.

"To go there and be rowed," I thought; "and all through Morton. He
might have let me off now after bullying me before the chaps. And then
to send Morton!"

I stood quite still, frowning and angry, but all was still outside, and
it was evident that, after delivering his message, Morton had run down
again.

"A prig!" I muttered. "Lucky for him he didn't stop. I'd have punched
his head if I'd been expelled for it."

I crossed the room, and threw open the door to go down, for, amiable as
the governor always was to us, he was most stern and exacting in having
all his orders obeyed with military promptitude, and there stood Morton
waiting with, as I thought, a derisive smile on his face.

But I altered my opinion directly, for he held out his hand.

"I say, Gil, old chap," he said, "I'm sorry we fell out, and I'm jolly
glad the old boy came and stopped us. Pretty pair of fools we should
have looked by this time, with black eyes and swollen noses.--I was
wrong. Shake hands."

A few moments before I could have struck him; but now I was so utterly
overset by his frank manner, that it was not my nose which swelled up,
but my throat, so that I could hardly speak as I caught hold of his hand
and held it with all my force.

"No," I said huskily, "it wasn't your fault. Mine. I've got such a
beastly temper."

"Tchah! not you. Come on down; it's all right now."

"Not quite," I said grimly. "I've got to face the gov., and have
another dose. Has he given you yours?"

"No! 'Tisn't that Post's in, and he has had despatches or something.
He had a great sealed paper in his hand when he told me to fetch you."

"What?" I cried excitedly. "'Tisn't--?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it is," he said. "Come on."

I felt as if all my breath had been taken away. The blood flushed right
up to my temples; there was a singing in my ears, and my hands grew
moist in their palms with excitement; but I could not speak as we
hurried down.

"You are a lucky one," continued Morton. "I say, you do know some one
in the India House, don't you?"

"Yes," I said. "Uncle Joe's on the board."

"That's it, then. You've got your commission, as safe as wheat, as our
old coachman used to say. I salute you, sir. You'll be a Lord Clive
one of these days, before I get my captaincy."

"Oh, nonsense!" I cried, and then all seemed to be one buzz of
confusion, till I reached General Crude's study, and found him walking
up and down