Prussians the minute he's ready to begin. Meanwhile my job is to
help make the holy war seem unprofitable to the tribes, so that
they'll let the Turk down hard when he calls on 'em. Every day
that I can point to forts held strongly in the Khyber is a day in
my favor. There are sure to be raids. In fact, the more the merrier,
provided they're spasmodic. We must keep 'em separated--keep 'em
from swarming too fast--while I sow other seeds among 'em."

His brother nodded. Sowing seeds was almost that family's hereditary
job. Athelstan continued:

"Hang on to Ali Masjid like a leech, old man! The day one raiding
lashkar gets command of the Khyber's throat, the others'll all
believe they've won the game. Nothing'll stop 'em then! Look out
for traps. Smash 'em on sight. But don't follow up too far!"

"Sure," said Charles.

"Help me with the stain now, will you?"

With his flash-light burning as if its battery provided current
by the week instead of by the minute, Athelstan dragged open the
mule's pack and produced a host of things. He propped a mirror
against the pack and squatted in front of it. Then he passed a
little bottle to his brother, and Charles attended to the chin-strap
mark that would have betrayed him a British officer in any light
brighter than dusk. In a few minutes his whole face was darkened
to one hue, and Charles stepped back to look at it.

"Won't need to wash yourself for a month!" he said. "The dirt won't