s spent about
half his pay to grease his wheels. Look at this, Lizzie, for one
week's work! Forty miles in two days with twelve carts; two days'
halt building a famine-shed for young Rogers (Rogers ought to have
built it himself, the idiot!). Then forty miles back again, loading
six carts on the way, and distributing all Sunday. Then in the
evening he pitches in a twenty-page demi-official to me, saying that
the people where he is might be "advantageously employed on
relief-work," and suggesting that he put 'em to work on some
broken-down old reservoir he's discovered, so as to have a good
water-supply when the Rains come. He thinks he can caulk the dam in a
fortnight. Look at his marginal sketches--aren't they clear and good?
I knew he was _pukka_, but I didn't know he was as _pukka_ as this!'

'I must show these to William,' said Mrs. Jim. 'The child's wearing
herself out among the babies.'

'Not more than you are, dear. Well, another two months ought to see
us out of the wood. I'm sorry it's not in my power to recommend you
for a V.C.'

William sat late in her tent that night, reading through page after
page of the square handwriting, patting the sketches of proposed
repairs to the reservoir, and wrinkling her eyebrows over the columns
of figures of estimated water-supply.

'And he finds time to do all this,' she cried to herself,
'and ... well, I also was present. I've saved one or two babies.'

She dreamed for the twentieth time of the god in the golden dust, and
woke refreshed to feed loathsome black children, scores of them,
wastrels picked up by the wayside, their bones almost breaking their
skin, terrible and covered with sores.

Scott was not allowed to leave his cart work, but his letter was duly
forwarded to the Government, and he had the consolation, not rare in
India, of knowing that another man was reaping where he had sown.
That also was discipline profitable to the soul.

'He's much too good to waste on canals,' said Jimmy. 'Any one can
oversee coolies. You needn't be angry, William: he can--but I need my
pearl among bullock-drivers, and I've transferred him to the Khanda
district, where he'll have it all to do over again. He should be
marching now.'

'He's _not_ a coolie,' said William furiously. 'He ought to be doing
his regulation work.'

'He's the best man in his service, and that's saying a good deal; but
if you _must_ use razors to cut grindstones, why, I prefer the best
cutlery.'