friends. And for nearly a month did he enjoy this kind of life, until he
began to believe that India was not the infernal hole that it had been
represented to him by Snaffle of the Lancers (who, by the way, had never
been there); and in his letters to Edith he gave a glowing account of
the city of Palaces and the fascinating Mrs. Barton.

But it must not be supposed that these matters dwelt long in Arthur's
mind, for a more engrossing subject was ever before him, and that was
the profession he was now entering upon, and the probabilities of his
attaining a position in the service equal to that held by his father,
and he started to join his regiment with a determination to accomplish
this desirable end, or perish in the attempt.

The district through which he had to pass in order to reach head
quarters was a wild one. There were also several Bheel villages along
the route, nor was there any scarcity of wild beasts in that region, but
to Arthur this was not at all alarming. He had read of adventures and
difficulties that had been met with by officers of the India army while
travelling from one station to another, besides he had a strong desire
to engage in the exciting sport of tiger hunting, boar spearing, etc.,
within the Indian jungles.

On quitting Calcutta, his good friends gave him a _carte blanche_ to
visit them whenever duty or pleasure should bring him into their
neighborhood.

Fortunately for him a small party of Sepoys escorting treasure to a
station not far distant from the one in which his regiment was
quartered, were to start from Calcutta the same morning. This party he
was directed to take charge of as far on the road as he was going. Nor