y life. I suppose some day I
shall lose the feeling that I am still a boy, but I shall certainly
hold to it as long as I can."

"I suppose you had some difficulty in speaking with the natives?"
the doctor's wife said.

"At first I had but, from continually talking with them, I got to
know their language--I won't say as well as Punjabi, but certainly
very well--and I shall pass in it at the next examination."

"I wish all subalterns were like you," the colonel's wife said.
"Most of those who come out from England are puffed up with a sense
of their own importance, and I often wish that I could take them by
the shoulders, and shake them well. And what are you going to do
now?"

"I am going off to find the four men who came down with me, see if
they are comfortable, and tell them that the general will give them
the message to their chief, tomorrow."

"What will be the next thing, Mr. Bullen?"

"The next thing will be to go to the bazaar, and choose some
presents for the chief and his family."

"What do you mean to get?"

"I think a brace of revolvers, and a good store of ammunition for
the chief. As to the women I must, I suppose, get something in the
way of dress. For the other men I shall get commoner things.
Everyone has been most kind to me, and I should certainly like them
to have some remembrance of my stay.

"I suppose that there is five months' pay waiting for me in the
paymaster's chest."

"I should doubt it extremely," the colonel said. "You will get it
in time, but you will have to wait. You have been struck off the
regimental pay list, ever since you were put down as dead; and I
expect the paymaster will have to get a special authorization,
before you can draw your back pay."

"I was only joking, Colonel. My agent at Calcutta has my money in
his hands, and I have only to draw on him."

"So much the better, Bullen. It is always a nuisance getting into
debt, even when you are certain that funds will be forthcoming
which will enable you to repay what you owe. But have you enough to
carry you on till you hear from your agent?"

"Plenty, sir; I left all the money I did not care to carry about
with me in the regimental till."

"Then I expect you will find it there still. I know that nothing
has been done with it. A short time since, the paymaster was
speaking to me about it, and asking me if I knew the address of any
of your relations, or who was your agent at Calcutta. He said to
me:

"'I shal