“What for? Oh, he’ll be glad to be saved the trouble. That will be all right. You stick to me, and I’ll see you through.”
I left my brother-officer’s quarters soon afterwards, feeling very glad to get away, and certainly under the impression that he thought me very stupid and boyish.
“I suppose I’ve been keeping him in,” I thought, for outside I found the syces still waiting with the horses I had noticed on entering, and there, too, was the man who had been punished by the lieutenant; but my handkerchief was not tied round his head now, his wound having been bathed and covered with a scrap of plaister. I observed, too, that he must have changed the slight white garments he wore, for the ugly stains were gone.
He salaamed as I passed and went back to my own quarters, thinking that I should have to alter a good deal if I used the native servants as I had seen the man treated that day.
Chapter Seven.
I felt bound to tell Captain Brace of Lieutenant Barton’s proposal respecting my horses, and he looked at me sharply. “Do you wish him to manage that for you?” he said.
“Certainly not,” I replied quickly; “he is quite a stranger, and I have known you from leaving England.”
“He has not a very high opinion of my knowledge of horses, I know; but I think I can save your father some money in the transaction; and I promise you that you shall be well-mounted. And, by the way, Vincent, I don’t want to worry you with advice, but I must tell you one thing. The climate here is very trying to an English constitution, and if a man—”