e Ghoorkhas will get caught. They may want us to reform on. Stand
easy till the transport gets away."

A hand caught my beast's bridle and led him out of the choking dust; a
larger hand deftly canted me out of the saddle, and two of the hugest
hands in the world received me sliding. Pleasant is the lot of the
special correspondent who falls into such hands as those of Privates
Mulvaney, Ortheris, and Learoyd.

"An' that's all right," said the Irishman, calmly. "We thought we'd
find you somewheres here by. Is there anything of yours in the
transport? Orth'ris'll fetch ut out."

Ortheris did "fetch ut out" from under the trunk of an elephant in the
shape of a servant and an animal, both laden with medical comforts.
The little man's eyes sparkled.

"If the brutil an' licentious soldiery av these parts gets sight av the
thruck," said Mulvaney, making practiced investigation, "they'll loot
ev'rything. They're bein' fed on iron-filin's an' dog biscuit these
days, but glory's no compensation for a bellyache. Praise be, we're
here to protect you, sorr. Beer, sausage, bread (soft, an' that's a
cur'osity), soup in a tin, whisky by the smell av ut, an' fowls.
Mother av Moses, but ye take the field like a confectioner! 'Tis
scand'lus."

"'Ere's a orficer," said Ortheris, significantly. "When the sergent's
done lushin', the privit may clean the pot."

I bundled several things into Mulvaney's haversack before the major's
hand fell on my shoulder, and he said, tenderly: "Requisitioned for the
queen's service. Wolseley was quite wrong about special
correspondents. They are the best friends of the soldier. Come an'
take pot-luck with us to-night."

And so it happened amid laughter and shoutings that my well-considered
commissariat melted away to reappear on the mess-table, which was a
water-proof sheet spread on the ground. The flying column had taken
three days' rations with it, and there be few things nastier than
government rations--especially when government is experimenting with
German toys. Erbswurst, tinned beef, of surpassing tinniness,
compressed vegetables, and meat biscuits may be nourishing, but what
Thomas Atkins wants is bulk in his inside. The major, assisted by his
brother officers, purchased goats for the camp, and so made the
experiment of no effect. Long before the fatigue-party sent to collect
brushwood had returned, the men were settled down by their valises,
kettles and pots had appeared