unghostly clap on the shoulder. "I'm come back to plague you; do
you twig--eh?"

"Bob!" cried Gerrard, shaking hands with him rapturously. "My dear old
fellow, I never was so glad in my life!"

"And I believe the fool really is glad, instead of having been thankful
that his hated rival was safely out of the way," said Charteris
compassionately.

"Glad is no word for it," said Gerrard. "Come and tell me all about
yourself. I'm in the old place--you'll chum with me as usual, of
course?"

"I believe you, my boy! But I must satisfy the natural curiosity of
the higher powers first. I suppose it's true, as they told me at the
gate, that the Colonel has come down like a wolf on the fold, and
sneaked the conduct of affairs out of the hands of our Mr James?"

"Yes, he is here. You know he's got his K.C.B.?"

"Wish he had stayed up in the hills with it, then. I don't admire
James Antony's taste in jokes, but his heavy hand appeals to me in
connection with Sher Singh. Now I am afraid the erring brother will be
received with tears of joy and forgiven on the spot and coddled
afterwards, and I wanted him kept in suspense for a bit and then put on
probation. He has given me some precious unpleasant moments, I can
tell you. Well, you go off and prepare fatted calf and any other
suitably symbolical prog you may have at hand, and I'll turn up as soon
as I can."

Munshi Somwar Mal was in waiting to escort Charteris to his quarters
when he emerged from his interview with the Resident, and greeted him
with genuine pleasure.

"Now do the nightingales sing once more in the groves of friendship!"
he remarked. "Verily for Jirad Sahib the flame of joy has of late
burned low in the lamp of life, but now the oil of Chatar Sahib's
presence will replenish it until it illuminates all Granthistan."

With similar flowery compliments he beguiled the whole way, and
Charteris noted with admiration that he did not once repeat his
metaphors. On the well-remembered verandah Gerrard's servant was
putting the finishing touches to the supper-table, to furnish which he
had raided the Resident's larder and suborned his cook, and Charteris
threw himself into a chair with a sigh of satisfaction. Gerrard,
moving things about energetically inside to make room for him, called
out that he would come in a moment, and presently emerged and sat down
opposite him.

"Well, this is just what I like--and a few over," remarked Charteris
contentedly.