, as
we all do, I suppose; and now I think he is married to the regiment. He
could have had staff appointments a score of times, but he has always
refused them. His time is up next year, and he could go home on full
pay, but I don't suppose he will."

"And your niece arrives with him tomorrow, Major," the Adjutant said.

"Yes, I am going to try petticoat government, Prothero. I don't know how
the experiment will succeed, but I am tired of an empty bungalow, and I
have been looking forward for some years to her being old enough to come
out and take charge. It is ten years since I was home, and she was a
little chit of eight years old at that time."

"I think a vote of thanks ought to be passed to you, Major. We have only
married ladies in the regiment, and it will wake us up and do us good to
have Miss Hannay among us."

"There are the Colonel's daughters," the Major said, with a smile.

"Yes, there are, Major, but they hardly count; they are scarcely
conscious of the existence of poor creatures like us; nothing short of a
Resident or, at any rate, of a full blown Collector, will find favor in
their eyes."

"Well, I warn you all fairly," the Major said, "that I shall set my
face against all sorts of philandering and love making. I am bringing my
niece out here as my housekeeper and companion, and not as a prospective
wife for any of you youngsters. I hope she will turn out to be as plain
as a pikestaff, and then I may have some hopes of keeping her with me
for a time. The Doctor, in his letter from Calcutta, says nothing as to
what she is like, though he was good enough to remark that she seemed to
have a fair share of common sense, and has given him no more trouble
on the voyage than was to be expected under the circumstances. And now,
lads, it is nearly two o'clock, and as there is early parade tomorrow,
it is high time for you to be all in your beds. What a blessing it would
be if the sun would forget to shine for a bit on this portion of the
world, and we could have an Arctic night of seven or eight months with a
full moon the whole time!"

A few minutes later the messroom was empty, the lights turned out, and
the servants wrapped up in their blankets had disposed themselves for
sleep in the veranda.

As soon as morning parade was over Major Hannay went back to his
bungalow, looked round to see that his bachelor quarters were as bright
and tidy as possible, then got into a light suit and went down to the
po