arrangements of the camp
had to be altered again, to allow these children of nature to encamp
close to their commander's tent, for the double purpose of keeping the
Granthis from interfering with them, and preventing them from attacking
the Granthis. Badan Hazari was highly contemptuous of this new
departure on Charteris's part, and ostentatiously pitched his men's
tents in similar fashion near Gerrard's, to protect him, as he said, in
case those rascally thieves should try to murder him in the night.
Their own Sahib might be able to trust them, since he had nothing they
would care to steal, but the acting-Resident of Agpur was a person of
importance, and his life was valuable.

Having seen their followers bestowed as well as might be, Charteris and
Gerrard settled down to a good talk, in which the present situation, as
was natural, bulked largely. At first Charteris was inclined to think
that things need not have gone so far.

"You'll laugh me to scorn," he said, "but I give you my word I'd have
rode after Sher Singh, just as I was, the moment I heard he had
levanted, and caught him up on the road."

"Or been caught by him, and held as a hostage."

"No, I would have done it before he got to cover here, and brought him
back dead or alive."

"To find that the army and the Durbar had made common cause against the
Rani--perhaps even that she and Kharrak Singh had been judiciously
removed."

"That's what it is to have a mind that sees both sides of a question,"
said Charteris good-humouredly. "Now I should only have thought of
securing Sher Singh, and I'd have done it if I died for it. Whereas
you have left everything in inspection order, and can sit _dharna_[1]
on his doorstep for just as long as he can stand seeing you there."

"My patience has its limits," said Gerrard, smiling. "If the illness
refused to yield to the fakir's treatment, it might become necessary to
send for a European physician from Ranjitgarh, and to blow in the gates
that he might be able to visit his patient. But I hope Sher Singh will
see fit to recover without our using such drastic remedies."

"Oh, you have him in the hollow of your hand--I don't presume to doubt
it. When your letter came, I had a lurking suspicion that it might be
a veiled call for co-operation again, but I see I was wrong."

"You forget it's your turn to call upon me. But I'll tell you where
you can help me, Bob. I want to give these precious troops of mine a