“Certainly, Colonel. I’ve been saving up some liquor for a moment like this.”
The Colonel laughed. “You dog, you knew all along you were going to get this. I bet you were counting the days.”
“Oh, not quite,” said Barkison. He was thankful now that he was still alive. He felt like making a dramatic speech. He began to think of General Gordon and this made him think of his own immediate General.
“I hope the old man doesn’t think I’m too late in getting back.”
The Colonel shook his head. “Don’t give it a second thought. He was glad to hear that you’re still with us. The report could have waited.”
“That’s a relief,” said Lt Colonel Barkison and he relaxed in his seat as the staff car took them quickly over the black roads to the Headquarters.
Hodges helped put the baggage on the dock. Then he stood with the Major while the other officers asked questions. Hodges, as much as he admired the Major, could not help thinking that he was a bit of a poseur. He watched the Major as he talked of the storm. The Major was much too assured. From the way he talked one would have thought that he had brought the ship in.
Evans came over to say goodbye and Major Barkison was rather patronizing. Hodges wondered if he should be patronizing, too. He decided not.
“Goodbye, Mr Evans,” he said. “We really appreciate what you did for us.”