gain and
again, and yet again, while Jim Hawkins, fifty miles away, marked off
on a big map the tracks of his wheels gridironing the stricken lands.
Others did well--Hawkins reported at the end they all did well--but
Scott was the most excellent, for he kept good coined rupees by him,
settled for his own cart-repairs on the spot, and ran to meet all sorts
of unconsidered extras, trusting to be recouped later on. Theoretically,
the Government should have paid for every shoe and linchpin, for every
hand employed in the loading; but Government vouchers cash themselves
slowly, and intelligent and efficient clerks write at great length,
contesting unauthorised expenditures of eight annas. The man who wants
to make his work a success must draw on his own bank-account of money or
other things as he goes.

"I told you he'd work," said Jimmy to his wife, at the end of six weeks.
"He's been in sole charge of a couple of thousand men up north, on the
Mosuhl Canal, for a year; but he gives less trouble than young Martyn
with his ten constables; and I'm morally certain--only Government
doesn't recognise moral obligations--he's spent about half his pay to
grease his wheels. Look at this, Lizzie, for one week's work! Forty
miles in two days with twelve carts; two days' halt building a
famine-shed for young Rogers. (Rogers ought to have built it himself,
the idiot!) Then forty miles back again, loading six carts on the
way, and distributing all Sunday. Then in the evening he pitches in a
twenty-page Demi-Official to me, saying the people where he is might be
'advantageously employed on relief-work,' and suggesting that he put 'em
to work on some broken-down old reservoir he's discovered, so as to have
a good water-supply when the Rains break. 'Thinks he can cauk the dam in
a fortnight. Look at his marginal sketches--aren't they clear and good?
I knew he was pukka, but I didn't know he was as pukka as this."

"I must show these to William," said Mrs. Jim. "The child's wearing
herself out among the babies."

"Not more than you are, dear. Well, another two months ought to see us
out of the wood. I'm sorry it's not in my power to recommend you for a
V. C."

William sat late in her tent that night, reading through page after page
of the square handwriting, patting the sketches of proposed repairs to
the reservoir, and wrinkling her eyebrows over the columns of figures of
estimated water-supply. "And he finds time to do all this," she cr