“I never meant to attack that nullah or rescue the fellows in it,” the boy replied, now speaking eagerly and hurriedly. “I never knew there was such a place. I had lost a lot of my men, sir, and as the enemy were being reinforced in front, I ordered the men to double back to where I thought our supports were. The ditch was hidden from us by an embankment, and we stumbled into the midst of the rebels, and if it hadn’t been that the Gurkhas are so sharp and never get flurried, we’d all have been cut up, sir. As it happened, the pandies were more surprised than we were, and they thought, I suppose, that we were in force, and so they cut away. And everyone thought I had done it on purpose, and they didn’t give me a chance to explain. And then, as everyone has been congratulating me, and I hadn’t denied it at once, I found it still harder to explain afterwards. And—well, sir, after what you and General Nicholson said just now, I couldn’t stand it any longer. And I’m very sorry, sir.”
General Wilson glanced at General Nicholson, who laughed The former laid his hand on Ted’s shoulder.
“Don’t be alarmed, youngster,” he said; “I think I see how it was. Of course I can’t send in the recommendation now. You understand that, of course?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Come here, Ensign Russell,” said John Nicholson.
Ted approached.
“I like to shake hands with an honest man. Oblige me by taking my hand—I can’t take yours very well.”
Gently and reverently Ted pressed the hero’s hand, then silently turned and left the tent, lighter at heart than when he had entered it.
Almost boisterously he greeted his brother, who had anxiously retraced his steps, and was now awaiting him.
“I’m all right now, Jim!” he cried, and proceeded to relate the whole story, concluding: