Draw Swords! Part 17

"That it could," said d.i.c.k shortly.

"Well!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Wyatt--and again, "Well! this is a smack in the face.

I shall have to tell Hulton. Here have I been priding myself on our having broken you in to our ways, and made a gunner of you that we could be proud of, and you talk like that."

"I don't see anything wrong in what I said," said d.i.c.k wonderingly.

"Don't you? Then I do. It's very evident that you have not half learned your duty yet. Look here, my lad. We are emergency men, expected to go wherever our general orders, and we do it."

d.i.c.k laughed.

"Worse and worse! Here, I give you up, d.i.c.k."

"Nonsense! Suppose, the enemy was on the other side of a deep river.

We couldn't get through that."

"We should, somehow."

"But we couldn't. The guns would sink, and the cartridges be spoiled."

"Like your new uniform."

"Shouldn't be wearing it to fight in," said d.i.c.k.

"But look here; we should make for the nearest bridge or ford."

"Suppose there was none," said d.i.c.k.

"Bah! I shan't suppose anything. I tell you we should go anywhere.

I'm not going to chop logic with you--you argumentative little beggar."

"Then, again, we couldn't charge a fort or stone walls."

"No, but we'd close up and batter them down. Look here, young fellow; you're one of us now, and what you've got to believe is that our troop of horse artillery can do anything, and do it."

"Oh, all right," said d.i.c.k merrily: "I'll try. I suppose we've done for to-day. I'm hot and tired."

"Rubbish!" cried Wyatt. "We're never hot and tired. Always ready's our motto. Talk like that after a field-day! What would you do if we went into action?"

"I don't know; get so excited, I suppose, that I shouldn't have time to think."

"Of course you would. And now, look here; I'll tell you something if you promise not to chatter about it."

"I don't chatter; but I'll promise. What is it?"

"There's something on the way."

"Is there? What--war?"

"Oh, we don't call our little fights wars, and I can't tell you what is coming off, but Sir George dropped a hint to Hulton that he was to see that we were in perfect readiness."

"Well, we always are."

"Yes; but to be on the _qui vive_ as to ammunition, tents, baggage, and provender."

"Oh!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed d.i.c.k, and his eyes kindled as he sat there upon a knoll with his troop, gazing round at the two or three native regiments, a squadron of cavalry, and the foot artillery and their heavy guns, which had taken part in the field-day.

"It may be only a false alarm," said Wyatt, "but I thought you'd like to know; only you mustn't begin to howl about feeling hot and tired if we have any real work to do, nor yet think about running away."

d.i.c.k bit his lip, and then said huskily, "Am I likely to feel disposed to run away?"

"Perhaps so, the first time."

"Did you?"

"What?" cried Wyatt fiercely, as he turned upon the calm, imperturbable face looking in his. "Did you mean that as an insult, Mr Darrell?"

"No," said d.i.c.k, his eyes twinkling with mischievous exultation. "Did you?"

"Got me!" said Wyatt, shaking his head and chuckling softly. "Hist!

look out. Here comes the general."

Captain Hulton gave the word, and in an instant the men were rigid in their saddles, with the line as regular as if they were on parade, for a little knot of hors.e.m.e.n came cantering up, the general and his staff a short distance behind.

He drew rein in front of the troop, and sat talking to the captain for a minute, and then walked his horse slowly along the line, keenly examining everything.

At the end of the line he turned and rode back, and this time d.i.c.k, who had often felt annoyed at the want of recognition on the part of his father's old school-fellow and friend, flushed with pleasure, for Sir George checked his horse.

"Ah, Mr Darrell," he said quietly, "you there! Getting used to the rough work?"

"Yes, Sir George."

"That's right. You seem to have a good mount.--How do, Mr Wyatt?"

He backed his horse a few yards, stopped, and raised his voice so that the whole troop could hear:

"Very good indeed, my lads. Capital."

Then he turned his horse and rode away, followed by his staff.

"He didn't say much," said d.i.c.k in a low tone.

"Soldiers never do say much," replied Wyatt; "but I never heard him say so much before. My word! Old Hulton will be pleased."

"I say, though: do you really think there is something on the way?"

"Yes. Are you sorry?"

"Sorry? No. I shall be delighted. It will be such a change."