Upon the following day, Will paid a visit to his friends in the Rangers.
"So you got through Maiwand safely!" the colonel said. "Upon my word, I begin to think that you have a charmed life.
"I hear one of your captains died, last night. That gives you your step, does it not?"
"Yes, sir."
"You are the luckiest young dog I ever heard of. You got your commission, within a year of enlisting; and now, by an extraordinary fatality, your regiment is almost annihilated; and you mount up, by death steps, to a captain's rank, nine months after the date of your gazette. In any other regiment in the service, you would have been lucky if you had got three or four steps, by this time."
"I am fortunate, indeed, sir," Will said. "I can scarcely believe it, myself."
"Ah! whom do I see here?" the colonel exclaimed, as a mounted officer rode through the camp. "My old friend, Ripon!
"Ah Ripon, how are you?"
The colonel reined in his horse; and the two officers, who had not met for some years, entered into a warm conversation; while Will strolled away to talk to some of the younger officers, who congratulated him most heartily on the luck which had, in a few months, taken him over their heads.
In the afternoon Will received a note from Colonel Ripon, asking him to dine with him, as Colonel Shepherd was going to do so. Will replied that he would gladly dine, but must be excused for a time, afterwards; as he was on duty, and would have to go the rounds, in the evening.