from a Syrian's
loin-cloth round the horse's leg. (What use had the Syrian for it now
that he wore uniform? And it served the horse well.)

A trooper took me by the shoulder and drew me upright. At another
time he should have been shot for impudence, but I had learned a
lesson from Ranjoor Singh too recently to let temper get the better
of me.

"Thou art afraid!" said I. "Thy hand on my shoulder trembles!"

The man let his hand fall and laughed to show himself unafraid.
Before he could think of an answer, twenty others had thrust him
aside and confronted me.

"Whither rides Ranjoor Singh? Whither does he ride?" they asked.
"Make haste and tell us!"

"Would ye bring him back?" said I, wondering what to say. Ranjoor
Singh had told me little more than that we were drawing near the
neighborhood of danger, and that I was to follow warily along his
track. "God will put true thoughts in your heart," he told me, "if
you are a true man, and are silent, and listen." His words were
true. I did not speak until I was compelled. Consider the sequel,
sahib.

"Ye have talked these days past," said I, "of nothing but
loot--loot--loot! Ye have lusted like wolves for lowing cattle! Yet now ye
ask me whither rides Ranjoor Singh! Whither SHOULD he ride? He rides
to find bees for you whose stings have all been drawn, that ye may
suck honey without harm! He rides to find you victims that can not
strike back! Sergeant Tugendheim," said I, "see that your Syrians do
not fall over one another's rifles! March in front with them," I
ordered, "that we may all see how well you drill them! Fall in,
all!" said I, "and he who wishes to be camp guard when the looting
begins, let him be slow about obeying!"

Well, sahib, some laughed and some did not. The most dangerous said
nothing. But they all obeyed, and that was the main thing. Not more
than an hour and a half after Ranjoor Singh had ridden off our carts
were squeaking and bumping along behind us. And within an hour after
that we were in action! Aye, sahib, I should say it was less than an
hour after the start when I halted to serve out ten cartridges
apiece to the Syrians, that Tugendheim might blood them and get
himself into deeper water at the same time. He was angry that I
would not give him more cartridges, but I told him his men would
waste those few, so why should I not be frugal? When the time came I
don't think the Syrians hit anything, but they filled a gap and
served a double pu