“Suppose the people in opposition to the Rajah should seize this time for attacking us, what could I do—how could I defend the place? I must have been half-mad to let Wyatt go and leave me.
“Suppose—suppose—suppose—”
There was no end to the suppositions, for the lad’s brain had suddenly become terribly active, and was suggesting a whole series of phantasmic dangers, every one of which seemed bad enough to drive him to despair.
In fact, Dick was getting fast into the state ordinarily called “losing his nerve,” and he started as if he had been guilty of some crime when, after watching him for some time unseen, Acting-lieutenant Stubbs suddenly uttered a short, gruff cough.
Dick looked at him wildly.
“Did you speak?” he said, making an effort to be firm, and succeeding, for the fancies which had troubled him grew faint.
“No, sir; only waiting to see if you had any orders for me.”
“No,” replied Dick, giving a cough to clear his throat; “I don’t think there is anything more to be done until Mr Wyatt returns.”
“Beg pardon, sir, but Captain Hulton is down, and Mr Wyatt naturally takes command of the battery. It is only a question of a natural promotion being confirmed. Wouldn’t it be better to speak of the commanding officer as Captain Wyatt now?”
“Would it?” said Dick.