ng a fair price from him. Well, that obviates all
difficulty.

"By the way, I should recommend you to get a light bedstead and
bed, and a couple of blankets, at one of the Parsee stores. Of
course, you did not think of it, yesterday, or you might have
bought Hitchcock's. However, I noticed in one of the Parsees' shops
a number of light bamboo bedsteads; which are the coolest and best
in a climate like this. If you lay a couple of blankets on the
bamboos, you will find that you don't want a mattress."

"I don't know what my duties are, sir, or whether the general will
be wanting me."

"He will not want you, today. Anyhow, he will know that you will be
making your arrangements, and moving into your quarters.

"By the way, Hitchcock brought a syce with him. You must have a man
for your horses, and I have no doubt he will be glad to stay on
with you."

Two hours later Stanley was installed in his quarters--a room some
twelve feet long by eight wide. A bed stood in one corner. There
was a table for writing on, two light bamboo chairs, and an Indian
lounging chair. In the corner was a small bamboo table, on which
was a large brass basin; while a great earthenware jar for water
stood beside it, and a piece of Indian matting covered the floor.

He learned that the staff messed together, in a large room in the
next house; and that he would there get a cup of coffee and a
biscuit, at six in the morning, breakfast at half-past eight, lunch
and dinner; so that he would not have to do any cooking, whatever,
for himself. He had given Meinik a small sum to lay out in cooking
pots and necessaries for his own use.

The syce had gladly entered his employ. Stanley had inspected the
horses which, although light to the eye, would be well capable of
bearing his weight through a long day's work. They were picketed,
with those of the general and staff, in a line behind the house
devoted to the headquarters. After lunch he went into the
general's, and reported himself as ready for duty.

"I shall not want you this afternoon, Mr. Brooke. Here is a plan
showing the position of the different corps. You had better get it
by heart. When it gets cooler, this afternoon, I should advise you
to ride out and examine the position and the roads; so that even at
night you can, if necessary, carry a message to any of the
regiments. The Burmese are constantly creeping up and stabbing our
sentries, and sometimes they attack in considerable force. Wh