ces. As the dhow came in yesterday,
I can spare both our boats; and shall, of course, ship the goods
here on board the big craft. Even if the Burmese come this way, I
have no fear of their taking the town; and shall, of course, lend a
hand in the defence, if they attempt it. You can do the same at
Ramoo, if you like.

"I was chatting with Colonel Shatland yesterday. He tells me that a
large fleet has been collected, and that an expedition will be sent
to capture Rangoon so, in that case, it is likely that Bandoola and
his force will march off in that direction.

"I think government are wrong. It will be impossible for the troops
to move, when the wet season once sets in; and they will lose a
tremendous lot of men from sickness, if they are cooped up in
Rangoon. They had very much better have sent a few thousand men
down here, to act on the defensive and repel any attempted
invasion, until the rains are over; when they could have been
shipped again, and join the expedition against Rangoon. It seems to
me a mad-headed thing, to begin at the present time of the year. We
have put up with the insults of the Burmese for so long that we
might just as well have waited for the favourable season, before we
began our operations in earnest."

Accordingly, on the following day Stanley started south for Ramoo
and, on arriving there, took charge of the trading operations.
Shortly after, meeting Captain Noton--who commanded there--in the
street, he recognized him as an officer who had been stationed at
the same cantonment as his father; and whom he had, four years
previously, known well.

"You don't recognize me, Captain Noton," he said. "I am the son of
Captain Brooke, of the 33rd."

"I certainly did not recognize you," the officer said, "but I am
glad to meet you again. Let me think; yes, your name is Stanley,
and a regular young pickle you used to be. What on earth are you
doing here? Of course, I heard of your poor father's death, and was
grieved, indeed, at his loss. Where is your mother? She is well, I
hope."

"She went back to England with my sisters, two months after my
father's death. I joined my uncle, her brother. He is a trader, and
carries on business in the district between here and Sylhet,
trading principally on the rivers; but of course the war has put a
stop to that, for the present. We saw the fighting up in the north,
and then came down to this district. He has remained at Chittagong,
and I am in charge of