proclivities that his method, or lack of it, had completely undermined
his men's loyalty!

A whole committee of gray-headed gentlemen took trouble to point out to
him his utter failure; but a brigadier, who was not a member of that
committee, and who was considered something of an upstart, asked that
he might be appointed to a troop of irregular cavalry that had recently
been raised. With glee--with a sigh of relief so heartfelt and
unanimous that it could be heard across the street--the committee
leaped at the suggestion. The proper person was induced without
difficulty to put his signature to the required paper, and Cunningham
found himself transferred to irregular oblivion. Incidentally he found
himself commanding few less than a hundred men, so many of whose first
names were Mahommed or Mohammed that the muster-roll looked like a list
of Allah's prophets.

Cunningham was more than a little bit astonished, on the day he joined,
in camp, a long way from Peshawur, to find his friend Mahommed Gunga,
seated in a bell tent with the Brigadier. He caught sight of the long
black military boot and silver spur, and half-recognized the
up-and-down movement of the crossed leg long before he reached the
tent. It was like father and son meeting, almost, as the Rajput rose
to greet him and waited respectfully until he had paid his compliments
to his new commander. Cunningham felt throat-bound, and could scarcely
more than stammer his introduction of himself.

"I know who you are and all about you," said the Brigadier. "Used to
know your father well. I applied to have you in my command partly for
your father's sake, but principally because Risaldar Mahommed Gunga
spake so highly of you. He tells me he has had an eye on you from the