‘Ha, hum! that’s just as well for this gentleman, then,’ said Linham, who at that moment joined them and saw the man whom Pearson held.
‘How did you come across the reptile, Jack?’ asked Pearson.
Jack related what had happened, being listened to by an ever-increasing crowd, for the noise had roused a good many men from their slumbers.
Lights were procured, and the man, who proved to be a truculent-looking Greek, was handed over to the provost-marshal.
Jack and his friends then made their way back to their tents.
In the morning those who had been in the scuffle gave evidence before the provost-marshal, and the prisoner was identified by some of the camp-followers as a notorious brigand who for days had been hanging round the camp.
It transpired that a private of the Connaught Rangers named Conolly had on the day before been drinking in Varna with several Greeks. He was known to have had considerable arrears of pay upon him. That night Conolly’s comrades were aroused by hearing heavy groans. They found he had been stabbed to death, and a man was seen escaping from the tent. Several of the Rangers gave chase, but lost their man near the camp of the Lancers. It was supposed that having escaped the most pressing danger, to show their utter contempt for the watchfulness of the English, out of mere bravado the Greeks had started firing their pistols among the tents. Nothing was decided, however, and the prisoner was put back for further inquiries.
‘H’m!’ snorted Sergeant Linham, ‘I suppose the toad is going to be let have another chance of slitting our throats. If it had been an officer who had been killed, I want to know’——
A trumpet was heard ringing out shrilly.
‘Hallo!’ said Jack; ‘listen; it’s the regimental call: “Death or Glory, Death or Glory, Death or Glory Boys!” Trot march, chaps! we’re wanted.’