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“‘E expects to get ‘is C’mission some day,” explained Orth’ris; “Gawd ‘elp the Mess that ‘ave to put their ‘ands into the same kiddy as ‘im! Wot time d’you make it, sir? Fower! Mulvaney ‘ll be out in ‘arf an hour. You don’t want to buy a dorg, sir, do you? A pup you can trust–‘arf Rampore by the Colonel’s grey’ound.”

“Ortheris,” I answered, sternly, for I knew what was in his mind, “do you mean to say that”–

“I didn’t mean to arx money o’ you, any’ow,” said Ortheris; “I’d ‘a’ sold you the dorg good an’ cheap, but–but–I know Mulvaney ‘ll want somethin’ after we’ve walked ‘im orf, an’ I ain’t got nothin’, nor ‘e ‘asn’t neither, I’d sooner sell you the dorg, sir. ‘S’trewth! I would!”

A shadow fell on the drawbridge, and Ortheris began to rise into the air, lifted by a huge hand upon his collar.

“Onything but t’ braass,” said Learoyd, quietly, as he held the Londoner over the ditch. “Onything but t’ braass, Orth’ris, ma son! Ah’ve got one rupee eight annas of ma own.” He showed two coins, and replaced Ortheris on the drawbridge rail.

“Very good,” I said; “where are you going to?”

“Goin’ to walk ‘im orf wen ‘e comes out–two miles or three or fower,” said Ortheris.

The footsteps within ceased. I heard the dull thud of a knapsack falling on a bedstead, followed by the rattle of arms. Ten minutes later, Mulvaney, faultlessly dressed, his lips tight and his face as black as a thunderstorm, stalked into the sunshine on the drawbridge. Learoyd and Ortheris sprang from my side and closed in upon him, both leaning toward as horses lean upon the pole. In an instant they had disappeared down the sunken road to the cantonments, and I was left alone. Mulvaney had not seen fit to recognize me; so I knew that his trouble must be heavy upon him.

I climbed one of the bastions and watched the figures of the Three Musketeers grow smaller and smaller across the plain. They were walking as fast as they could put foot to the ground, and their heads were bowed. They fetched a great compass round the parade-ground, skirted the Cavalry lines, and vanished in the belt of trees that fringes the low land by the river.

I followed slowly, and sighted them–dusty, sweating, but still keeping up their long, swinging tramp–on the river bank. They crashed through the Forest Reserve, headed toward the Bridge of Boats, and presently established themselves on the bow of one of the pontoons. I rode cautiously till I saw three puffs of white smoke rise and die out in the clear evening air, and knew that peace had come again. At the bridge-head they waved me forward with gestures of welcome.

“Tie up your ‘orse,” shouted Ortheris, “an’ come on, sir. We’re all goin’ ‘ome in this ‘ere bloomin’ boat.”

From the bridge-head to the Forest Officer’s bungalow is but a step. The mess-man was there, and would see that a man held my horse. Did the Sahib require aught else–a peg, or beer? Ritchie Sahib had left half a dozen bottles of the latter, but since the Sahib was a friend of Ritchie Sahib, and he, the mess-man, was a poor man–

I gave my order quietly, and returned to the bridge. Mulvaney had taken off his boots, and was dabbling his toes in the water; Learoyd was lying on his back on the pontoon; and Ortheris was pretending to row with a big bamboo.

“I’m an ould fool,” said Mulvaney, reflectively, “dhraggin’ you two out here bekaze I was undher the Black Dog–sulkin’ like a child. Me that was soldierin’ when Mullins, an’ be damned to him, was shquealin’ on a counterpin for five shillin’ a week–an’ that not paid! Bhoys, I’ve took you five miles out av natural pervarsity. Phew!”

“Wot’s the odds so long as you’re ‘appy?” said Ortheris, applying himself afresh to the bamboo. “As well ‘ere as anywhere else.”