Told in the East

eds to be a very ordinary man to make at least a gallant showing. Gallery or no gallery to watch, given

a probably exaggerated statement of affairs, but he did not blink the fact that he might expect to be overwhelmed almost without notice, and at any minute. That was a fact which he accepted, for the sake of argument and as a working-bas

ntly be relieved by General Baines, who he felt sure would march at once on Jailpore; and had he chosen to he could have addressed the men, have set them to throwing up defenses and have made a nice theatrical redoubt that he co

e enemy, or where he was, nor why he was an enemy, nor when he would attack, he proposed to find out these things for himself preparat

st of the universe a theory, he was able to say a full funeral service over them from memory. He said it at the grave-end, with a lantern in his hand and o

because eight men back to back, with their bayonets outward and their butts against their knees, are an awkward proposition for an enemy. They

man. And we'll keep clear of the guardroom. As I understand my orders, the important point's the cross-roads. I'm supposed to halt every one who comes, and to ask him his business. And that'd be impossible to do from the guardroom here. Let this be a lesson to you men, now. In interpretin' orders, when a point

oing to boil around that guardroom; and if we're not in the guardroom, why, that's point number one for us! Leave the guardroom lanter

p them up and doing, and not make them stay by the scene of the murders. Brown knew their state of mind as accurately as he knew the range of their service rifles, and he knew j

almost see the advance-guard trotting toward him down the trunk road. But there is no accounting for a soldier's moods, and something told him-something deep down inside him that he could neither name nor understand-that he was out

them jumping at the word. Then he marched them two abreast in and out among the huts in search of any sign of native servants. They found no sign of any one at all. Though in that black darkness it would have been quit

the leg. The native's terror served to pull the men together quite a little, for Tommy Atkins always does and always did behave himself with pride when what he is pleased to consider his inferiors are a

the. For he was absolutely on edge, and had nothing to attend to but his own fear. The others had to keep both eyes and ears lifti

hispered hoar

nswer, though. Something told him what it was that move

akir,

gh the ranks, a sibilant

nybody swear?

aning on their rifles, their heads craned forward and t

rank!" comm

tood there fixed like a row o

single

f the service-as a man may when he is man eno

e and heavy, and they

open order! Extend! Now, forward-

ey followed him for very shame, now

-arms! Char

thing that chuckled and smelled horrible, and

-forward! Halt! Numbers Seven, Eigh

unk of the baobab. Between them and the trunk, the streaming tendrils swayed

e forwar

its rays fall on him. The light glinted off his eyes, and off the only other part of him that sh

fright would take possession of himself as well as of his men, but quite we

! Ask him how

t a question. The fakir chuckled, and followin

sahib, tha

fly with nine fix

sally. It takes very little in the way of humor

seen what comes of striking him.

old him answerable fo

he has promised what shall befall you, sahi

e is the Punja

ding howl, like a she-wolf's just at sundown. He was answered by another howl from

of you, about turn! Keep watch tha

s!' sahib. H

high as Haman by that withered arm of his, and have him beaten on the toenails with a cleaning-rod before I fill him

uchi tr

ou dare no

im to tal

b, 'You have h

ere's something fishy going on, and this swab's at the bottom of it! We want him, too, on a charge of murder, or instigating murder, and the guardroom's the best place for him. To the guardroom with him. He'll do for a hostage anyhow. And where he

nding night, and once a red light showed for a second and

b! See! The

t afraid of things in general and the least afraid of S

ing-kneeling-point-blank-range. Ready-as you were-independent firing-ready!

nd of rifle-fire. Each rifle in turn barked

feel a bayonet-p

th, in proof of prompt obedience

rder his crowd

aped through the thatch, and in a minute more the countryside was

than a hundred turbaned m

em. Beauty here was sitting on his throne to see the fun. Didn't expect us. Thought we'd be all hiding under the beds, like Sidiki here! Goes to prove the worst thing that a soldier can do is to sit still when