"Oh, all right. Bound to come some time," was the sleepy response.
But Warner was not to be put off.
"The Granthis are all standing to arms already, and Bishen Ram is sporting a pair of gold bracelets."
"Ah!" said Charteris sharply. This was news indeed, for it was a gift of gold bracelets to their commandant that had heralded the defection of Nisbet and Cowper's escort to Sher Singh. "Keep an eye on them from the door here while I dress, Warner. I have the zamburaks trained on them, so they can't take us by surprise."
Having succeeded in producing an impression, Warner was emboldened to go further. Nothing but making Charteris as nervous as himself would have satisfied him, and yet it was not fear, but overwork and want of sleep, that combined with anxiety to keep him tramping restlessly about. "I suppose you have full confidence in Gerrard?" he hazarded.
"Full confidence?" Charteris's voice, inside the tent, evidently issued from the folds of a towel. "Why, of course. Every confidence that a man could have in another."
"There was a story that you and he had quarrelled——"
"Well?" the word snapped out.
"Er—about some girl, I believe. But quarrelled, anyhow. You don't think he would take this opportunity——?"
"To pay me out? I would as soon believe that you had been bribed by
Chand Singh to try and discourage me."
"Well, that's pretty strong, I must say." Warner's tone was injured.