Fix Bay'nets: The Regiment in the Hills. Fenn George Manville

yes,” said Roberts; “we’re a very humorous lot, we British – very amusing indeed, but best at a distance, for we’re rather prickly, and easily induced to make use of our knives. What next?”

      “The show’s over; and look – you can see that?”

      “What! that flashing in the sunshine?”

      “Yes; every man has drawn his sword and is waving it in the air. He must have said something which excited them.”

      “Made ’em all draw and swear that they’d cut us to pieces and fling us in the river, I dare say.”

      “Oh, there you are!” cried a familiar voice, and the tall, thin subaltern hurried to their side. “I say, what do you think of that for a fit?” he cried, stopping, and then holding out one foot. “Just as if they had been made for me.”

      “If you say any more about them I’ll take them away again,” said Bracy, smiling.

      “Then mum it is, for I wouldn’t be so cruel to my poor plantigrades. They haven’t been so happy and comfortable for months. Watching those Dwats?”

      “I’ve been doing so,” said Bracy, closing his glass and returning it to its case. “What do you think of them?”

      “Think they’re a set of humbugs. They’ve come here hunting for information and pretending to be friends; and the worst of it is, old Wrayford believes in them.”

      “Nonsense! He couldn’t be so weak,” cried Roberts.

      “Oh, couldn’t he? But he could. He hasn’t been the same man since he was cut down about a month ago. Poor old man! he’s as brave as a lion still, but he has done several weak things lately which none of us like. What do you think that thick-lipped, black-bearded ruffian proposed?”

      “I don’t know,” said Bracy eagerly.

      “To send on a couple of hundred of his cut-throats to help to defend the fort against the enemy.”

      “He proposed that?” cried Roberts.

      “To be sure he did.”

      “But Colonel Wrayford,” said Bracy, “he declined, of course – at once?”

      “No, he didn’t. He hesitated, and told your old man that an ally would be so valuable, and that it would not do, hemmed in as we are, to offend a powerful chief who desired to be friendly.”

      “But that’s absurd,” cried Roberts.

      “Of course it is,” replied Drummond. “The only way to deal with these fellows is to make ’em afraid of you, for they’re as treacherous as they are proud. But there, it’s all right.”

      “All right, when the senior Colonel here temporises with the enemy!”

      “It was only one of his weak moments. He won’t do anything of that kind. He’ll talk it over with your old man and think better of it. Besides, we shouldn’t let him.”

      “Oh, come, that’s a comfort,” said Roberts, glancing at Bracy, with a twinkle in his eye.

      “Yes, I see,” said Drummond, “you’re chaffing because I bounced a bit; but I’m blessed if you don’t have to bounce up here in the mountains if you want to hold your own. I should be nowhere amongst these hill-niggers if I didn’t act as if I thought I was the biggest pot under the sun. That’s one reason why I was so anxious about my boots. Why, if it hadn’t been for you two I couldn’t have shown my face before that party this morning. I wouldn’t have had them see me with my feet bandaged up like they were for anything. It would have been lowering the dignity of Her Majesty’s service in the eyes of the heathen.”

      “Of course,” said Bracy, smiling; “but never mind that. You don’t believe in these fellows, then?”

      “Oh yes, I do.”

      “But just now you said – ”

      “What I say now, that they’re a set of impostors, pretending to be friendly so as to see what your regiment was like and how the defences looked.”

      “There, Roberts!”

      “All right, dear boy. Well, when they come again we must show them our boy-regiment, and how they’ve improved with the excellent practice we can make in firing.”

      “That’s the way,” said Drummond cheerily. “They’ll soon come again with two or three other tribes, for they’ve all made up their minds to have us out of this old fort, palace, or whatever they call it.”

      “And we shan’t go – eh?” said Bracy, with a quaint look in his eyes.

      “Most decidedly not,” replied Drummond. “Now then, you’re not on duty. Come and have a look round. Hullo! this is your doctor, isn’t it?”

      “Yes,” said Bracy.

      “Don’t like the cut of him,” said Drummond. “He’s doing it again.”

      “Doing what?”

      “Same as he did first time we met – last night at the mess – looking me up and down as if thinking about the time when he’ll have me to cut up and mend.”

      “Well, my dear boys,” said the Doctor, coming up, rubbing his hands. “Ah! Mr Drummond, I think? Met you last night. Glad to know you. Come, all of you, and have a look at my hospital quarters. Splendid place for the lads. Light, airy, and cool. They can’t help getting well.”

      “But I thought you had no patients, sir,” said Drummond.

      “Oh yes, two that we brought with us; and if Colonel Wrayford is willing, I propose that your wounded should be brought across, for it’s a far better place than where they are. Come on, and I’ll show you.”

      “Thanks, Doctor; I’m just going to see the Colonel,” said Roberts.

      “That’s a pity. You must come without him, then, Bracy.”

      “I really can’t, Doctor; not now. I am going with Roberts.”

      “Humph! that’s unfortunate. Mr Drummond would like to see, perhaps, how we arrange for our men who are down?”

      “Most happy, Doctor – ”

      “Hah!”

      “But I am going with my friends here.”

      “Standing on ceremony – eh, gentlemen?” said the Doctor, smiling quickly and taking a pinch of snuff. “Well, we’ll wait a bit. I dare say you will neither of you be so much occupied when you are once brought in to me. I thought perhaps you would like to go over the place first.”

      Bracy turned and took hold of the Doctor’s arm.

      “All right, Doctor,” he said, laughing. “You had us there on the hip. I’ll come.”

      “What, and keep the Colonel waiting?”

      “We can go there afterwards,” said Bracy quietly. “Come, Roberts, you can’t hold back now.”

      “Not going to, old fellow. There, Doctor, I beg your pardon. I’ll come.”

      “Granted, my dear boy,” said the Doctor quietly. “There, Mr Drummond, you’ll have to go alone.”

      “Not I,” said the subaltern, smiling. “I’ll come and take my dose with them.”

      “Good boy!” said the Doctor, smiling.

      “I suppose you have not had your two patients taken to the hospital yet?” said Bracy.

      “Then you supposed wrongly, sir. There they are, and as comfortable as can be.”

      “That’s capital,” cried Bracy, “for I wanted to come and see that poor fellow Gedge.”

      “That fits,” said the Doctor, “for he was asking if you were likely to come to the hospital; but I told him no, for you would be on duty. This way, gentlemen, to my drawing-room, where I am at home night and day, ready to receive my visitors. Now, which