Among the crowd attracted to the “Flagstaff” meeting-place by the unusual strains were many of our hero’s new chums. Both he and Alec had formed close friendships with a number of the junior officers from the camp below the Ridge, and Ted particularly had become very popular. He had both proved himself courageous and shown good commonsense, and he never once attempted to put on “side”. The terrible danger he had gone through at Aurungpore had steadied down his love of fun and joking, and made him realize his responsibilities. Had he come straight to Delhi without having undergone that trying experience in the arsenal, he would soon have found some mischief in which to entangle his Guides and Gurkhas. They would have been only too delighted to have joined in any fun, however rash and hazardous.
“I say, Russell,” observed Ensign Collins of the 8th Foot, “you’re a lucky beggar, you know. You’ve had your fair share of the fun.”
“Fair share!” growled Claud Boldre. “Why, in his twelve months’ service he’s had more than most colonels can boast of in as many years. First he goes exploding magazines up and down the country, and instead of being blown up he gets the V.C. Then he’s boxed up and besieged, and thrillingly rescued like a scene out of a melodrama; after that he’s lucky enough to take part in the grandest march on record; and now he’s on duty at Hindu Rao’s picket, where all the fighting is. Fair share, indeed! It ought to have been divided amongst half a dozen of us.”
“And it ain’t that he’s particularly handsome,” laughed Alec.
Ted grinned. He was too decent a fellow to become conceited, and he admitted that he had had more than his share of the luck.
They were still joking when something happened that tended to confirm their belief in our ensign’s luck. One of the general’s aides came up and told Ted that Sir Archdale wished to speak to him at once.
“You’ll come back a lieutenant at least, Ted,” was Alec’s unasked-for opinion.
“Lieutenant indeed!” laughed Collins. “I expect he’s going to order Russell to blow up Delhi à la Aurungpore.”
“Or else resign the command in Russell’s favour,” was Boldre’s suggestion.
Ted grinned back at them all, but his heart beat somewhat rapidly as he was ushered into the head-quarters tent, and it was to beat much more wildly before he left.