"It must be ripping. I do hope we'll have the luck to find plenty of pig to-day."
"Oh, we're sure to. The Maharajah told me yesterday they have marked down a sounder—that is, a herd—of wild pig in a nullah about seven miles the other side of the city, which is two miles away, so we have a ride of nine to the meet."
"That will make it a very hard day for our ponies, won't it?" asked Wargrave anxiously. "Eighteen miles there and back and the runs as well."
"Oh, that's all right. The Maharajah mounts us at the meet. We'll find his horses waiting there for us. Rawboned beasts with mouths like iron, as a rule; but good goers and staunch to pig."
"By Jove! The Maharajah must be a real good chap."
"One of the best," replied Raymond. "He is a man for whom I've the greatest admiration. He rules his State admirably. He commanded his own Imperial Service regiment in the war and did splendidly. He is very good to us here."
"So it seems. From what I gathered at Mess last night he appears to provide all our sport for us."
"Yes; he arranges his shoots and the pigsticking meets for days on which the officers of the regiment are free to go out with him. When we can travel by road he sends his carriages for us, lends us horses and has camels to follow us with lunch, ice and drinks wherever we go."
"What a good fellow he must be!" exclaimed Wargrave. "I am glad we get pigsticking here. I've always longed for it, but never have been anywhere before where there was any, as you know."
"It's lucky for us that the sport here is good; for without it life in Rohar would be too awful to contemplate. It's the last place the Lord made."