for
honours, is sure to get his brevet majority directly he gets his
company."