“Didn’t I tell you how it would be?” he cried furiously. “Keeling is determined that I shan’t leave the frontier with flying colours. It’s nothing but mean, miserable jealousy on his part—and you side with him. I expected it of the others, but you——!”
“But your force is not large enough. Major Keeling believes that Shir Hussein has over two hundred men with him.”
“As if I didn’t know that! A surprise would make it all right.”
“But he has repaired his fort, so the Chief says.”
“He has made a new gate, which I am going to blow in, and piled up a few of the stones which had fallen down. Do you think I don’t know more about it than Keeling, when I reconnoitred up to the very gate two nights ago, and not a soul stirred?”
“If you had only said so in your letter! He thought you underrated the difficulties.”
“You fool! If I had told him all I knew about the strength of the place, would he ever have sanctioned my attacking it? I thought I had made that right, at any rate, and then this cursed spy of his turns up! What business has he sending spies into my district?—to spy upon me, I suppose, and make sure I get no chance of distinguishing myself.”
“You are unjust, George. He will let you have all the credit when he brings up the reinforcements. You are to be in command, and he will only be a spectator.”
“You are too green. Don’t you know his dodge of getting these chaps to surrender by the magic of his name? Where should I be then? If they surrender, he gets the credit; if they don’t, he’ll get the fighting. You don’t catch him sitting still and looking on, or joining as a volunteer under me.”
“I really think that was what he meant, and you couldn’t expect it of any one else,” said Colin thoughtfully.