ahdar; but I would far rather stay with you. You
have been a father to me, and I pray you to let me remain as I am."

"You are to remain with me, Abdool. If you had had to leave me I
should, myself, have told the general that I was sure you would
rather not do so; and that, when you left me, I should myself show
my gratitude for your good services; but of his own accord he has
arranged this. You are not to join your new regiment, but are to
command twenty sowars of the 5th, which are to be attached to those
of the general's staff, for escort duty. In this way you will still
be with me, but as a native officer instead of a servant; and
should I be sent on any special duty you will, I am sure, be able
to go with me, as before."

Abdool's face brightened.

"That would be well, indeed, sahib. It will truly be a great honour
to be an officer and, if I ever return to my native village in the
Deccan, I shall be regarded with great respect, and the faces of my
father and mother will be made white at the honour I have won.
Still, I fear that I shall not be as much with you as I have been,
before."

"Nearly as much, Abdool. I expect that Lord Lake, knowing how much
I am indebted to you, will permit me to take you with me, when
engaged on any detached service; and you and your troopers will
form part of his escort, at all times. Besides, it is likely that,
as matters stand, I shall not be sent away on any special duty for
some time to come. You will, I know, be glad to hear that the
general has recommended me for promotion, also; and that I shall
shortly be a major."

"That pleases me more than my own promotion, sahib. I thought that
you would have had it long ago, after that business at Nagpore."

"I had only been a captain then a few months, and was very young
for that rank. It would have been unfair to others if I had been
promoted then. I am still very young to be a major."

"It is not years, but what you have done," Abdool said. "Did you
not obtain the release of Nana Furnuwees, and so change the state
of affairs, altogether, at Poona?"

"Well, it was for that I got the rank of captain and, since then,
though I have made a few journeys that would have been perilous,
had I not been able to speak Mahratti like a native, I have had no
opportunities of specially distinguishing myself.

"As soon as we get to Delhi, you had better order yourself a
uniform. You know the dress worn by the native officers of the 5th;
and