The first thing he told me was that Miss Nightingale was getting better. This I knew, having made inquiries on board. Then he informed me that Lord Raglan had visited her. This I also knew. Then that Thomas, my head man, had been all over the camp, hunting for me; that the hospital kitchens were all going on well. He next informed me that Dr. Hadley was morally in deep mourning, not so much on account of his pony, or even myself, but his saddle and bridle, which he said no money could replace, it having been made to order in London. I observed that I was worse off than he was, as from his kindness in lending me the pony, I had been so long away.
“But, P. M., will you be kind enough to jump on that pony, and go to him. Say I will see him in the afternoon, and of course that I shall be happy to pay for both pony and saddle.”
“I will do so; but he told me yesterday that he didn’t care a fig about the pony—it was the saddle he regretted.”
“When did he first hear I had lost it?”
“Why, not four hours after you left. Mrs. Seacole sent all over the camp for it, and some officers who were present at the time brought the news, at which every one laughed; but I assure you the case was getting very serious at last.”
“Never mind—à la guerre comme à la guerre—we must expect something a little out of the way in campaigning.”
“I tell you what, Monsieur Soyer, I began to think it was a great deal out of the way. You have only one life, like the rest of us, and you cannot be spared by us, not even to go to the Russians.”
P. M. started on his mission to Dr. Hadley, and I returned to the London, and wrote the receipt for the composition of the preserved vegetables, which I had promised to Commissary Filder, and took it over myself. On my way I met about a score of friends, or at all events persons who knew me, and had heard the false report. I was informed that Admiral Boxer was much put out about my absence, and at not receiving any tidings about me.
To my great astonishment, I met my secretary on foot, and at once inquired what he had done with the pony, making sure that he had lost it, or that he had been thrown, and the animal had run away, as it was a very mettlesome little creature.
“It is nothing of the kind; it was worse. The brute is marked ‘L. R., head-quarters;’ and before I reached Dr. Hadley’s house, a policeman stopped me and took it away, saying it had been stolen from Monsieur Soyer; and there was a regular row at head-quarters about it. The fellow wanted to take me up, though I told him I was your secretary. And mind you, had it not been for an officer—a friend of yours, who knew me—having dined with us on board the Robert Lowe, I really cannot tell how I should have managed.”