me."

"Ha, ha, ha!"

"Why do you laugh?"

"At you."

"But why?"

"Because she does trust you--or, rather, our Government does."

The young man turned sharply to gaze with a searching glance in the
speaker's eyes.

"What do you mean?" he said.

"Go on with your dinner, old chap, and I'll tell you by-and-by. Here's
Down wants to have a word with you.--Don't you, Down?"

"Ah yes, Captain Down," said the young Rajah, bowing towards him. "I
seem to know you. Maine says you are such a splendid shot. Are you?"

"Oh, I can pull a trigger, and I can hit something sometimes," said the
young officer.

"Sometimes!" put in Archie. "Why, he never misses. You ought to know
more of him, Rajah. He's like that old country gentleman's two sons who
loved hunting and shooting. He's a regular Nimrod and Ramrod rolled
into one. Understand?"

"Yes; I read that in the old joke-book. Then your friend will come and
have some shooting. Will you not?"

"Rather!" said the Captain; and the general conversation went on till
the old English custom was in the ascendant and the Major gave Her
Majesty's health and the band played "God save the Queen;" and
afterwards the Major proposed the health of their guest, His Highness
Sultan Suleiman, who afterwards rose and bowed two or three times, said
a few words very clumsily, and then turned towards the _distingue_-
looking guest on the Major's left, and sat down; whereupon the French
guest said a few words to the Major, who rose and announced that the
Count de Lasselle would respond for the Sultan Suleiman.

There was the customary applause as the Count arose; and in very good
English, which he only had to supplement now and then with a strong dash
of French, he returned thanks for their illustrious guest, who, he could
assure the English officers, had but one aim in life, and that was to be
the friend and ally of the great British Queen. His speech was long and
very flowery, and he did not forget to say that there was no other
country in the world suited to be the Sultan's ally but beautiful
France, his own country, he was proud to say, and he was sure that she
too would always be the great friend of the Sultan; at which some one at
the table uttered in a low voice that was almost like a cough the
ejaculation, "Hum!"

Archie turned sharply, and exchanged glances with Captain Down.

"What did the Doctor mean by that?" said the latter.

"Don't know," said Archie. "Shall I g