"
"What do you think of them?" he demanded, as they entered. "Aren't they
soldiers? Aren't they men?"
"I think, Duncannon," the other answered slowly, "that you have worked
wonders."
"Ah, you'll tell the Chief so? Won't he be astounded? He swore I should
never do it; declared they'd knife me if I tried to hammer any
discipline into them. Much he knows about it! Good old Chief!"
He laughed boyishly, and again wiped his hot face.
"On my soul, Monty, it's been no picnic," he declared. "But I'd have
sacrificed five years' pay, and my step as well, gladly--gladly--sooner
than have missed it. Here you are, old boy! Drink! Drink to the latest
auxiliary force in the British Empire! Damn' thirsty climate, this."
He tossed his helmet aside, and sat down on the edge of the table--a
lithe, spare figure, brimming with active strength.
"I've literally coaxed those chaps into shape," he declared. "Oh, yes,
I've bullied 'em too--cursed 'em right and left; but they never turned a
hair--knew it was all for their good, and took it lying down. I've
taught 'em to wash too, you know. That was the hardest job of all. I
knocked one great brute all round the parade-ground one day, just to
show I was in earnest.
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