"How quickly have you come from Cabul? Was there any news when you left there?"
"We have travelled fast," he said. "You have had three days' start of us, and I arrived here this afternoon. No, there was no news. They say that the infidels are halting at Gundamuck. The chiefs are gathering in the passes with all their forces, but have not yet moved."
"I should have thought that they would have had enough of our passes; they will meet with the same fate as those who tried to go down them."
"It should be so," Angus replied. "Who can withstand your people when they are fighting among your own hills? You must have travelled slowly, since we gained three days upon you."
"We made very short journeys," the man said. "You see, we were encumbered with these women and children, for whom it must have been rough work, for the nights are already cold. I shall be glad when we get to Khooloom and hand them over to the governor there. But I will say for them that they have borne up bravely. I can tell you that we are all disgusted at having to be making this journey with them instead of taking our share of the spoil that will be gathered in the passes."
"Yes, it must be annoying to brave men to be thus wasting their time when great things are being done, to say nothing of losing their share of the booty to be gathered. Have you a good commander?"
"Yes, we have no cause to grumble on that account. Saleh Mahomed is a bold soldier and a cheerful fellow, is not unduly harsh, and as long as we keep our arms in good order, and obey his orders, he asks no questions when one of us comes in with a sheep fastened to his saddle. But there has been no chance of getting anything to help out our rations, for the two or three little villages we have passed since we left the valley are for the most part deserted. There are women there, but the men have not yet come down from the hills with the flocks, and none of us have tasted meat since we started. Saleh Mahomed is a man who has travelled much and seen many things. He was an officer in the English army, but he would not fight against us, and two years ago, when Dost Mahomed with his army came here, he went over to him with his company of Sepoys. He was not a chief, but was a tribesman near the frontier. There are many of them, they say, in the service of the infidels; and he had done well for himself."
"I suppose the captive women must be in want of warm clothes. I have not a large stock of goods, but among them are several warm robes, which I would sell cheaply to them, for I wish to clear away my remaining stock, as I intend to buy Turkoman carpets at Khooloom and Balkh; and besides these I have some stuff which doubtless the women here would buy to make garments for the children. Think you that Saleh would let me traffic with them?"
"That I could not say; but if you have anything in your pack that would please him he might perhaps let you do so. You seem a good fellow, if you like I will take you to him to-morrow morning."
"Thank you for your offer. When I meet you I will have a pound of good tobacco, which I shall beg you to accept."